Common area at Covey Lofts with television, large table and orange chairs

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Focus on Homelessness​

Like many urban communities, Anchorage is grappling with homelessness and a housing shortage. The causes of homelessness are complex, and solutions require a great deal of community cooperation, funding and creativity. The good news is that our community has a plan to end and prevent homelessness, and we're making progress.


​​ ​​​BACKGROUND​​​     ​​​DETAILED TIMELINE     ​​​SHELTER TYPES     ​NAVIGATION CENTER​​​​​​​



​​Pillars of Anchored Home

​Our community’s plan for ending homelessness in the Municipality is the Anchored Home Plan​, which recognizes that a collaboration between nonprofits, faith communities, individuals, businesses and governmental agencies is key for success.​ Launched in 2018 through a collaborative effort of 75 organizations and 700+ community members, including Assembly members, Anchored Home identifies concrete actions to make homlessness a rare, brief and one-time event.

  1. Promoting Prevention & Diversion from homelessness
  2. Growing the Housing & Support System
  3. Improving Public Health & Safety
  4. Increasing Advocacy & Funding to bolster our efforts​

The role of local government in the Anchored Home Plan is to support public health and safety by providing first responders, helping community partners add affordable housing to the market, ensuring that adequate emergency shelter exists, and using tax breaks and government funds to leverage private investment in housing.

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From Homeless to Stably Housed Project

The From Homeless to Stably Housed project is a collaborative process with several Anchorage Assembly members, the Bronson administration, and community partners. Members worked from August 2021 to June 2022 to develop solutions to transition away from mass care at sites like the Sullivan Arena, toward an integrated client and community-centered approach. The components of that plan include:

  • Complex Care Shelter – the former Sockeye Inn, operated by Catholic Social Services, opened this past June
  • Navigation Center and Shelter – in design; funding approved by the Assembly in April through AR 2022-111(S), As Amended - construction pending passage of AM 496-2022
  • Substance Misuse Residential Treatment
  • Workforce and Supportive Housing – the Guest House, funded through AR 2022-22 with ARPA funds
  • Housing for Special Populations (couples, elders, women and LGBTQ+)

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Emergency Sheltering Plan​

At a special meeting on August 17, AR 2022-252 was adopted to create a task force to work with community groups to develop an emer​gency shelter plan consistent with AMC Chapter 16.120. Coordinated by the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, the Emergency Sheltering Task Force presented recommendations, many of which the Assembly adopted at a Special Assembly Meeting on September 26. The Assembly held an additional Special Assembly Meeting on October 3 to create some alternative/additional options for the plan. On October 11, the Assembly passed a revised version of the plan and approved a slate of contracts for emergency sheltering leases, sheltering and food services.

​See the Emergency Sheltering Documents section below for more information.​

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Emergency Shelter Plan Documents

The Emergency Shelter Plan is a result of actions taken across several previous Assembly Meetings:

​​​​October 11 Regular Assembly Meeting Documents

At the October 11 meeting, the Assembly approved a slate of contracts from the Administration for leases, sheltering and food services at the Alex and Aviator Hotels. The Alex Hotel is newly online as a result of the Emergency Shelter Plan and the Aviator is being extended from its current use as a non-congregate shelter. The Assembly also passed AO 2022-93(S), with some minor amendments, to remove the Golden Lion from the Emergency Shelter Plan so it can be developed as housing, and ratified the funding for emergency shelter operations designated on September 26 with AR 2022-293, As Amended. ​


October 3 Special Assembly Meeting Documents

​At a Special Assembly Meeting​ on October 3, the Assembly and Administration addressed administrative matters and approved another round of options. M​e​eting​ documents (proposed versions): 


​September 26 Special Meeting Documents​

At a September 26 Special Meeting, the Assembly approved funding and contracts for components of the Emergency Shelter Plan through the end of the year, including contracts for operations of the Sullivan Arena and Golden Lion, and contracts with Bean's Cafe and Covenant House for expanded shelter capacity (at the October 11 meeting, the Golden Lion was removed from the Emergency Shelter Plan so it can be developed separately as a housing project). Meeting documents (final drafts): 


​​​​​ ​Participate

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​Committee on Housing & Homelessness
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​Guide to Testimony
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Projects Funded by Federal Relief​

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​​907-343-4311 PO Box 196650, Anchorage, AK 99519-6650​​​


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