Mayor Dave Bronson’s proposed massive, temporary structure to shelter homeless people — a “navigation center,” as he calls it — at the intersection of Elmore and Tudor roads, is too close to University of Alaska Anchorage student housing. I would not want my college-age daughter to be living in student housing so close to a large group of people where sex trafficking and drug dealing have been known to get out of control. I would not feel comfortable sending my daughter to stay in housing only a few blocks away from this type of housing where I know she may be subject to a higher likelihood of sexual assault, drug dealing and the violence associated with these types of unacceptable behaviors.
Mayor Bronson’s homeless solution does not take into consideration the types of problems that would be created. This idea is completely unacceptable and I would not allow my daughter to live so close to this type of housing project. Also, the idea that it would only be temporary is a joke. With these types of projects, temporary more often than not becomes permanent. This is not the “new direction” I will accept from the new mayor.
— Mike Edwards
Anchorage
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