At Tuesday night’s Assembly meeting, a curious phenomenon occurred. The public testimony about the proposed emergency homeless shelter and navigation center at Elmore and Tudor became unified. This was unusual because, in general, public testimony has a sharp divide between supporters of the Assembly and supporters of the mayor. But not on this issue; for once, almost everyone was articulating the same questions:
1. What is the long-term fiscal plan for this facility? Are the current estimates of cost realistic and where will additional money come from?
2. How do we know that this facility will be different than Sullivan Arena? What will be different about its operation and management structure?
3. Where are the voices of the homeless people themselves? Why aren’t they part of this conversation?
It’s this last question that seems to have been most neglected in the long debate that followed before the Assembly approved millions of dollars to begin construction. Why haven’t the homeless been consulted on a plan to help them? Why weren’t listening sessions held in Sullivan Arena itself, where they could easily participate? Why, oh why, was a Houseless Lived Experience Board formed to perform this very task, but it has never met? Not once.
As we move forward, we need to hear from our homeless brothers and sisters. They must be included in this venture if there is to be any hope of success.
— Andrew Gray
Anchorage
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