I just listened to the Assembly special session on April 18, where the resolution to appropriate city funds to ship up a sprung structure to shelter our city’s homeless was discussed. I find this new effort by the mayor to resurrect the Tudor/Elmore shelter tent shelter extremely disconcerting.
Despite the clear opposition from Anchorage residents, it seems they’re determined to revive this flawed and poorly contrived proposal. Even more disheartening is the sudden reversal of stance by my representative, Karen Bronga, who now claims East Anchorage supports the project. This abrupt shift raises questions about the integrity of the decision-making process.
It’s disappointing to witness the administration’s continued pattern of requesting substantial funds without presenting a coherent plan. This latest move feels like a calculated attempt to slip the project past public scrutiny, despite three years of community outcry.
The entire Assembly meeting I listened to was the familiar routine of the administration asking for taxpayer money without a solid strategy in place. The municipal homeless coordinator’s insistence on allocating $240,000 just for shipping costs is particularly troubling. This rush to seize an opportunity without proper evaluation only reinforces the perception of fiscal irresponsibility.
Furthermore, their private partner Henning scheduled a “public meeting” at 9 a.m. April 23, on a work day, which appears to be a deliberate attempt to limit participation and undermine transparency. This tactic is unfair to those who are unable to attend due to work commitments.
I ask Assembly members to not spend any city or state dollars on this project. Investing in shipping this sprung tent is a slippery slope. Please continue prioritizing housing-first projects, not a fractured and deficient plan continuously put forward by our administration for the many reasons that have already been stated over the past three years.
— Daniella DeLozier
Anchorage
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