NOTN- The Juneau Assembly is weighing new safety policies aimed at protecting homeless shelter clients and staff.
In June the Juneau Police Department cleared an unhoused encampment on Teal street, the city’s largest encampment.
City officials said they decided to clear the encampment due to safety concerns and have been actively searching for better solutions.
City officials are examining Anchorage’s model of restricting camping near trails, water bodies, and critical public areas.
Anchorage recently cleared its two largest camps in the Mountain View neighborhood, displacing up to 200 people from Davis Park and a nearby snow dump. The city has since removed more than 370 tons of trash from the sites.
Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance’s Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance’s homelessness strategy includes expanding shelter capacity, increasing access to crisis care, and adding transitional housing.
According to Alaska Public Media, the city plans to open 24 tiny homes by mid-October to support people transitioning out of homelessness.
Both Juneau and Anchorage officials acknowledge that clearing encampments, also known as abatements, are not long-term solutions by themselves.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently gave cities more power to clear camps, overturning a ruling that made such actions harder when no shelter space was available.
Deputy City Manager Robert Barr said local officials are considering establishing ‘shelter safety zones’ that could restrict camping near key facilities and enhance protections for shelter clients and staff.
“We had a very long conversation on the merits of a shelter safety zone. There’s definitely desire among the body to see what could be done.” Said Barr.
The city plans to operate a cold weather shelter this winter.
While specific ordinance details remain under development, assembly members expressed a strong desire to implement more robust protective measures around homeless service facilities.
The next assembly meeting is scheduled for August 18.