The Anchorage Assembly “Nine,” their political surrogates on the Left, and the Anchorage Daily News are pushing a narrative to the public that homeless people who are living at a fully equipped, clean campground are in a “humanitarian crisis.”

Perhaps the news reporters have not visited other encampments that have been around Anchorage in the recent past, such as the one that developed on the ridge east of town a couple of years ago.

Or perhaps they don’t have the memory of what Anchorage was like in 2020, with people having sex on the sidewalk in Anchorage next to others who were passed out — or worse.

The truth of Centennial Campground is far from what has been characterized by critics as “deplorable conditions.” Unlike living in the woods or on the street corners around Anchorage and using streams for toilets and bathing, the campers have all the amenities of any top-line campground. They have running water, toilets, 24-hour security, free wi-fi, constant maintenance by city staff who keep the place picked up.

A tour around the campground tells a different story than the one shown by the media. Take a look:

In fact, it’s not much different in its functionality than the 2020 “Camp Berkowitz,” which set up on the Delaney Park Strip. That was an organized project of leftist groups like the “Poor People’s Campaign.” The mayor took no action because the project supported his political objectives; it was a tactic to embarrass the governor and stimulate public interest in the now-failed recall attempt against Gov. Mike Dunleavy.

Homelessness is, after all, a political battering ram for the Left.

Many of the people living at the Centennial Campground today are in far better circumstances than they were living in the woods three weeks ago. Those touring through the campground remark on how calm everything is.

While not ideal for some, for others living outdoors is what they want to do for now, and a free camping spot, with food being delivered daily by nonprofits, is an improvement in their situation. Several of the campers have nice cars and most are keeping their campsites tidy.

The Mayor’s Office doesn’t see the campground as a permanent solution, but during the dry weather earlier this year, when fires were a real hazard in the forests around Anchorage, moving people from random campsites in the woods to a controlled situation was a safety priority. A fire south of Dowling Road this summer posed a real threat to homes. Mayor Dave Bronson is working to construct a navigation center that will connect homeless people with the services they need, specific to their individual situations. The Leftist majority on the Assembly has opposed the navigation center and blocked its construction for over a year. They cannot give the mayor a win on homelessness; in fact, their goal seems to be to increase the pain and suffering of the homeless, exacerbate the problem, and then use it to remove the mayor from office under the new ordinance that gives the Assembly the power to do so.

Some homeless have been moved out of the campground and into temporary shelter at city-owned, nonprofit owned, or contracted facilities, such as the Aviator Hotel. They are either families with children or people who are medically fragile.

The Centennial Campground is a far cry from the random takeovers of other public places that occurred in the Berkowitz years, such as the big tent city that popped up at Third Ave. and Ingra St.

There are always situations that arise with chronically homeless. There is drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and occasional death from overdose or untreated medical conditions. But the campground is clean and for the most part it is a safe place, with security cameras and security guards. At least for now.

Do they take America The Beautiful passes?

Perpetual homelessness is largely a mental disorder. Like a magnet for the Lefties and Democrats.

It’s a crisis for the communities they ruin.

We gave them the Sullivan Arena. They didn’t go away. We gave them the park, fed them every day. They still didn’t go away. DO NOT FEED THE BEARS

Don’t think for a second that this is about poor people on the street.

This is about the ” Homeless Industrial Complex “

If the mayor were a democrat, Suzanne would call Centennial Park Armageddon, a war zone, a seething pond of poo. But for the MAGA mindset, ideology beats reality.

Gee. Look at the park. For what it is, and the current conditions. Somehow, this is as a personal affront to you?

Nothing personal to me, though unlike most conservatives, I have compassion for members of my community and hope for a solution from Bronson, but, because he’s so incompetent, it won’t happen. My point is that for the Right, ideology blinds them to reality.

So remind me what mindset is calling the conditions “deplorable”.

LOL, Look in the mirror! Lucinda since our mayor is a conservative, isn’t that what the assembly, ADN et al call it? Armageddon? Your problem is that pictures on the ground don’t fit the picture you wish to paint. I remember the tents along 3rd and Ingra and the naked butt presented to me from the median green strip along the Seward Hwy, while I was waiting for the light to change. That was during the Berkowitz years. If you can’t see that tents, meals, showers, toilets and security are an improvement, then you are the ideologue.

Go inspect the place for yourself, take some pictures and get back with us.

so the present assembly has the ”MAGA mindset” ?

How many homeless are you housing? Just what I thought non your putting you nose into a problem that’s over you head. The mayor is doing an excellent job while trying to deal with an out of control assembly who makes up the tiles as they go. Maybe they will pass an ordnance that says you and them will house the homeless in your own homes and set an example

That’s silly Mark. As a citizen, I am not responsible for solving the public’s problems. Neither are you.

My point is that ideology trumps reality on this forum. The Park’s a mess and it is largely Bronson’s incompetence at fault.

Nice tables to leave your food out on (attracting the bears), fire pits designed not to raze the nearby forest, a Brown Jug a short walk away, food delivered from Beans (no tip for the drivers needed), free tents, and no rent. What’s not to love? I can’t camp at those rates. What are people complaining about? No tv or free wifi?

I would strongly encourage anyone who cares, to actually go out there and take a look.

It is far more closer to the awful conditions describe by Alaska news source, than the downplayed and minimizing fiction described here.

But, I understand most users of this site will consider this sufficient proof, and any factual portrayals or first hand observations will simply be considered as fake news or propaganda.

I can assure you it looks better than Davis Park last year, even after the tons of garbage were removed. The repaved roads are nice too.

If you allow drag queen story hour at Centennial Park, I’m sure it will improve morale, and the campground won’t be as “deplorable”.

I remember the homeless camps in the woods next to my home. Can’t possibly be as bad as that. I have photos if you like.

Well, we have pictures of the campground from MRAK – looks fine. We have an aerial picture from ADN – looks, um, fine too. Maybe we should get some more pictures because we can’t all take a personal tour.

I take bias seriously, including MRAK. ADN doesn’t mention that many of the vulnerable homeless have already been housed elsewhere. MRAK doesn’t mention that, though they have free WiFi, they cannot charge their phones. I am glad MRAK finally gave an update on this camp because I have only heard the many “Bash Bronson” stories. Did the Navigation Center ever start construction, or is it still stalled by Dunbar?

Deplorable is a description of the Bronson Plan

What’s your idea Frankie? You were in construction along time, what’s your fantastic idea?

I fully understand that the taxpaying neighbors are frustrated. However hyperbole and finger pointing, as well as the blame game, are truly counterproductive and only serve to drive groups further apart, instead of bringing people together to solve this issue as best we can. From the articles I have seen in the ADN etc. it appears the homeless population is being used as a cudgel by “advocates”(those who make a living from their advocacy) to score political points yet without any interest whatsoever to actually tackle the problem and help these individual and the residents come to a mutually acceptable solution.

The homeless seem to have an incredible selection of places they can live for free and be taken care of.

I was checking to see if our City was selling us downriver for Federal Funds. Gee, I tripped over this:

Why is the city closing down the Sullivan Arena shelter now?

The main reason, city officials say, is that Friday, July 1, is the day the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, will reduce how much of the costs it covers for mass shelters like the Sullivan. Beginning on July 1, FEMA’s reimbursement will drop from 100% to 90%, according to a FEMA advisory from March.

The city estimates it has been spending about $1 million per month on the Sullivan shelter since it opened in March 2020. So far, it has only been reimbursed about $3.9 million for costs before Sept. 15, 2020, according to Anchorage Health Department spokesperson Tyler Sachtleben, but it’s submitting for reimbursements on the other costs.

Which begs the following questions: How much does the taxpayer from municipal to federal owe the homeless community? The Municipal taxpayers are on the hook for approx. $80 million for care at the Sully of approx. 1000 homeless individuals.

Reversely what does the homeless community owe the taxpayer?

Homeless individuals either by circumstance or by choice live outside societal rules. In this towns there seems to be an expectation that society provide a free roof over their head etc., without any expectations of reciprocity. Maybe it is time to return the homeless issue to the community of churches and centers based on individual and corporate donation, barring public funds from any use other than law enforcement, public health, road maintenance/snow removal and education.

So what’s your point?

Sure!! They would rather have the taxpayer fork over 1 million dollars a month to house the homeless and feed them at restaurants .My friend did the calculations and came up with $36,000 worth of services that’s been provided at taxpayer expense to each of the 500 homeless that’s been housed and fed by the city over 18 months!!

Deplorable is how I describe every homeless camp I come across on my reports to the MOA.

Human feces. Toelet paper. Spent food containers. Tampons… some used. Condom wrappers. Condoms. Soiled. Dirty clothes.Burnt tents.

Trash. More trash. Sleeping bags, shoes, propane bottles. Enough bike parts for 6 tour de france teams.

Tarps of every color and size.

Deplorable at Centennial? Compared to what.

Homelessness is a crime. It’s called Trespassing.

One thing learned is the media picks and chooses which, who, and what it chooses to bring attention or when to turn cameras off. Apart from some of the escapades that are expected serving a broken hearted and lost bunch, conditions sound nice that gives any one wanting to change their life if they have clean toilet, toiletries and femimine products, and safety. Just as long as project leaders remember jesus words when asking a man ‘do want to be healed?’ the sick man needs to want to be healed. So how often are anchorage church leaders and local congregation members going out to sit, work, pray, and read and teach our world’s good news. These homeless is our ‘guatemala’ apart from physical needs, they need the gospel the honey in the rock.

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