Anchorage Assembly passes quicker clean-up time for homeless camps

Tuesday night, the Anchorage Assembly passed an ordinance to reduction of time limit for the clean up of homeless camps from fifteen to ten days.

Assembly member Eric Croft introduced the ordinance. Croft said the ordinance helps the community "gain control of our spaces."

Wyane Hall of Rogers Parks, said he experiences homeless camps in his neighborhood and called it a small step in the right direction. "It makes illegal camping less convenient and comfortable for those involved and it provides some consequence otherwise none would exist," Hall said.

Allen Williams, spoke on the issue said, "When are chasing the homeless from campsite to campsite you are not really doing anything unless you are giving them someplace they can go."

Croft said, the municipality has passed one of the largest budgets for homelessness.

In the assembly budget, $500,000 was passed for services to help combat homelessness in Anchorage. An additional $170,000 was passed for Parks and Recreation to clean up homeless camps.

Under the ordinance, "public nuisances" will also be held up the ten day clean up time limit.