As Anchorage debates shelter solutions, these campers propose an outdoor alternative

Alaska Public Media | By Lex Treinen

Published September 9, 2021 at 2:58 PM AKDT

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Allen Lavont Jefferson sits in a camp chair in front of a tent — Allen Lavont Jefferson speaks with an Alaska Public Media reporter, where he camped at a municipal snow dump in the Mountain View neighborhood of Anchorage in August 2021. This camp has since been abated. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Public Media)

Anchorage policymakers are debating options for building more shelter space in the city. But there are still people who prefer camping in the open air. Alaska Public Media’s Lex Treinen and Jeff Chen visited a large camp to understand what’s keeping the residents out of the shelter.

two people pose in front of painted skateboards in an art gallery — Charles J. Tice (left), owner and managing creative at Studio 223, poses with Cesar Carberry (right), artist and founder of A-1 Neva Board, at a September First Friday art show at Studio 223 in downtown Anchorage. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Public Media)

Following our initial radio story on this issue, Studio 223, a gallery in Anchorage, contacted us to get connected to Cesar Carberry, the man making custom skateboards. Carberry appeared at their First Friday art show on Sep. 3, 2021 and sold his entire collection.

A woman lifts up a bed inside a clean tents — Elshanikwa Durfee at her tent in Anchorage's Mountain View neighborhood in August, 2021. She says she's been living in tents since she graduated high school ten years ago. She says she dreams of owning her own log cabin in the woods. (Lex Treinen/Alaska Public Media)

This particular camp location discussed in the video has since been abated.