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50 people experiencing homelessness died on Anchorage streets in 2024

A man walks downtownAnchorage with a plastic bag and a blanket over his shoulders.
Matt Faubion
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Alaska Public Media
Downtown Anchorage on Jan. 8, 2025.

Howard was 61 when he died outside in Anchorage last June, according to police reports. His obituary describes him as welcoming, always smiling, and as an outdoorsman who shared the fish he caught with friends and family. A few months earlier, Corey died outside at age 38. He was a competitive bowler and loved ones said he’d do whatever it took to help someone in need.

The two men were among 50 people experiencing homelessness who died on the streets of Anchorage last year. That’s two fewer people than a peak in 2023, but far exceeds the number of deaths in the years before that.

It’s troubling, said David Rittenberg, director of adult homeless services at Catholic Social Services. Each of the deaths is a serious loss.

“Whenever one person passes away, it's tragic for our community,” he said. “And seeing higher numbers over the last two years is definitely concerning.”

The people who died last year ranged in age from 22 to 67, the police reports say. Many died in tents. Two died together in a vehicle, and the report said their propane heater was still in the “on” position. A few died on city trails or on snowbanks. One woman in her 30s was found dead in a parking lot. A citizen had tried using CPR to revive her.

A trail with a bridge
Matt Faubion
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Alaska Public Media
A 44-year-old man was found dead on a trail near Chanshtnu Muldoon Park on May 2, 2024.

These “outdoor deaths” are counted by the Anchorage Police Department and include everyone who died outside without a permanent address. But they don’t include people experiencing homelessness who died inside, or people with permanent addresses who died outside.

Still, Rittenberg said, the death toll is one grim measure of how well Anchorage addresses the needs of unsheltered people.

“That is usually at the end of a long line of potential missed opportunities to better serve that individual,” Rittenberg said.

And he said he hopes the two years of losing so many people prompts change.

“I think we really need to use this to motivate and galvanize the community to come up with solutions,” he said.

Anchorage Police Lt. Danielle Hrovat said shelter access was a big factor behind outdoor deaths over the last two years.

“There was the lack of stability for the homeless population over the last couple of years, with the shelters closing and opening, so there wasn't just one place that they could just go year-round,” Hrovat said.

The Sullivan Arena opened as an overflow homeless shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it stopped sheltering people in May 2023, and the city has only offered a patchwork of temporary housing since then.

People experiencing homelessness also have difficulty accessing health care, especially preventative care. Anchorage doesn’t have enough behavioral health services, or space for people who need substance abuse treatment.

Drug overdose deaths across the entire population of Alaska rose in 2023 and 2024 — over 40% more people died of overdose in those years than in the years before. Following patterns of death for Alaskans overall, Hrovat said, many outdoor deaths last year showed evidence of drug or alcohol use.

“There's at least five cases where Narcan was administered,” she said. “Nearly half of the cases had drug paraphernalia found at the site. Nine cases had alcohol bottles found at the site. [But], the medical examiner determines the cause of death. Those are just observations that officers make at the scene.”

In a written statement, Mayor Suzanne LaFrance said her administration’s top priority is reducing unsheltered homelessness.

“When a person is living in a tent and unable to meet their basic needs, it is very difficult to connect with healthcare, housing, and employment,” LaFrance wrote. “It is especially dangerous to sleep outside in a winter city like Anchorage.”

Sheltering everyone in Anchorage is a big challenge but, LaFrance said, the city has taken steps to address the issue, including opening a warming shelter this winter. There’s also a new pilot program: The HOPE team is made up of a police officer and social worker who talk to people in encampments and connect them with resources.

A police spokesperson said in the five months the team has been operating, it has reached almost 475 people. Forty-three of them have been connected to shelter and housing, and four have been connected with substance-abuse treatment.

Hrovat said she believes the team can help reduce the number of people dying outside.

“We're always looking for ways to help decrease deaths citywide, and if these teams can reach out to individuals and provide resources, that's going to be a great opportunity to help prevent some future deaths,” she said.

Rittenberg, from Catholic Social Services, acknowledged the city’s work.

“Anchorage has been making progress,” he said. “We have emphasized smaller, scattered shelters that are easier for people to access, and that provide a choice for people.”

He said it’s important for people to have those choices. But he said the city needs a permanent, year-round space where anyone can walk in and where, no matter what’s going on in their lives, they can find a safe place to sleep.

Rachel Cassandra covers health and wellness for Alaska Public Media. Reach her at rcassandra@alaskapublic.org.