The Anchorage Assembly on Thursday approved a $202,000 contract to set up a warming area for unhoused residents and those without adequate heating at their homes.
The move comes as shelter space is near capacity in the city, and freezing temperatures present hazards for people living outside or in their cars.
At a special Assembly meeting Thursday morning, Mayor Suzanne LaFrance said setting up the warming area quickly was critical.
“Our wider commitment is to significantly reduce unsheltered homelessness,” LaFrance said, “starting with responding to the crisis in front of us like warming and working to get out of crisis mode by bringing about more housing and services that move people out of homelessness altogether.”
The warming area will be managed by Henning Inc, a service provider that also operates several shelters in the city. The area will be in a separate building near the Henry House, a former hotel-turned shelter on 4th Avenue that's also run by Henning. It will be open from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. through the end of March. Staff plan to provide blankets, hot beverages and a safe warm area for up to 50 people.
The administration’s initial goal was to have a total warming capacity in the city for 70 people. Mash LLC, another local service provider, had been approved for a contract to provide warming space for another 20 people, but it recently rescinded its bid, according to the LaFrance administration. Like Henning, Mash also operates non-congregate shelter beds in the city.
Farina Brown, a special assistant to the mayor on homelessness issues, says the city aims to keep the capacity at 50 for now, with the potential to expand.
“We will look at what are we seeing for individuals that are coming in for warming, and are we reaching capacity at the 50,” Brown said. “And then we can look to initiate additional capacity if needed. But I think this gives us an opportunity to make that decision based on data.”
Officials with Mash did not respond to a request for comment.
The Assembly approved the warming area contract in a 10 to 1 vote. Member Daniel Volland was the sole no vote. He said he was concerned that the warming area continued a trend of setting up homeless resources in the historically low-income Fairview neighborhood, which he represents.
