The Municipality of Anchorage is preparing to break ground on what some are calling a step forward in transitional housing, and what others, with a wink, are already calling “The Crampground.”
Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, in partnership with the Anchorage Community Development Authority, announced this week that Visser Construction has been tapped to design and build 24 “microunits” on city-owned land near the Elmore Permit Center. This is the approximate location where former Mayor Dave Bronson attempted to construction a homeless navigation center, to connect homeless people with services appropriate to their needs.
The pilot project, formally known as the “Microunits for Recovery Residences,” aims to offer temporary housing for individuals transitioning out of homelessness and into substance misuse recovery. The 24 units, about 96 square feet each, will cost $1.7 million and will be paid for by the public treasury from opioid settlement funds. It’s a two-year pilot, with the possibility of relocating or scrapping the units if the program is not successful.
These shoebox chateaus are a cornerstone of Mayor LaFrance’s Homelessness and Health Strategy. They’ll come equipped with utility hookups and supporting infrastructure, with doors expected to open to residents by Oct. 15.
But the 24 units will fall short of meeting the needs of the approximately 3,000 who are roaming Anchorage streets without a certain place to lay their heads.
“The proposals we received demonstrated creativity, expertise, and a shared commitment to advancing housing solutions for our community,” said Mike Robbins, Executive Director of ACDA, who hinted that this is just the beginning of a wider vision. The final contract with Visser Construction is pending approval at ACDA’s August board meeting.
Mayor LaFrance, who has bought into the “housing first” philosophy, said the microunits are designed as “a vital bridge to stability,” offering low-cost, low-barrier shelter for people looking to get back on their feet. “This pilot project exemplifies Anchorage’s commitment to finding innovative solutions for homelessness and the substance use epidemic,” she said.
Still, in places like Seattle, where such crawl-in closets have been tried in village settings, there’s been a lot of resistance, and the villages quickly have become shantytowns filled with social problems, crime, and overdosed residents.
Midtown Assembly Member Felix Rivera, who helped spearhead the idea through a now-disbanded Complex Behavioral Health Community Task Force, said the project reflects the kind of creative thinking Anchorage needs. “I’m excited to see these kinds of partnerships come together and for Midtown to play a key role, as it has for years, towards finding creative solutions to address our community’s challenges.”
The city plans to select a site operator through a competitive process in the coming weeks.
The idea of microunits in Anchorage isn’t new. The In Our Backyard project, launched by a local church in 2024, paved the way.
Just how I want my tax dollars spent not on police fire roads parks, but supporting people that are capable of working, but choose not to.
“…….24 units, about 96 square feet each, will cost $1.7 million…….”
$738 per sq. ft. That’s luxury, high end residential construction costs in Anchorage. And they’ll be trashed in no time flat.