A tense Anchorage Assembly meeting this week laid bare ongoing questions about a 2021 ordinance requiring city permits for homeless shelters, a rule originally advanced by liberal Assembly members amid efforts to shut down the faith-based Downtown Hope Center, which refuses to house biological males in its women-only facility.
Assemblyman Daniel Volland requested legal clarification on the ordinance’s enforceability, prompting a visibly angry response from Assembly Chair Chris Constant, who said, “I’ve never been as filled with as much rage as I am now on this body,” before agreeing to give city attorneys, who were caught flat-footed on whether the ordinance has any teeth, more time to review the matter.
Attorneys later advised that even without formal permit approval, shelters could continue operating under provisional status.
Assemblyman Keith McCormick said he would vote against issuing the permits, arguing that shelters like the Anchorage Rescue Mission, Brother Francis Shelter, and Clare House have operated safely for decades without city meddling. He echoed concerns raised during the Bronson Administration, when the city’s Health Department warned that requiring shelter licenses could push more people into homelessness.
But back then, the Assembly was bound and determined to put the Downtown Hope Center out of business since it provides shelter beds to women victims of domestic violence.
The Anchorage Assembly passed the ordinance requiring homeless shelters to be licensed on June 22, 2021. The ordinance took effect in 2023.
