The Anchorage Assembly voted 7-5 to criminalize homeless camping and building structures near schools, trails and busy roads on Tuesday, creating a patchwork that critics say will leave the city’s unhoused population with few acceptable places to sleep.
The ordinance makes it a Class A misdemeanor for anyone to camp or build a structure within 500 feet of schools, playgrounds and daycares, and within 200 feet of trails, busy streets and railroads. While backers said the measure was an important public safety measure to address entrenched camps, others warned that it would do little to address the city’s issues and, in many ways, would only worsen the city’s struggles.
According to maps created by the city, the prohibited zones for camping would encompass much of Anchorage, particularly around the Chester Creek and Campbell Creek trail systems. Supporters of the measure said that it was an important step in reclaiming the city’s outdoor recreation and restoring public safety…