At the Regular Assembly Meeting on July 11, 2023, the Anchorage Assembly took up several items toward opening the Golden Lion as low-income housing, including a request to fund repairs (AM 542-2023), a lease agreement with a public hearing on July 25 (AO 2023-79), and a grant agreement for startup operations (AM 549-2023).
“The conversation about the Golden Lion is very welcome,” said Assembly Chair Christopher Constant during the meeting. “This Assembly, at least some members, have been ready for this moment since August 2020. We want to open the Golden Lion as housing, we all feel the rush to get it done. Let’s get it done right.”
Submitted to the Assembly by the Administration, the package of items presented financial and operational questions to the Assembly for approval. The first, AM 542-2023 to fund repairs to the building entrance in the amount of $479,000, was unanimously approved.
The second, AO 2023-79 to lease the building to Henning, Inc. to operate, was introduced with a public hearing set on July 25.
The third, AM 549-2023, a $250,000 grant agreement to Henning, Inc. for startup operation costs, was postponed to the next Regular Assembly Meeting on July 25.
“I am very grateful to Alexis Johnson, the Anchorage Health Department Homelessness Division Director, and her team for bringing us to this point,” said Assembly Member Felix Rivera, who chairs the Assembly Housing & Homelessness Committee. “It’s clear we share a goal to open the Golden Lion as housing, but the lease and the grant agreement should be tied together. We have to wait until after the public hearing on July 25 to vote on the lease anyway, so let’s take the time to get us to a point where we’re ready to vote on the entire package on July 25.”
AO 2023-79 to lease the Golden Lion to Henning, Inc. is scheduled for public hearing at the next Regular Assembly Meeting on July 25, 2023. There are multiple options to provide testimony:
###CONTACT:Christopher Constant | Assembly Chair, District 1, North AnchorageFelix Rivera | Housing & Homelessness Committee Chair, District 4, Midtown