During today’s Special Housing & Homelessness Committee meeting, Committee Chair Felix Rivera announced that he and Assembly Member Anna Brawley will host a press conference at City Hall on Friday, June 16 at 11:00AM, following an Assembly worksession on AR 2023-182(S), As Amended, to provide further comment on the proposal.
About the Worksession
A worksession on AR 2023-182(S), As Amended, will be held on Friday, June 16 at 9:30am in City Hall 155.
“My ask today is the same as my ask two years ago: we need to see an operations plan to understand the full picture of the investment and get this right,” said Assembly Chair Constant after announcing the worksession. “I hope the Administration will take this opportunity to fill in the blanks so the Assembly can make an informed decision.”
About the Resolution
Sponsored by Assembly Members Kevin Cross and Randy Sulte with Mayor Dave Bronson, a public hearing on AR 2023-182 was held at the June 6 Regular Assembly Meeting. As proposed, the resolution would appropriate $7 million to the project. A substitute version was brought to the table by Assembly Member Anna Brawley, which increased the appropriation to $11.1 million and amendments were made to require the Administration identify a project manager and prepare an operations plan for the facility, including staffing and operation costs as well as potential long-term funding sources.
“In order to evaluate the feasibility of building and operating this facility, the Assembly – and the public – need to start with realistic numbers,” said Member Anna Brawley, Co-Chair of the Assembly Budget & Finance Committee. “Given that construction costs have increased substantially since 2020, the $7 million proposed in the original version isn’t enough to open doors to clients on day 1. The substitute version before us now is more realistic, but the cost is only one part of the equation. We also need a clear answer from the administration about what funds are available to pay for it. I look forward to a serious and informed conversation at our work session about funding sources, capital and operating costs, plans and project management so we can decide how to move forward.”
“The Clean Slate Strategy was a promise to the public to evaluate all potential solutions to our sheltering crisis, including this project,” said Member Rivera, Chair of the Assembly Housing & Homelessness Committee. “Work to establish criteria for successful sheltering is underway, so we shouldn’t get ahead of the process. This issue deserves serious and credible action, and we are working towards fulfilling our promise to the public and, most importantly, to those experiencing homelessness. This work will allow us to avoid using the Sullivan Arena again this winter as cold weather shelter and I urge my colleagues and the administration to engage in solutions through the Clean Slate Strategy.”
Press Conference Details
Assembly Members Brawley and Rivera will be available to the media for questions and further comment following the worksession:
What: Press Conference on Funding Proposal for Navigation Center Construction
Who: Assembly Members Anna Brawley and Felix Rivera
Anna Brawley represents District 3, West Anchorage on the Anchorage Assembly and serves as co-chair of the Assembly Budget & Finance Committee.
Felix Rivera represents District 4, Midtown on the Anchorage Assembly and serves as chair of the Assembly Housing & Homelessness Committee.
When: Fri. June 16, 2023 at 11:00AM
Where: City Hall, 632 West 6th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99501
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