Hundreds of residents live without appropriate shelter in Anchorage, often sheltering themselves in tents or vehicles, often in groups forming “encampments” on public land. Conditions at such sites can become dire, as they had along Fairbanks Street in Midtown even before the shooting death there a week ago. Fortunately, Anchorage has made strides in recent years to meet more of this population’s needs. Unfortunately, interventions to date have been incomplete, sporadic, and tentative.
