Anchorage faces a housing crisis with rising rents, worsened by a Supreme Court ruling allowing cities to ban public camping. Local measures, like the HOME Initiative, seek to address housing shortages, but affordability remains a critical issue.
Near the end of its term, the Supreme Court ruled that cities are allowed to ban people from sleeping and camping in public places, overturning lower court rulings that previously protected the unhoused under the Eighth Amendment. This 6-3 decision, written by conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, argues that local governments are better equipped than federal judges to handle the issue. However, dissenting voices, like Justice Sotomayor’s, emphasize the inhumane choice now imposed on the homeless: stay awake or face arrest. Cities like Grants Pass, Oregon, who originated the case, and others seeking more enforcement powers to address the growing homelessness issues celebrated the decision. Yet, opponents of the decision ignore the fundamental cause of homelessness, such as the severe housing shortage and increasing rent costs.
At this stage, the ruling only affects the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals jurisdiction, which includes Alaska, but sets a precedent that will influence policies across the nation. This includes Anchorage, where the housing crisis continues growing. The city is recording its least affordable housing market in over two decades. According to data from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the average mortgage payment in Alaska has increased by 52% since 2018, while rents have surged by 24%. In Anchorage alone, rents rose by 7.8% from last year, with the median rent now standing at $1,375, excluding utilities.
The Anchorage Assembly has responded to this crisis with the HOME Initiative, aimed at overhauling the city’s zoning laws to increase housing availability. The approved initiative eliminates single-family zoning, allowing duplexes in all residential zones. Proponents like Assembly member Anna Brawley argue that the initiative will match the city’s diverse needs and alleviate the housing crunch. However, the move is not without opposition, critics fear that such rapid changes could destabilize neighborhoods and impact property values.
Despite existing efforts, the housing market remains difficult to navigate. Data from Alaska Housing Finance Corporation in an article from Alaska Dispatch News shows that, since 2018, the cost of home ownership has grown more than two-fold. Furthermore, the number of homes available for sale has significantly decreased. The affordability crisis is not only a result of higher prices but also that wages are not able to keep the pace with the increases. Per the article, a worker earning Alaska’s minimum wage of $11.73 per hour would be required to work 75 hours a week to afford a modest one-bedroom apartment. For a two-bedroom unit, the required hourly wage jumps to $27.96. Those numbers are simply not feasible for many residents. While cities now have more leeway to regulate public spaces, the fundamental issue of affordable housing remains unresolved. For Anchorage, the focus must remain on creating long-term solutions that go beyond zoning reforms to address the escalating costs and limited availability of housing. The city’s efforts, though a positive start, must be part of a larger strategy to ensure that all residents have access to safe, affordable homes.
