While discussions around gripes, solutions and concerns surrounding the homelessness crisis in Anchorage are common, I rarely hear mention of the serious risks to the health of people experiencing homelessness and their surrounding neighborhood caused by encampments.
In my neighborhood of Northeast Anchorage, we have been host to a growing encampment in the woods of Centennial Park.
With the nearest public restroom to them being at least several blocks away, residents of my community have observed people in these camps have begun resorting to using Home Depot buckets so that they can relieve themselves without walking several blocks.
Addressing this, I urge leaders in the community to consider humane and immediate solutions to the lack of public restroom availability for people experiencing homelessness in my neighborhood, and in the other encampments around Anchorage. Beyond the ethical concerns lack of bathroom access brings up, there are a number of risks to the environment and risks of spreading diseases among the community when people are left without basic sanitation access.
I propose implementing a porta-potty program for encampments that lack restroom access. While this would be a small measure in the grand scheme of all the adversity people experiencing homelessness experience, providing access to a toilet and hand sanitizer would provide basic dignity.
— Lillian Legg
Anchorage
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