It’s not easy being homeless, and it’s certainly not easy being homeless in Alaska.
Temperatures dropped to the low 20s in the capital city last week, and we got our first measurable snowfall of the season. The Taku winds also returned, howling down South Franklin Street and other downtown corridors. In the past seven days, we’ve received three separate severe weather warnings from weather forecasters.
The city’s idea of opening a warming shelter for Juneau’s homeless is well-timed. We applaud the efforts being made to get those living on the streets into a safe, warm refuge on nights when it is freezing outside.
A warming shelter will not solve all of the issues surrounding homelessness, but it’s a great immediate relief to people in need. Kudos to the Juneau Commission on Housing and Homeless for bringing the idea to the City and Borough of Juneau’s task force on homelessness, and kudos for the Assembly for supporting it financially with $75,000 to staff the shelter.
In years past, people have died of exposure on Juneau’s streets. We hope the capital city does not see such a death this winter. No one deserves to die alone in the cold. We’re hopeful this warming shelter, coupled with the new Housing First project that is housing 32 of Juneau’s most vulnerable residents, will be a lifesaver.
We cannot think of this as a finish line, however. Until we address the root causes of homelessness in Juneau — addiction, mental illness and high housing costs to name just three — this shelter will simply be a seasonal event.
We hope for a day when this shelter will stay empty — not because it’s useless, but because it’s no longer needed.
