Severe weather and unsanitary conditions attract wildlife, including bears, to encampments. This has led to dangerous situations that endanger both people and animals./Alaska Headline Living ©
By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | October 2025
On October 28, 2025, the Palmer City Council introduced and approved Ordinance Serial No. 25-005: “Establishing Chapter 9.37, ‘Camping on Public Property,’ to Prohibit Unauthorized Camping Within City Limits and Providing for an Effective Date.” The ordinance aims to regulate camping on public property (parks, sidewalks, rights-of-way, etc.) so that only “camping” in a “designated camping area” or law-enforcement/authorized-emergency situations is allowed. Palmerak
Key provisions:
- Defines “camping” (tents, tarpaulins, sleeping bags, etc) and “public property”. Palmerak
- Prohibits camping or maintaining shelter materials on public property unless in a designated area or authorized by the city. Palmerak
- Enforcement section: persons found in violation must immediately vacate; city personnel should provide info on shelters/services; city may remove unauthorized structures and property. Palmerak
- Penalty: Violation is punishable by fine as established in the city budget. Palmerak
- Effective immediately upon adoption. Palmerak
Why it matters (in Alaska and Beyond):
- It shows a municipality responding to issues of public camping/homelessness/infrastructure access, a policy trend many places are dealing with.
- The ordinance explicitly references the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson (2024) in its legislative findings, aiming to “prohibit conduct, not status” in a content-neutral way. Palmerak
- Sets the stage for how municipalities nationwide might craft camping/homelessness policies in the wake of federal constitutional rulings.
👉🏿 Need a Hand? These Folks Can Help
Connect Mat‑Su
- Phone: (907) 373-2628 Connect Mat-Su+2Connect Mat-Su+2
- Email: (via website contact form) Connect Mat-Su+1
- Address: 777 N Crusey St., Wasilla, AK 99654 Connect Mat-Su+1
- Hours of Operation: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Connect Mat-Su+1
- Specific Contact Persons:
- Ashley Peltier, Director — apeltier@connectmatsu.org, (907) 373-3649 Connect Mat-Su+1
- Brian Tiefenbrun, Operations Manager — btiefenbrun@connectmatsu.org, (907) 373-3626 Connect Mat-Su+1
United Way of Mat‑Su – “Project Homeless Connect”
- Phone: (907) 373-5807 United Way Mat-Su+1
- Email: admin@unitedwaymatsu.org United Way Mat-Su+1
- Address: 550 S. Alaska St., Ste. 205, Palmer, AK 99645 United Way Mat-Su+1
- Event Contact: For the Project Homeless Connect event (annual), a general contact number is (907) 521-7624 Valley Residential Services
- Notes: As an event-based resource, specific hours vary by year and venue; check their website for the upcoming date. United Way Mat-Su
