Anchorage's Outdoor Homeless Deaths Hit Record Low

0:00Anchorage has gone 3 months without a single outdoor death among unhoused people, according to police data. That's the longest stretch since 2018. The last one happened on December 24, 2025, and none have been recorded in 2026 so far. In the same period last year, 10 people died outdoors, and the full year saw 44 such deaths down slightly from record highs. Winter months typically see fewer because fewer folks are outside, but officials credit this low to new year-round shelters and extra beds during the brutal cold. City leaders are encouraged by the trend, viewing it as proof their efforts to get people indoors are paying off. They stress no one should die outside without access to emergency help or a safe place. Not everyone agrees with the numbers. A former homelessness coordinator questions if some recent deaths were properly counted, pointing to two men found outside in January who had shelter. Police say those didn't qualify since the individuals had fixed addresses at the

1:01time. While large homeless camps are gone and street activity has dropped, unhoused folks and distress remain visible. Leaders say falling outdoor deaths and overdoses signal real progress with more work ahead to build on this momentum. That's the story for today Anchorage News Today, driven by AI. I'm Corey with The Story.