Bronson Betrays NIMBYs, Former Golden Lion Hotel Converted Into Low-Income Housing
Despite previously making promises to his NIMBY supporters, Mayor Bronson has made quite the stunning reversal. Instead of following through on his campaign promise to close down the former Golden Lion Hotel, he announced today that the property would open as low-income housing.
Bronson made the announcement at a press conference with Assembly Chair Suzanne LaFrance and Assembly Member Felix Rivera.
"We are finally at a place where we can announce the opening of the former Golden Lion," said a beaming Suzanne LaFrance.
In July 2020, the Municipality of Anchorage put forward a proposal to purchase properties in downtown and Midtown to address a modest redistribution of locations to provide homeless shelter, day services, housing, and concurrent substance use disorder treatment services. The Muni's endeavors included the intention to purchase Bean's Cafe, America's Best Hotel, Alaska Club, and Golden Lion.
Save Anchorage was formed to oppose the Berkowitz administration's plan (AO-66) to purchase the four buildings. The group's members mobilized against the purchases, which by December 2020 had narrowed to one property – the Golden Lion Hotel. At a mayoral debate hosted by Alaska Public Media, then-candidate David Bronson promised to sell the property on day one of becoming mayor.
On October 5, 2021, Bronson announced the hotel would not be used for homelessness and substance abuse. Instead, he handed it over to WEKA Medical LLC – a private security firm founded by Todd and Crystal Herring – to provide vaccinations, COVID testing, and monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments. The Herrings donated a combined $1,000 to Bronson's mayoral campaign and thousands more to 'Open for Business Anchorage,' a pro-Bronson independent expenditure group.
WEKA shut down its COVID operations and left the premises last February, leaving the property vacant for more than a year.
Throughout his campaign for mayor, Bronson repeatedly demonstrated a lack of empathy for the plight of the homeless, often referring to Anchorage's unhoused population as "vagrants" in his remarks and campaign literature.
When asked at today's press conference about his evolution on using the property as low-income housing, given his previous criticism of the use of Cares Act funds to purchase the Golden Lion as a substance misuse treatment center, Bronson predictably sidestepped the question.
When the former Golden Lion Hotel opens its doors, it will bring a ray of hope to some of the city's most vulnerable residents. With skyrocketing rent prices and the imminent closure of the Sullivan Arena on May 1, eighty-five much-needed units of low-income housing will become available to those who are at risk of being put on the street without a roof over their heads.
