Former “Homelessness Czar” Robert Marbut's contract with Muni Revealed
In February, Robert Marbut, a Trump appointee, was removed from his position as executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). In his previous role as a homelessness consultant to cities, Marbut called for cities to stop "enabling" homelessness by providing free meals, which he called "street feeding," and to stop permitting people to sleep in public spaces. He also endorsed expanding law enforcement's authority to arrest people experiencing homelessness for violating minor ordinances.
Marbut rejects "Housing First," a proven strategy that prioritizes finding safe, stable, accessible housing for people experiencing homelessness before addressing other problems, like substance abuse or untreated mental health issues. Naturally, the Bronson administration took these perspectives as positives and swept Marbut up, hiring the former Trump "homelessness czar" as a consultant.
Today, Municipal Manager Amy Demboski emailed the Anchorage Assembly a copy of the city's "executed contract" with Marbut, which she wrote had been adjusted to reflect Marbut's fee and cover his travel expenses.
Questions have been raised about when Dr. Marbut began working for the Bronson administration. Assembly member Jamie Allard previously asserted at a meeting of the Anchorage Assembly that there was no contract for Marbut, noting that sometimes people volunteered their time and said she had "affirmation" from the Bronson administration that no agreement had been executed.
However, Dr. Marbut is said to have previously stated at a meeting with the ACDA that he had begun working with the Bronson administration on July 30.
According to the contract, Marbut's fee is not to exceed $9,950 and is payable in full upon receipt of the invoice. The contract term runs from August 1, 2021, to September 30, 2021.
As the mystery surrounding Marbut's contract deepens, the fact that his contract is set to expire at the end of this month is excellent news for Anchorage's unhoused.
This post has been updated with additional information.
