Local advocates have gathered more than 600 signatures in an effort to pause the looming evictions and demolition of the historic Telephone Hill neighborhood in downtown Juneau.
The petition is called “Stop the Bulldozers on Telephone Hill.” The city plans to demolish the houses on the hill in December to make way for newer, denser housing in response to the city’s housing crunch. Renters on the hill have until Nov. 1 to move out, but a developer has not signed on to the project.
Mary Alice McKeen is one of the advocates leading the effort. She said the petition asks for the city and Juneau Assembly to consider postponing the project until they have a more credible plan that includes things like clearer cost estimates.
“We think they are really putting the cart before the horse. After the buildings are demolished, that is irrevocable,” she said. “So, before we think they should pause what they’re doing until they have a credible plan for the future of telephone Hill.”
McKeen said advocates intend to present the signatures and testify at the Juneau Assembly’s upcoming meeting on Monday night. That’s when its newest member, Nano Brooks, will be sworn in. Brooks openly campaigned against the demolition plan.
The eviction of renters on the hill was originally slated for Oct. 1, but the city postponed it until Nov. 1 due to a legal hiccup.
City Attorney Emily Wright said the signatures themselves can’t stop the plan from moving forward — it’s up to the Juneau Assembly.
“In general, the signature gathering push and initiative is fully within the political realm and putting pressure on the Assembly to rescind their action or change where things go,” she said. “But it doesn’t have any weight legally to stop the eviction.”
A majority of the nine-member Assembly would have to be on board with rescinding the evictions in order for a motion to pass. However, at a meeting last month, many Assembly members stood behind their decision.
Demolition is slated to begin in December. City officials say they hope that a developer will begin construction as soon as next summer.
