Community Development

Innovation Impacts the Lives of Alaskans

Innovation has become more than just another buzzword for the Planning and Program Development team at Alaska Housing — it’s a way of life.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alaska Housing worked with federal and state governments and collaborated with partner organizations to develop programs to meet the specific needs of Alaskans. This required creativity and ingenuity across a wide spectrum of housing-related topics.

Alaska Housing Rent Relief provided assistance for individuals financially impacted by the pandemic and began to wind down in 2022. At the same time Alaska Housing Homeowner Assistance began to provide funds for mortgage and/or utility expenses. Housing Stabilization and Recovery was launched in February 2022 to help homeless Alaskans get off the streets and into longer-term housing.

As interest rates rose for home loans, housing inventory tightened and the cost of rent climbed. The Planning and Program Development team continued to look for opportunities to develop affordable housing across the state. That included support of housing projects in Anchorage, Bethel, Mat-Su Valley, and Nome. It also provided housing options for critical workforce professionals in education, healthcare, and public safety.

The Planning and Program Development Department provided grants to and partnerships with organizations across the state in developing affordable housing. It included leading the distribution of millions of dollars in federal funding for renters and homeowners financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. And it included collaborating with agencies and nonprofits around Alaska to assist individuals facing homelessness.

Supporting Military Personnel

In September 2021, Alaska Housing announced a new loan opportunity for investors looking to finance two- to four-unit residences in Alaska’s Military Facility Zone located in North Pole. The loan was designed to provide developers with a tool to build multi-family homes that can support the growing population of military personnel and their families at Eielson Air Force Base.

The new loan opportunity was made possible through Alaska House Bill 316 that was passed into law in 2012, which included a stated goal to “promote expansion of infrastructure to benefit both military and civilian objectives.”

Click to Learn More

An Innovative Approach to Housing Homeless

Alaska Housing was looking for a forward-thinking, holistic approach to providing stable housing for the state’s homeless population. As Alaska Housing Rent Relief began to wind down, AHFC saw an opportunity to use Emergency Rental Assistance funds to assist Alaskans in need.

The Housing Stabilization and Recovery program was launched in February 2022, with a goal of getting people off the streets, out of shelters and into stabilized housing. Housing navigators then could work with clients to find a longer-term housing situation.

Click to Find Out More

Meeting a GOAL for Low-Income and Senior Housing

Alaska Housing’s Greater Opportunities for Affordable Living (GOAL) provides grants, loans, and federal tax credits to developers and project sponsors who build affordable rental housing for Alaskans who meet criteria. The funds are provided through a combination of federal and state contributions. In 2022, GOAL funds were awarded to six organizations to build permanent supportive housing and housing for low-income seniors:

• Bethel Community Services — Housing First • Cordes, LLC —Valdez Senior Housing Associates • Nome Community Center — Home Plate • Providence Health (Cook Inlet Housing Authority) —

Providence Alaska House • Swell, LLC —Centerpoint • Wasilla PSH Associates II — Bridgeway II

Click to Learn More