Alaska

NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]. 

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:

No information at this time.

An attorney with Alaska Legal Services based in Juneau says the organization has seen an increase in evictions across Southeast Alaska in recent months as federal emergency rental assistance dwindles. The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation has distributed more than $220 million in federal rent relief to over 66,000 Alaskans. One-third of all renters in the state applied to the program, according to Housing Corporation spokesperson Stacey Barnes.

Updated on May 23, 2022

More than 60,000 individuals in Alaska have received federal rental assistance, according to Alaska Housing Rent Relief’s weekly program update. Alaska Housing’s partners have provided more than $240 million in assistance to landlords and utility companies.

Updated on February 28, 2022

The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation reopened applications for another round of emergency rental assistance (ERA), but residents had to apply by Friday, October 1.

Updated on October 5, 2021

The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation announced on August 2 it has contacted all 30,000 applicants in Alaska Housing Rent Relief, reviewed all requests for past-due rent, and paid $85.2 million. 
Updated on August 30, 2021

Brian Wilson, executive director of the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, expressed concerns about a wave of evictions, since the state will not have the resources to prevent families and individuals from falling into homelessness. Read more about Alaska’s distribution of emergency rental assistance and how the courts are handling eviction hearings.
Updated on July 15th, 2021

Over 25,000 renters and 8,000 landlords are enrolled in Alaska Housing Rent Relief. More than 25,000 applications have passed identification and income verification, and each one has been assigned to nonprofit community partners. To date, over 12,000 applications have been approved for a total of $39 million in payments made to landlords and utility companies. 
Updated on June 14th, 2021

The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation will be distributing nearly $200 million in federal rent and utility assistance. Alaska Housing Rent Relief will help Alaskan renters and landlords cover up to 12 months of rent and utilities. The window to submit applications is from February 16 to March 5.

Updated on February 22, 2021

The Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness received a grant of $450,000 from a fund established by Jeff Bezos. The grant money will be used to fund rapid rehousing for families who have become homeless and services to help families navigate the benefits system. It will also fund a subsidy program to provide one-time cash grants to families facing homelessness.

Updated on January 15, 2021

Alaska Public Media reports there are currently more people in Anchorage’s shelter system than there have been on any other year on record. While federal resources have helped the city move individuals experiencing homelessness into permanent housing, advocates fear there will be an increase in need when the federal moratorium and other stimulus benefits expire at the end of this month.

Updated on December 19, 2020

As of October 15, epidemiologists have identified 313 COVID-19 cases among people experiencing homelessness in Anchorage, with 19 of those cases occurring in the past 10 days. CDC officials issued a series of recommendations for how Anchorage could improve its response to the spread of the coronavirus among people experiencing homelessness.

Updated on October 26, 2020

AlaskaLawHelp.org has recently updated self-help information regarding COVID-19, evictions, and housing rights in Alaska. There is a new FAQ about evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on the Alaska Court System website.

Updated on September 22, 2020

A large outbreak of coronavirus infections linked to an Anchorage homeless shelter has spiked to 61. City officials have confirmed infections in 60 people who stayed at the shelter and one staff member, but they expect the outbreak has impacted more.

Updated on September 2, 2020.

The Anchorage Economic Development Corporation predicts the city is likely to lose more than 11,000 jobs this year, largely due to the financial impact of the coronavirus. This could lead to mass evictions and foreclosures.

Updated on August 25, 2020.

The Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness wrote a letter to Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) thanking her for speaking with the coalition and reiterating their policy asks for the next coronavirus relief package. The coalition’s policy priorities include $100 billion in emergency rental assistance, a national, uniform eviction moratorium, and $11.5 billion in resources for people experiencing homelessness.

An op-ed in the Anchorage Daily News urges Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to protect renters in the next coronavirus relief package. The article cites NLIHC’s research that estimates that renters in Alaska who have lost work due to COVID-19 will need $164 million in emergency rental assistance between now and next summer.

Updated on August 11, 2020.

A Letter to the Editor in the Anchorage Daily News discusses the urgent need for Congress to immediately enact a coronavirus relief bill that includes at least $100 billion for emergency rental assistance and a national eviction moratorium.

Updated on June 22, 2020.

Alaska has established a $10 million mortgage and rental assistance program funded through federal CARES Act and administered by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. Alaskans who have been financially impacted by COVID-19 and meet certain eligibility requirements can apply for one month of rental or mortgage assistance.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

Alaska’s eviction moratorium will last until June 30 or until the governor ends the state of emergency, but lawyers are concerned about the hundreds of renters who will have to pay back their rent or face eviction when the moratoriums expire. Alaska Legal Services Corporation may be able to assist people facing eviction, but Public Interest Attorney James Davis worries that evictions will be widespread without interventions from the government and landlords.

An Alaska legislative committee approved Governor Mike Dunleavy’s plan to spend federal coronavirus relief aid, which includes $10 million for rental and mortgage assistance to be administered by the Alaska Housing Finance corporation.

Anchorage officers with the Community Action Planning Team and Parks and Recreation workers removed a homelessness encampment on May 11.

A temporary homeless shelter set up at Ketchikan’s recreation center will close nearly two weeks ahead of schedule, drawing criticism and concern from advocates. The initial plan was to keep the emergency shelter open until at least May 15, but Ketchikan’s emergency operations center announced that it would close May 3.

Governor Mike Dunleavy issued the State of Alaska’s COVID-19 Health Mandate 014 on Non-Congregate Sheltering. Alaska state officials announced a plan to use hotel rooms, university dorms, and other buildings to temporarily quarantine health care workers and homeless families with at least one member who tested positive for COVID-19 or require quarantine.

The City of Anchorage is debating what to do in order to ensure the safety of individuals experiencing homelessness in the city. Hosting them at local indoor ice arenas were mentioned.

Coronavirus adds new stressors on Alaska’s vulnerable youths and young adults. At the same time, housing is getting tougher to find because some foster families are reluctant to accept new kids for fear of catching COVID-19.

Juneau

Juneau will begin testing people experiencing homelessness for the coronavirus this week at mobile testing sites. Individuals experiencing symptoms will go to the city quarantine facility until their results come back.

Anchorage

The Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness released a report on July 13, which found that Anchorage should provide an estimated 3,000 new housing units and shelter beds to meet the growing needs of the people experiencing homelessness in the city. The level of homelessness assistance is expected to rise in the coming months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Anchorage Assembly heard public comments on a controversial ordinance that would authorize the city of Anchorage to buy or lease four properties for up to $22.5 million to turn them into a daytime engagement center, social service facility/homelessness shelter, treatment center, and transitional living center. These new facilities would seek to address the pandemic’s impact on Anchorage’s shelter system, and part of the funds would come from the CARES Act.

Updated on July 20, 2020.

On June 23, the Anchorage Assembly approved a $21.5 million COVID-19-related economic relief package that put an additional $2 million into the city’s rental and mortgage relief program launched last week. The city’s rental program is funded through the CARES Act. It was launched on the same day that the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) opened a two-week lottery for rental and mortgage aid. As of June 23, AHFC received 5,083 applications for its $10 million rental and mortgage relief lottery program.

Anchorage officials have proposed spending up to $22.5 million in federal coronavirus relief funds to purchase four properties and convert them into homeless shelters and service sites.

Updated on June 29, 2020.

Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.

Alaska unemployment headed in the wrong direction in July after two months of improvement, with the state recording about 2,000 more job losses in July than in June. The Anchorage Economic Development Corp. has predicted the city is likely to lose more than 11,000 jobs this year, largely because of the financial impact of the coronavirus. This could lead to large-scale home foreclosures and evictions.

Updated on August 28, 2020.

State's moratorium on in-person eviction proceedings ended June 1, but the state legislature's prohibition on evictions resulting from COVID-19 financial hardships was in effect until June 30. Eviction cases have resumed both remotely and in person. 

Updated: August 1

In the third week of July, 1 in 5 adults in Alaska reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, 29,798 renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment. 

Updated: July 29 

Hundreds of households are at risk of eviction due to thousands owed in back rent due to COVID-19. According to a weekly survey by the Census, 1 in 4 adults in the state either missed their last housing payment or have little/no confidence of being able to make next month’s housing payment.

Updated: July 16