Alaska

  • State Data Overview

    Across Alaska, there is a shortage of rental homes affordable and available to extremely low income (ELI) households, whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline or 30% of their area median income. Many of these households are severely cost burdened, spending more than half of their income on housing. Severely cost burdened poor households are more likely than other renters to sacrifice other necessities like healthy food and healthcare to pay the rent, and to experience unstable housing situations like evictions. 

    K
    e
    y
    F
    a
    c
    t
    s
    19,545
    Or
    21%
    Renter households that are extremely low income
    -14,722
    Shortage of rental homes affordable and available for extremely low income renters
    $34,690
    Average income limit for 4-person extremely low income household
    $59,516
    Annual household income needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home at HUD's Fair Market Rent.
    64%
    Percent of extremely low income renter households with severe cost burden
  • State Level Partners

    NLIHC Housing Advocacy Organizer

    Lindsay Duvall

    Lindsay Duvall

    202.662.1530 x206 | [email protected]

    State Partners

    Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness
    319 Seward Street, Suite 7
    Juneau, AK 99801
    P 907-523-0660
    www.alaskahousing-homeless.org
    Brian Wilson, Executive Director
    [email protected]

    Become an NLIHC State Partner

    NLIHC’s affiliation with our state coalition partners is central to our advocacy efforts. Although our partners' involvement varies, they are all housing and homeless advocacy organizations engaged at the state and federal level. Many are traditional coalitions with a range of members; others are local organizations that serve more informally as NLIHC's point of contact.

    Inquire about becoming a state partner by contacting [email protected]

    Become a Member
  • Housing Trust Fund
    HTF Implementation Information

    NLIHC continues working with leaders in each state and the District of Columbia who will mobilize advocates in support of HTF allocation plans that benefit ELI renters to the greatest extent possible. Please contact the point person coordinating with NLIHC in your state (below) to find out about the public participation process and how you can be involved. Email Tori Bourret with any questions.

    Alaska subgrants a portion of the state’s HTF allocation to the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA). The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), as the state designated entity, allocates the remainder to projects in areas outside of Anchorage. In FY16, MOA received $545,085; AHFC indicates its intent to subgrant $545,085 to Anchorage in FY17. As a subgrantee, Anchorage must have its own local HTF Allocation Plan.

    NHTF logo
    Current Year HTF Allocation
    NLIHC Point Person for HTF Advocacy

    Brian Wilson
    Executive Director
    Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness
    907-523-0660
    [email protected]

    State Designated Entity:

    Bryan M. Butcher
    CEO
    Alaska Housing Finance Corporation
    907-330-8452
    [email protected]

    Official Directly Involved with HTF Implementation:

    Andy Petroni
    GOAL Program Manager
    907.330.8275
    800.478.2432
    [email protected]


    State Entity Webpage

    Alaska Housing Finance Corporation


    NHTF-specific page

    National Housing Trust Fund

    GOALS (Greater Opportunity for Affordable Living)

    Annual Action Plans (containing Annual NHTF Allocation Plans)


    Anchorage Subgrantee

    City Staff Person Administering HTF

    Lawrence Stokes
    Senior Neighborhood Planner
    Anchorage Health Department
    Human Services Division
    Community Safety and Development
    907-343-4883
    [email protected]


    Subgrantee Entity Webpage

    Municipality of Anchorage


    Anchorage, AK — Official Directly Involved with HTF Implementation

  • Resources
    Resources

    Housing Profiles

    State Housing Profile

    State Housing Profile: Alaska (PDF) (JPG)

    Congressional District Housing Profile

    Congressional District Profile: Alaska (PDF)

    Research and Data

    National Housing Preservation Database

    The National Housing Preservation Database is an address-level inventory of federally assisted rental housing in the United States.

    Out of Reach: The High Cost of Housing

    Out of Reach documents the gap between renters’ wages and the cost of rental housing. In Alaska and Nationwide

    The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Rental Homes

    The Gap represents data on the affordable housing supply and housing cost burdens at the national, state, and metropolitan levels. In Alaska and Nationwide

  • Take Action
    Urge Congress to Enact Historic Housing Investments!
    Urge Congress to Pass a Budget with Increased Investments in Affordable Homes
  • COVID-19 Resources
    COVID-19 Resources

    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.

    Article Title Link

    Congress should help renters and keep Alaska’s economy afloat

    Anchorage Daily News
    Letter: Alaskans need rent and mortgage relief Anchorage Daily News

    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

    Anchorage To combat housing insecurity in Anchorage, city officials have been making plans to build new affordable housing by buying up various properties in the community. Much of the 30 hours of public comment on the measure, which occurred during the third week of July, was extremely negative. Many went so far as to recommend incarceration as a solution to the homelessness crisis July 27

    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.

    Anchorage

    The United Way of Anchorage has seen a 300% increase in calls to their 211 number, the majority of which concern rental assistanceAs of May 22, they had distributed over $335,000 in COVID-19 assistance to 389 households through their rental assistance program AK Can Do, which existed before the pandemic. 

    May 22

    Updated: July 16

    COVID-19 Resources Other

    National Media

    What to Know About Housing and Rent During the COVID-19 Emergency? https://tinyurl.com/y74ox85d

    Arbor Realty Trust launched an innovative $2 million rental assistance program to help thousands of tenants and families significantly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Arbor is contributing $1 million to the program and participating borrowers will match Arbor's advances to its tenants in need to help fill the rent gap during the hard-hit months of May and June. Together, the partnership program will provide $2 million in relief. https://tinyurl.com/y9r6x9vb