Alaska Housing Moving Forward With Funding Commitments for Homeless Providers

Signing of capital budget bill allows providers to deliver services to those in need

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, Aug. 11, 2019 -- Responding to questions from homeless providers, advocacy organizations and philanthropic organizations across the state, the CEO/Executive Director of Alaska Housing Finance Corporation announces its plan to continue with grant agreements already in place at an estimated 80 percent of last year’s total to all 35 providers that supported more than 13,000 Alaskans last fiscal year.

Public attention has focused on cuts to the Homeless Assistance Program but the Beneficiary &
Special Needs Housing grant was augmented with $2 million more than it had previously received. “The two programs that are administered by AHFC work in concert with one another,” says Bryan Butcher, and “Housing vouchers for survivors of domestic violence are also fully funded at $1.5 million, adding an important safety net for women and children escaping harm.”

Grant agreements for all Homeless Assistance Program recipients will be executed this month, with payments targeted for distribution in September 2019.

“The mission of Alaska Housing is to provide access to safe, quality and affordable housing. We
believe the best way to allow providers to get back to work and focus on those they serve, many of whom are children and families, is to give them the certainty that today’s announcement brings,” said Butcher.

SB2002 was signed into law on Thursday afternoon and Alaska Housing has been working to identify the impact of reductions to its programs and develop a path forward. AHFC is confident that no provider will be forced to turn away desperate Alaskans with this reduction and announcement.

“When Governor Dunleavy challenged state agencies with budget reductions, he also challenged us to be smarter, innovative and more collaborative. I’ve been encouraged by the generosity of those who are working to identify national best practices and increase the dollars that we, through the State of Alaska, bring to the table,” added Butcher.

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Alaska Housing Finance Corporation is a public corporation with a history of providing Alaskans access to safe, quality and affordable housing through home financing, energy efficiency and weatherization programs, public housing and more. Since 1986, Alaska Housing has contributed more than $2 billion to the State of Alaska's General Fund. 

Contact:

Stacy Barnes
Director, Governmental Relations and Public Affairs
(907) 330-8445/301-4556

SFY 2019 Homeless Assistance Program Grant Recipients

Abused Women's Aid in Crisis, Inc. (AWAIC)
Alaska Mental Health Consumer Web
Anchorage Community Mental Health Services, Inc.
Catholic Social Services
Covenant House Alaska
Partners for Progress
Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc.
Shiloh Community Housing, Inc.
The Salvation Army - McKinnell

Tundra Women's Coalition, Bethel

Fairbanks Rescue Mission
Fairbanks Youth Advocates
Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living
The Salvation Army - Fairbanks

South Peninsula Haven House Homer

Consolidated Grant Serving Five Juneau Agencies

Subgrantee: Aiding Women in Abuse and Rape Emergencies (AWARE)
Subgrantee: Alaska Housing Development Corporation
Subgrantee: Gastineau Human Services
Subgrantee: St. Vincent De Paul
Subgrantee: The Glory Hall

Love INC of the Kenai Peninsula Kenai
The LeeShore Center Kenai

Love In Action Ketchikan

Brother Francis Shelter Kodiak, Inc.

Consolidated Grant Serving Seven Mat-Su Agencies

Subgrantee: Alaska Family Services
Subgrantee: Blood and Fire Ministries
Subgrantee: Daybreak Inc.
Subgrantee: Family Promise
Subgrantee: My House
Subgrantee: Salvation Army
Subgrantee: Valley Charities, Inc. Neighbor to Neighbor Mat-Su

Nome Community Center

The Salvation Army - Sitka

The Salvation Army - Small Community Initiative Southeast

Unalaskans Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence