Apply for Anchorage Housing Choice Vouchers

Editor's note: The period to apply for placement on the waiting list for a voucher in the Municipality of Anchorage closed on April 30, 2021.

Waiting List Now Open for Anchorage Vouchers

Housing Choice Vouchers help eligible low-income Alaskans lease rentals in the private rental market. Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) administers this program and the period to apply for placement on the waiting list for a voucher in the Municipality of Anchorage opened on April 1st. 

Find out if your family is eligible and learn more about the application, waiting list, and voucher process below. The deadline to apply for placement on the waiting list is April 30th. 

Who Is Eligible 

Eligibility to receive a Housing Choice Voucher is based on income.

• Families whose income is at or below 50 percent of the area median income are encouraged to apply. The maximum income level varies depending on the size of your household. There is no minimum income requirement. Click here to calculate your income eligibility.
• This application period is open specifically for those wishing to utilize a Housing Choice Voucher to rent in the Anchorage area, including Girdwood, Eagle River, Eklutna and communities in between. Families that are not currently living within the Municipality of Anchorage but plan to move into the area may also be eligible to apply. 

How To Apply

To be considered for Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance in the Anchorage area: 

• You must submit an application between April 1st and April 30th, 2021.
• Once the application period closes, 4,000 applications will placed on the waiting list. Every applicant has an equal opportunity to be ranked at the top of the list whether you apply on the first day or the last day of the month. Those selected will be done so randomly. 
• A reasonable accommodation process is available to applicants requiring additional assistance.

applications for other rent relief programs

Alaska Housing Rent Relief
Housing Choice Vouchers are separate from Alaska Housing Rent Relief and eligible Alaskans can apply to BOTH. If you want to be considered for an Anchorage Housing Choice Voucher you must also submit the application specific to the voucher program.

Public Housing & Housing Choice Vouchers In Other Communities
When you apply for the Housing Choice Voucher using the online application linked above, you are not automatically applying for other public housing programs. Each location and program requires its own application, and this application is only for Anchorage's Housing Choice Voucher. For information about other communities with open waiting lists that are accepting applications — including public housing — click here. 

What Happens If You Are Placed On The Waiting List

AHFC contacts you when you reach the top of the list

• When a voucher becomes available, you'll need to provide documentation and verification to confirm that you qualify. This is a standard part of the process for anyone applying for one of AHFC’s rental assistance programs. You will be asked to provide documentation to verify your income, citizenship, birth date, and other general information.
• You will also attend a briefing session — either in-person or online — that provides detailed information about the program and then be issued the voucher.​​​​ 

You select your rental housing 

• Families select housing within the Anchorage jurisdiction, including Girdwood, Eagle River, Eklutna and communities in between.
• You can look for housing that works best for your family, such as close to your children's school, near your job, or on a bus route. You can choose where you want to live as long as the rental property meets program guidelines. For example, the rental amount for the unit must be reasonable and the rental must pass a federal housing quality standards inspection.
• Landlords may use their own lease but AHFC requires an initial lease term of one year.

How The Housing Choice Voucher Works

Once you find and lease an approved rental:

• You are responsible for paying a portion of the monthly rent directly to your landlord, and AHFC pays a subsidy portion directly to the landlord. 
• Voucher recipients with an adult who is able to work are are limited to five years of subsidy. At the end of this period, families may choose to stay in the rental by signing a standard lease agreement with their landlord.
• Some voucher recipients — such as seniors or those with disabilities — may be eligible for longer-term assistance.
• All voucher recipients are enrolled in either Step or Classic and receive extensive support and resources.
• Participants also have the option of enrolling in Jumpstart, which helps families work toward financial independence so that they can pay the full rent by the end of their Housing Choice Voucher assistance period.

For More Information

• Call (907) 330-6100.
• Landlords can learn more here about Housing Choice Voucher participation.