Finding a Career Fit with Alaska Housing

When a family friend told Geneva Earls there was a job opening for Alaska Housing Finance Corporation’s Public Housing Department in Juneau, it seemed like a great fit.

The family friend was right. Geneva applied that morning, interviewed three hours later and soon after began a new role with Alaska Housing. Today, Geneva is an Asset Technician, serving as a property manager for two public housing locations: Cedar Park and perhaps fittingly, Geneva Woods.

“It was funny, when I was hired they said, ‘Oh, you’ll be managing Geneva Woods,” she said. “So I joked and said, ‘I’m named after that!’”

Helping Residents Work Toward Goals

In her role, Geneva can help residents find resources and work toward their goals. Seeing residents reaching their financial objectives is very satisfying for Geneva and she relishes those moments when she receives excited calls from residents who have found a job or paid off a bill.

“That’s one of the best things. I love hearing those stories,” Geneva said. “I always tell them they can do it. To me your mind is the thing that stops us sometimes from going the extra mile, from pushing harder. Make yourself a goal and hopefully you’ll reach it.”

One of the programs Geneva thinks can help residents set and attain goals is Jumpstart, an AHFC program that provides free training and resources that help families become more financially independent.  

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“Jumpstart offers classes that talk about saving up for a house, improving your credit and other financial information that I think can be really helpful.” 

– Geneva, Asset Technician, Juneau

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‘I Love the Culture’

For Geneva, who grew up in Juneau, working at Alaska Housing gave her an opportunity to find work that can help others in the community she calls home. And while her friends and family are close by, Geneva has found another community at work as well.

“I love the culture. We’re a family,” she said of her coworkers. “We have each other’s backs, we’re always helping each other out. We all work together, that’s the big thing.”

As she looks to the future, one of Geneva’s goals is to buy a house. One of the advantages Geneva has found working at Alaska Housing is better understanding the homebuying process.

“I love working here because my coworkers will tell me, ‘Oh this house is on the market, that house is on the market,’ which is always cool,” Geneva said. “And I get to learn about mortgages this way too.”

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Interested in exploring a career at Alaska Housing? Visit our website and view open positions.