Finding Home: Coffee and Cranes at Chugach Manor

A resident of Alaska Housing Finance Corporation’s Chugach Manor property in Anchorage, Patty, says her summer mornings are often peaceful and quiet.

She wakes up early and pours herself a cup of coffee. She looks forward to a quiet day crafting and chatting with fellow residents.

If she’s lucky, her favorite sandhill cranes will make an appearance; they have been visiting the property every summer for the last three years.

A grandmother to four and great-grandmother to seven, Patty is among 125 residents at Chugach Manor, a property offering affordable housing for seniors age 62 and older.

Alaska Housing’s senior properties are designed to provide safe, quality, affordable housing; this is precisely what Chugach Manor has provided for Patty.

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“Everybody is very nice here. I love it.” – Patty, Chugach Manor Resident

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A Place to Call Home

Patty moved to Alaska in 1972 along with her parents who were chasing their dream of gold mining.

Her favorite memories are of taking dune buggies out to the beach and collecting oceanside coal while encountering salmon or eel. She’s since moved around Southcentral Alaska, living in Anchorage, Anchor Point and Homer.

When her children grew and moved to the Lower 48, Patty moved too but she always considered Alaska home: “I leave but I always come back. Always.”

Indeed, Patty decided it was time to come home six years ago. She moved in with her sister as she searched for a space she could call her own and eventually found home at Chugach Manor.

Safe, quality, affordable

When she moved into her one-bedroom apartment in 2022, Patty’s first thought was its cleanliness: “The carpet had been changed. Everything was nice and clean, and that's the way I like to keep it.”

Since then, she says she’s come to love many people and spaces at the property. Whether it’s the kind fellow resident who says hello at the group barbecue, the common areas, a smiling staff member or accessibility and security of the building, they all contribute to her quality of life.

In Chugach Manor, Patty has found a safe, quality, and affordable space where she can grow old in Alaska, the place she calls home.

"I am lucky. I've been blessed. I love being here, I really do."

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We recognize that Patty’s story is exceptional and some Alaskans may be in need of safe, quality, affordable housing. If you are facing homelessness or are in need of resources, we encourage you to contact Alaska 2-1-1. This free, confidential resource can help you to locate assistance in your home community. Dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221 or visit alaska211.org.