Juneau Non-profits Partners to receive $868K

JUNEAU, Alaska, Nov. 25, 2020 – To address the increased need and challenges of serving Juneau’s homeless population during the COVID-19 crisis, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation is announcing award of a federally-funded grant. It will support Glory Hall; Alaska Housing Development Corporation, Gastineau Human Services and Family Promise of Juneau. Of the $5 million awarded statewide from Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, $868,230 is awarded to the Juneau non-profits.

“As winter sets in and temperatures drop, it is critical for AHFC to be able to support nonprofits that provide essential housing services to keep at-risk Alaskans and those impacted by loss of income due to COVID-19 safe and warm,” said AHFC CEO/Executive Director Bryan Butcher. “Local organizations know their regions better than anyone. These grants will enable those organizations to respond quickly and, in some cases, expand their capabilities to better serve their unique community needs that for Juneau includes significant hits to tourism and service industry jobs.”

Alaska Housing Development Corporation and Gastineau Human Services have previously partnered to provide rapid rehousing/placement and homeless prevention support using funding from AHFC’s Homeless Assistance Program. With this partnership, AHDC proposes to provide screening and case management, while GHS will provide fiscal and administrative support. Family Promise of Juneau will provide follow-up case management services.

To qualify for the grant that was part of $5 million awarded statewide, the four non-profits had to provide AHFC with certifications of compliance, budgets, detailed explanation for how the funds will be used and proof of need. The application was supported by the City and Borough of Juneau.

The funding provided by AHFC and HUD will allow us to rent a facility to provide day shelter and meals without compromising the safety of our patrons and staff, and elevate our part in preventing community spread,” said Mariya Lovishchuk, executive director of the Glory Hall. “We will also be able to provide alternative night shelter accommodations to those in need, and ensure that Juneau has enough emergency shelter capacity. These funds are absolutely critical to our ability to have necessary equipment in place as well as to provide basic, essential, yet critical services.”

As the state’s housing authority, AHFC is responsible for accepting and distributing state and federal funding for statewide homeless and supportive housing needs, including Housing & Urban Development’s Emergency Solutions Grant. ESG is focused on addressing the needs of homeless people in emergency or transitional shelters to quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness. HUD made a special allocation of ESG-CV funds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19. The funding was awarded to HUD under the federal CARES Act, and can be used by states for rapid rehousing, prevention funding, or capital and operational expenses for emergency shelters.

Fact Sheet:

• AHFC’s use of HUD’s Emergency Solutions Grant-CV

Alaska Housing Finance Corporation is a public corporation providing Alaskans access to safe, quality and affordable housing through residential financing, energy efficiency, public housing and more. Since 1986, Alaska Housing has contributed more than $2.1 billion to the State of Alaska.

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Contact: Kalinda Kindle
Communications Specialist, governmental relations and public affairs
(907) 330-8457
kkindle@ahfc.us