Alaska Housing Relief During COVID-19

Forty-nine years ago with wisdom from Alaska’s legislators and Governor William A. Egan, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation became an independent entity of the State of Alaska with a mission to provide Alaskans access to safe, quality and affordable housing. 

At the time, the Corporation’s role in mortgage financing was to provide an alternative to federally backed Government Sponsored Entities — GSEs like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. No one could have forecast the changes that would come through the decades or the role that AHFC would play in countless lives of Alaskans whether through residential energy efficiency, public housing or the variety of projects we’ve participated. 

One benefit of my job is that I often hear those in positions of influence say, “I got my first loan from AHFC!” The thrill of that never goes away. We know that homeownership is a significant contributor to individual wealth. We’re privileged to play a part. 

The challenge we face together as a community now is our collective response to the economic fallout of COVID-19. Our health providers and individual Alaskans deserve credit for the tremendous success we’re experiencing in keeping our transmission numbers at U.S. lows. As we begin our transition to a new normal at work, we must also remember that more than 103,000 Alaskans have so far filed for unemployment. These too, are our friends and neighbors. 

It's why I take pride in Governor Dunleavy and the legislature’s confidence in us to develop a program that will help those Alaskans who are struggling to pay for their rent or mortgage for a month. $10 million has been set aside for relief. We’ve worked hard to develop a system that would work for Alaskans regardless of their ability to access the internet and that is not first-come, first-serve. 

AlaskaHousingRelief.org will help individuals determine whether their household qualifies for this one-time financial assistance that could mean up to $1,200 per household that will be paid to their landlord or mortgage servicer.

Please check it out, and share the website with your friends and neighbors.  

By Bryan Butcher, CEO/Executive Director