Strength in Community

April 8, 2026 at 8:00am in Community, Our Stories, Rural
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In October 2025, when Typhoon Halong hit Western Alaska, communities were forced to evacuate and leave everything behind.

Statewide support has been essential for these evacuees as they move into temporary housing and adjust to life in new communities. At Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, this work has included:

In Bethel, a tight-knit hub city with strong connections that stretch across the impacted region, people have rallied to support their new neighbors.

Communities Coming Together

“It was all hands on deck,” said Serene, who works in AHFC’s public housing department in Anchorage as administrative support.

It quickly became evident that employees from other communities would need to help the Bethel office process documents and relocate families into housing. Between October and December 2025, Serene and Regional Manager John made three trips to Bethel to support the local AHFC office in providing housing assistance to storm evacuees.

“Public housing employees in Juneau, Cordova, Nome, Anchorage and Fairbanks all helped with the process,” Serene says. “Everybody pulled together to make sure families got housed.”

AHFC staff worked rapidly to process applications and prepare units for occupancy, according to federal guidelines. Bethel community members pitched in to ensure evacuees had safe temporary housing.

Serene says she received numerous phone calls from Bethel families who already live in AHFC-owned housing, notifying the office that they had family members staying with them. “The community really came together to help,” she says. “It wasn’t unusual to hear that nine people were sleeping in a single unit. Everyone was trying to make sure that evacuees had a warm place to stay.”

‘Always People Willing to Help’

On the ground in Bethel, Serene and John worked directly with families to answer questions, gather necessary information and upload files for the statewide team to process. In Anchorage and the Southeast, AHFC employees handled the documents, worked to get families on the waiting list and contacted Serene in Bethel whenever clarification or additional documents were needed.

“I’ve never seen anything come together so quickly,” Serene says. “Everybody knew their role and there was a lot of communication. It could not have been a one-or-two-person job. To see everybody come together was amazing.”

While the applications were being processed, John and AHFC Maintenance Lead Hector performed property inspections, with the facilities maintenance team following behind to address any necessary repairs.

“There’s a depth to the work that goes into the process,” says John. “We wanted to get people housed as quickly as we could while also making sure the units are clean and functional, as well as hitting all the compliance pieces that our programs require.”

Temporary employees were hired in Bethel to triage calls and handle administrative tasks. The addition of temporary staff enabled Hector and his maintenance team to focus on core tasks: preparing units for move-in and maintaining all 118 of AHFC’s single-family homes in Bethel.

“Hector was hired recently and he hit the ground sprinting,” John says. “Having that support in the office allowed him to be out in the field ‘turning wrench.’”

"Additionally, Cindy recently started in the Bethel office as a property manager," John says. "She jumped in to help right away and has already made a difference for families in need of support."

Serene said that every day was different during her weeks in Bethel as she worked with families in person or over the phone, helping them to gather necessary documents. She says that what remained consistent was the graciousness of the families despite the challenging circumstances.

“Even though these families went through something devastating they were so patient with the process. We would sit and talk about what they had gone through and they were grateful someone was there to help and listen. One person just needed a hug,” she says.

“I’ll remember each family that I spoke with. Everyone had a different story about how the storms affected them and every household had their own unique situation even before the typhoon. For me, it was an important reminder that everyone is going through challenges and that if they can work through them, so can I. But it was also a reminder that there are always people who are willing to help.” - Serene, Administrative Support, AHFC

An Extension of Family

More than a dozen households have now moved into AHFC housing in Bethel. The community continues to support these families as they settle into their homes.

“People from the outlying communities know people in Bethel and often it’s an extension of family,” John says. “When we were moving people in, there were often three or four vehicles pulling up and a house full of people who came together to drop off household items and help.”

John says that the first household he helped move in was an Elder with adult children. Within a couple of days, John said the family had a couch and a TV, their Starlink was up and running and they were starting to get their kitchen together.

Another family who moved into AHFC housing had worked for the Yukon-Kuskokwim School District in Kipnuk before evacuating. After relocating to Bethel, they discovered they could continue working for the district and their children are still enrolled in a Yup'ik-speaking school. “That was a big deal,” John says.

With their new rental situated near the local school where community events often happen, the hope is that the family will feel they are still close to home.

“People in Bethel take a lot of pride in their community,” says John. “It’s a unique place with a lot of challenges but it’s also unique in the way people come together.”