A Vibrant Decade of Life at Chugach Manor

Edward has called Chugach Manor home for 10 years and as he gives a tour of his apartment, the items and personal touches he has added give further color to his life stories: pillow covers and doilies knit by his sister, light house art inherited from his mother, glass floats from the beaches of Bristol Bay, collections of books, music playing on the radio and cheerful plants that brighten the space.

Each memento brings back memories of his adventurous childhood in the Aleutian Islands. His family ran a grocery and gift store and his mother was postmaster. Days were spent traveling between communities on boats and WW2 planes and fishing with his family.

Now 82, Edward enjoys nothing more than to be outdoors and one of his favorite hobbies is walking the Anchorage trail systems. In the summers, he can walk for three or four hours.

“I feel 16 yet,” he says laughing, “I do a lot of exercise. I’ve power walked for over 50 years. During the winter when it’s slippery outside, I power walk in the halls.”

An Adventurous Career

As a young man, Edward spent years moving between places, following family and work. He attended high school in Tacoma, Washington before moving to Sandpoint, Kodiak, Seattle and eventually Anchorage.

“Anchorage looked like a little western town after being in Seattle for so long,” he recalled.

He started a career commercial fishing with his family and during the winters made a living cooking in camps in Adak, Kodiak and Prudhoe Bay. He discovered a love for culinary arts and turned it into his career.

“I love home cooking,” he said, “Good country cooking – comfort food like homemade spaghetti sauces and deep fried chicken.”

He finally put down roots in Anchorage in order to care for his mother toward the end of her life, continuing to commute to Prudhoe Bay for shift work until his retirement.

Finding Security and Home

Caring for his mother is what introduced Edward to Chugach Manor.

“My mother and I had a friend who lived in this building. I would bring my mother here to visit her, that’s how I found out about this place.”

The property stuck in Edward’s mind and when he found himself facing high rent prices after retirement, he decided to pursue the opportunity to create his own home at Chugach Manor.

“The rents were so high, plus utilities and food,” he said, “It was unreal. And I think it’s probably worse now.”

Edward says that he feels fortunate to have found safe, affordable housing that he has been able to rely on for the last decade. It isn't something he takes for granted. He says he often has conversations with people experiencing homelessness while out walking, deepening his empathy for his neighbors who have been unable to find or keep affordable housing.

“There are good people out there,” Edward said, “But they’re stuck between a rock and a hard place."

Moving into an apartment at Chugach Manor helped Edward to find a sense of security, without having to worry about how he would pay his rent. It also offered him the built-in support of a community.

“Leanne is a good property manager,” he said, “I like her. I go downstairs to visit and we sit and talk. Jack, who works in maintenance, came by recently and spent a day-and-a-half fixing every little thing in my apartment. They’re good like that. If you have anything wrong, they come right away. I haven’t had any problem.”

As far as other residents, Edward says he has felt lucky to have had good neighbors. “We say hello in the hallway and we respect each other’s space.”

“Living here and having more affordable rent feels like heaven, really,” Edward said, “I feel lucky to be here.”

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We recognize that Edward's story is exceptional and some Alaskans may be in need of safe, quality, affordable housing. If you require housing 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.

To learn more about AHFC's rental assistance programs, visit ahfc.us/tenants.