Privately-Owned Rentals

Housing Choice Vouchers

Housing Choice Vouchers help eligible low-income Alaskans lease rentals in the private rental market. AHFC administers this program in 12 communities throughout Alaska through a waiting list process. Learn more about your eligibility, the application, and how the voucher works below.

Who Is Eligible

  • Eligibility to receive a Housing Choice Voucher is based on income. Families whose income is at or below 50 percent of the area median income are encouraged to apply. The maximum income level varies depending on your location and the size of your household. There is no minimum income requirement.
  • Families may apply for a Housing Choice Voucher in any location with an open waiting list. For a list of communities that accept vouchers and to see if the waiting list is currently open, click here.
  • Families that are not currently living in one of the 12 voucher communities but plan to move into the area may also be eligible to apply through the Portability Process.

How To Apply

Applications may be accepted in different communities for Housing Choice Vouchers throughout the year.

  • Check to see which communities have open waiting lists. If a waiting list is open, you'll see a linked application available for download. Click here for available application packets and to see waiting list status. 
  • Your application must be submitted for each community and may be hand-delivered or mailed to the program location.

Instructions for Completing Your Application

  • Please print legibly or type.
  • Answer all the questions to the best of your ability. Write NA in all areas of the application that do not apply to you or any member of your household.
  • Return your completed application to the Alaska Housing office in the community in which you wish to live.
    • The application must be mailed or hand-delivered. A fax is not acceptable.
    • If you are mailing your application to Alaska Housing, please use the post office box address (if applicable).
    • If you are applying for more than one community, you must fill out a separate application for each community.
  • If you are approved for a waiting list, your place will be determined by the date and time your application is received, along with any verified preferences.
    • Alaska Housing will notify you in writing of the status of your application.
    • If your application is denied, you are entitled to an informal review.

Reasonable Accommodation

A reasonable accommodation process is available to applicants requiring additional assistance due to a disability. Applicants can inquire at their local Alaska Housing office for information and assistance with these processes.

APPLICATIONS FOR OTHER PROGRAMS

Public Housing & Other Rental Assistance Programs
When you apply for the Housing Choice Voucher, you are not automatically applying for other rental assistance housing programs. Each location and program requires its own application. For information about other communities with open waiting lists that are accepting applications — including public housing — click here. 

What Happens If You Are Placed On The Waiting List

AHFC CONTACTS YOU WHEN YOU REACH THE TOP OF THE LIST

  • When a voucher becomes available, you'll need to provide documentation and verification to confirm that you qualify. This is a standard part of the process for anyone applying for one of AHFC’s rental assistance programs. You will be asked to provide documentation to verify your income, citizenship, birth date, and other general information.
  • You will also attend a briefing session — either in-person or online — that provides detailed information about the program and then be issued the voucher.​​​​ 

YOU SELECT YOUR RENTAL HOUSING 

  • Families select housing within the community for which you are eligible to use your voucher. 
  • You can look for housing that works best for your family, such as close to your children's school, near your job, or on a bus route. You can choose where you want to live as long as the rental property meets program guidelines. For example, the rental amount for the unit must be reasonable and the rental must pass a federal housing quality standards inspection.
  • Landlords may use their own lease but AHFC requires an initial lease term of one year.

How The Housing Choice Voucher Works

Once you find and lease an approved rental:

  • You are responsible for paying a portion of the monthly rent directly to your landlord, and AHFC pays a subsidy portion directly to the landlord. 
  • Voucher recipients with an adult who is able to work are limited to five years of subsidy. At the end of this period, families may choose to stay in the rental by signing a standard lease agreement with their landlord.
  • Some voucher recipients — such as seniors or those with disabilities — may be eligible for longer-term assistance.
  • All voucher recipients are enrolled in either Step or Classic and receive extensive support and resources.
  • Participants also have the option of enrolling in Jumpstart, which helps families work toward financial independence so that they can pay the full rent by the end of their Housing Choice Voucher assistance period.

For More Information

Applicants & Voucher Recipients

For help with your application or for questions about vouchers, contact the Alaska Housing office in your community. 

Landlords & Property Managers

Do you want to reduce the risk of non-payment of rent while helping low-income Alaskans secure quality housing? If so, Housing Choice Vouchers may interest you. Learn more here.