Moving Forward - Public Housing

 
 

As Alaska and the nation continue to grapple with the wide-reaching impacts of COVID-19, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation remains committed to providing safe, quality, and affordable housing to the people of Alaska. This includes steady focus on the design, enhancement, and implementation of key programs that help define and support the success of future homeowners. Central to AHFC’s public housing program is the goal of helping clients who are able to work achieve success and self-sufficiency without a rent subsidy.

  • $60 million funded by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)

  • AHFC owns 1,612 public housing units

  • AHFC distributed more than 4,500 vouchers providing rental assistance in the private market

  • More than 10,000 Alaskans served every night by AHFC’s public housing programs 

 

COVID-19 Hardship 

  • Total number of 1,215 COVID-19 hardship requests

  • Total amount of subsidy provided for hardship requests: $2,423,441 

Moving to Work - Standout Agency

The Moving to Work Demonstration program was authorized by the Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996.

Senator Ted Stevens was instrumental in Alaska’s recognition as a Moving to Work agency.

 

Alaska Housing is one of 139 public housing agencies recognized as a Moving to Work agency. AHFC is a standout among its peers, recognized by HUD as a “high performer.”

  • AHFC has considerable flexibility as one of 139 public housing agencies recognized as a Moving to Work agency. AHFC is a standout among its peers, noted by the federal department of Housing & Urban Development as a “high performer,” utilizing 97% or greater of the vouchers allocated to the Corporation annually. Moving to Work is a federal HUD demonstration program granted to AHFC through federal legislation and a designation shared with fewer than 1% of all public housing agencies across the nation. This distinction:

    • Provides the opportunity to build and test innovation

    • Demonstrates how locally designed strategies use federal dollars more efficiently

    • Helps residents find employment and become self-sufficient

    • Increases housing choices for low-income families

    • Provided AHFC flexibility because HUD funds are received in a single block grant

    • Expires in 2028 without future congressional action

 

JumpStart helped 832 households become more financially independent.

  • JumpStart provides free educational opportunities to people enrolled in AHFC’s assisted housing programs. JumpStart helps participants meet their economic goals, connects participants to resources, and assists people to become more financially independent.

    https://www.ahfc.us/tenants/jumpstart/about-classes

    • Tuition assistance

    • Employment library

    • Short- and long-term financial incentives to eligible families

    • Continuing education to enhance career options

    • Total households enrolled 832

    • Students completing JumpStart classes 346

    • Families receiving tuition assistance/education rewards 161

      • 119 tuition assistance / 42 education rewards

    • Total incentives: $187,991.64

    • Average incentive: $1,167.65

    • 346 students went through the employment library

Housing Choice Vouchers

  • 5,817 voucher opportunities provided in 12 locations

  • Family finds a private rental; financial assistance moves with them

  • Families must meet income criteria (below 50 % of the area median)

  • Families must meet screening criteria (they cannot have been convicted of certain criminal offenses and previous participation history with public housing agencies will be checked for delinquencies)

 

AHFC’s Housing Choice Voucher lease up rate outperforms HUD’s requirements.

  • AHFC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic includes reflection of how clients access corporate resources. Individuals and families who are provided a housing choice voucher are required to take a class that prepares them for their shopping experience. They learn about the parameters for the size of apartment space for which they qualify, the amount of subsidy they are eligible to receive, conditions associated with their voucher, and basic budgeting.

    AHFC is committed to making the course more accessible through online delivery, which will allow participants to complete the required briefing no matter their location, schedule, ability to attend in-person classes due to current or future pandemic restrictions, etc.

    • Curriculum development addresses specific modules and topics

    • Includes quizzes, gamification, certificate of completion

AHFC Maintains Key Partnerships

- Partners in Housing -

  • 284 vouchers provided by referral from shelters

    Partnership with Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

  • 85 vouchers by referral 

    Case management by parole officer with Department of Corrections

  • 60 vouchers provided to youth ages 18-23

    Referral and case management by Office of Children’s Services Independent Living Specialists

  • Total of 225 vouchers - 150 and 75 respectively

    Referral and case management from Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health

  • 332 vouchers

    Partnership with the Veterans Affairs, including case management and support

  • Karluk Manor in Anchorage - 46 vouchers

    Forget-Me-Not-Manor in Juneau - 56 vouchers

    Dena’ina House in Anchorage, owned by Covenant House, for homeless youth - 25 vouchers

- Project Based Vouchers -

  • Loussac Place, Ridgeline Terrace & Susitna Square in Anchorage - 141 vouchers

  • Main Tree Apartments in Homer - 10 vouchers

- Project Based Rental Assistance -

  • Adelaide Building in Anchorage - 70 vouchers

Step

Step guides participants toward financial independence, graduating more than 345 families FY2021.

  • Step is for families participating in Alaska Housing Finance Corporation’s public housing and voucher programs with a household adult member who is able to work. Step provides the opportunity for participants to increase their employment potential, offering five years of rental assistance while the individual works toward financial independence.

    • Individualized support provided through AHFC’s Jumpstart

    • Step has graduated more than 345 families

    • Families participating in Step were held harmless with their rental assistance being extended by a year

    • This effort included an additional year of housing assistance for persons with Step vouchers expiring Feb. 28, 2021

    • Families enrolled in Step but impacted by COVID-19 income loss were allowed to apply for additional rent relief through Alaska Housing Rent Relief and other resources

  • COVID-19 hit Alaska communities hard resulting in layoffs and reduced work hours. Alaska Housing Finance Corporation implemented a special hardship process to extend Safety Net, providing immediate rent relief to families enrolled in Step and experiencing pandemic-related income loss.

    • 168 hardship participants

    • 590 extensions processed

    • Total Cost of Duration $1,809,692