At the 07/27/2023 Homeless to Housed press conference: ACEH Executive Director Meg Zaletel, and Jessica Parks ACEH Chief Operations Officer
Homeless to Housed Initiative
Celebrating Over 323 Units of Permanent Housing in Anchorage!
Housing is the solution to homelessness and Anchorage is working on closing the affordable gap.
On July 27th the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness along with public and private partners gathered at the former Barratt Inn for a press conference hosted by the Rasmuson Foundation. Guests were able to tour the property, which is currently being renovated. Rooms are being updated to be stable, permanent housing for low-income and extremely low-income Anchorage residents.
“The hotel conversions realized through public-private partnerships are Anchored Home — our strategic plan — in action,” said Meg Zaletel. “The entire community should be proud of the recognition from HUD. We now have a roadmap to increase the availability of affordable housing.”
The partnership is a collaboration among the Municipality of Anchorage, the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness and many philanthropic partners and funders: Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Alaska Housing Finance Corp., Richard L. and Diane M. Block Foundation, Calista Corp., Chugach Alaska Corp., Doyon Corp., Gottstein Foundation, Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska, Providence Alaska, Rasmuson Foundation, San Francisco Jewish Community Foundation, Weidner Apartment Homes, Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and United Way of Anchorage.
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Highlights from the Coalition
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ACEH is Inviting Applications for FFY23 HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) New Projects and Renewals.
Each year ACEH coordinates the submission of HUD CoC project and collaborative applications to fund organizational and partner programs through a competitive grant process. These grants fund permanent and temporary housing programs in Anchorage, as well as the coordination work done by ACEH to promote a community-wide commitment to ending homelessness. ACEH will provide technical assistance to existing projects through renewal applications, and to non-profits requesting funding for new projects. The amount of funding available for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 (FFY23) is limited and yet to be determined by HUD. However, the process is very competitive, both locally and nationally.
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Alaska Housing Summit 2023
AUGUST 21, 2023 • 10 AM – 4PM
Join us for a day of presentations, panel discussions, and regional spotlights on the state of housing in Alaska. Learn about the unique challenges and innovative community-based solutions to the housing crisis.
The Alaska Housing Summit will focus on solutions and how municipalities, housing authorities, state, and federal government all play a role in the development of housing.
Who should attend?
The Alaska Housing Summit is for housing providers, developers, government workers, policymakers, and others interested in housing.
In-person attendees:
BP Energy Center, 1014 Energy Ct.
Anchorage, AK 99508
$50 registration fee per person. Lunch included.
Virtual attendees:
Free for online attendance. You can register to attend virtually on the Housing Summit website. You can also add this event to your calendar.
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This event is brought to you by Alaska Coalition on Housing & Homelessness and Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, with the support of the National Low Income Housing Coalition's Opportunity Starts at Home Campaign and Rasmuson Foundation.
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Volunteer Today!
August Project Homeless Connect
Community partners and volunteers will be distributing the following necessities:
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food
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coordinated entry
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snack bags
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hygiene items
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potable water
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harm reduction supplies
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minor first aid supplies
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tarps
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blanket & sleeping bags
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clothing
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When:
Project Homeless Connect is scheduled for 11 AM - 6 PM on Wednesday, August 24th. Save the dates! (Location TBD).
Would your agency like to get involved?
Contact Jessica with any questions or comments, at [email protected].
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Updated Outreach Pop-up Schedule for August
Pop-up Times 1 pm to 4 pm
Mini Project Home Connect 11:30 am to 5:30 pm
- Tuesday, Aug. 1st 3rd and Ingra
- Wednesday, Aug. 2nd Chanshtnu Muldoon Park
- Thursday, Aug. 3rd Davis Park
- Tuesday, Aug. 8th 3rd and Ingra
- Wednesday, Aug. 9th Cuddy Park
- Thursday, Aug. 10th Davis Park
- Tuesday, Aug. 15th 3rd and Ingra
- Wednesday, Aug. 16th Chanshtnu Muldoon Park
- Thursday, Aug. 17th Davis Park
- Tuesday, Aug. 22nd 3rd and Ingra
- Wednesday, Aug. 23rd
- Mini Project Homeless Connect Location TBD
- Thursday, Aug. 24th Davis Park
- Tuesday, Aug. 29th 3rd and Ingra
- Wednesday, Aug. 30th Chanshtnu Muldoon Park
- Thursday, Aug. 31st Davis Park
Services & resources available while supplies last:
- Basic Resources
- Coordinated Entry Assessments & Updates
- Basic Medical
Contact Jason with any questions or comments, at outreach@aceh.org.
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Covenant House Alaska
One woman’s long road from homeless to housed in Anchorage
Complex Care and Brother Francis Shelter Medical Respite worked with Monique on her journey out of homelessness, as highlighted in the recent ADN article by Michelle Theriault Boots. Her story exemplifies the complexities of homelessness and illustrates the real and personal effects policy decisions and system changes have on our neighbors.
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Habitat for Humanity Anchorage
Homeowner Applications are Now Open!
Habitat for Humanity is accepting new homeowner applications for eligible individuals and families for 2023-24.
Habitat for Humanity is currently selecting three, 3–4-bedroom homes; however, several more units may open later this year.
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Institute for Community Alliances - Alaska (ICA Alaska)
Alaska's HMIS is getting an update!
Homeless services providers who enter data into Alaska's Homeless Management Information System (AKHMIS) will notice some changes very soon. The first week of August, AKHMIS is getting an upgraded User Interface! This is great news for AKHMIS-participating organizations. All data entry and reporting workflows will remain the same, but the system will have a NEW, modern user interface that is more intuitive.
The ICA team is working on updating all training materials and resources to align with the new interface. All current AKHMIS users were emailed details of the changes. If you didn't receive that email or have any questions about the updates, please email the AKHMIS Help Desk at [email protected].
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Planned Parenthood Alaska
Period Product Packing Parties!
Planned Parenthood of Alaska and volunteers assembled 118 menstrual product kits for the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness to distribute! Thank you Planned Parenthood Alaska and all who were a part of this drive! It takes a community coming together to truly help our most vulnerable neighbors.
Planned Parenthood is still accepting donations of unopened tampons, pads, menstrual cups, pregnancy tests, and condoms.
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Rasmuson Foundation
New housing units bring hope for those experiencing homelessness
Never before In Anchorage have so many units of low-income housing been brought online in a single year.
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In the News...
Anchorage hotel conversions are adding hundreds of low-income housing and shelter units ...
Anchorage Daily News
Analysis by the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness found the city needs 2,478 low-income housing units to alleviate the housing gap.
Hotel conversions put hundreds of new low-income housing units on the market in Anchorage
Alaska's News Source
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - It's being called the biggest increase in low-income ... The Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness and the city.
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Community Solutions
Preventing homelessness through diversion
Fairfax, Virginia, diverts 74% of pilot participants from experiencing homelessness
Theresa came to Virginia after fleeing from a domestic violence situation in another state. In need of shelter, Theresa was connected with Sandra McLean, the Diversion Program Manager at Shelter House.
For the next six months, Theresa worked with McLean to come up with a permanent housing solution while addressing interim needs.
Success stories like this became more common when Fairfax launched their Diversion Pilot Program in 2021. The team has since successfully diverted 74% of participants from experiencing homelessness.
"We were able to stop so many from ever having to stay one night in their car," McLean said.
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U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)
New Resource: Health and Housing Efforts to Reducing Health Disparities and Build Towards Systems Integration
The Health and Housing Partnership field has grown significantly over the last decade. With that growth has come a variety of projects from small scale, proof of concept driven pilots, to projects driving scale in states and communities. The high-level goal of any of these efforts is systems integration to improve population health, build health equity and use our health care and other resources more effectively and efficiently.
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National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)
Homelessness and Housing First
HUD Annual Homelessness Assessment Report Demonstrates Impact of Pandemic Aid on Sheltered Homelessness
HUD released the 2021 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR): Part 2 on July 27. Every year, HUD releases a two-part report that provides estimates of the scale of sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in the U.S. The AHAR 2021: Part 1 report provided a single-night estimate of people experiencing homelessness in sheltered and unsheltered settings at the state, local, and national levels (see Memo, 2/14/22). AHAR Part 2 provides a national estimate of people who utilized shelter programs at some point between October 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021. The new report estimates that approximately 1,214,000 people experienced sheltered homelessness during this period, a 17% drop from 2019. HUD attributes the decrease in part to safety net enhancements and protections implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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