Coalition Update

May 1, 2025

Thank you, Anchorage, for showing up and taking part

A summit to help community members, service providers and policy makers better understand and support Anchorage’s approach to homelessness drew about 300 attendees over two days in March. They heard from local residents who have emerged from homelessness, got an overview of the priorities of Mayor Suzanne LaFrance and her team, connected with service providers and concerned neighbors, and learned about a variety of efforts to help people move from homelessness to housing.

The event was hosted jointly by ACEH, the Mayor’s Office and the Anchorage Assembly Housing & Homelessness Committee.

Watch the sessions, download the presentations and provide feedback by clicking here.

ACEH news

A time of leadership transition

Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness Executive Director Meg Zaletel will be leaving the organization this summer. We are grateful for everything Meg has given ACEH over the past 3 ½ years.

Board Chairman Nathan Johnson said noted that her tenure was transformational for the organization: “Under her leadership, ACEH made more affordable housing available; built a robust outreach and data system to know who is experiencing homelessness and what type of supports they need; and consistently moved more people from homelessness to stable housing.”

We need a strong summer plan for unsheltered homelessness

As the snow melted away this spring, it revealed more than just winter’s debris — we saw tents, makeshift shelters, and the undeniable visibility of our city’s homelessness crisis. What had been obscured by cold weather is now, once again, in plain sight.

These are not strangers. They are Anchorage residents — our neighbors — with stories, families, and hopes for something better. Many are employed, yet unable to afford housing in a city with an acute housing shortage and rental costs that far outpace wages.

Executive Director Meg Zaletel recently wrote Anchorage Mayor LaFrance along with Assembly members about how to address unsheltered homelessness in the most effective, efficient and economical way: housing with supports.

Read Meg's letter

Around Alaska

AmeriCorps volunteers gave their time to Alaska

Eight AmeriCorps young people dedicated a year of their lives to provide service to Alaska only for their time with the program to come to an abrupt end.

Alaska was lucky to have them. They did tough work with grace and kindness. They walked across frozen paths to connect with our unsheltered neighbors living in camps, helped people apply for housing, made connections and friendships, and became a part of our team at the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness.

People in Anchorage were housed because of them. They helped organizations in Fairbanks and Anchorage and were scheduled to round out their time in Yakutat.

Around town

Opportunities for Anchorage youth to go from unhoused to housed

A 21-year-old was finding it hard to get stable housing, leading to other challenges including employment. They joined a program at Volunteers of America, got safe and stable housing, set goals, built life skills and now have a good job at an automotive shop.

That’s just one recent example of how Anchorage young adults are moving from homeless and struggling to housed and thriving. Four organizations in our community offer housing, either short-term or permanent, tailored for young adults 18 to 24 years old, known as transition-age youth.

Read about each program: Opportunities for Anchorage youth to go from unhoused to housed — ACEH

CoC update

Save the date!

We are partnering with the Alaska Coalition on Housing & Homelessness for the upcoming Alaska Housing Summit. Mark your calendars for Aug. 19 and 20 at the Nuka Learning Institute in Anchorage.

This annual event is being expanded to two days to provide more opportunities to network and learn about the state of housing in Alaska. Help us improve the summit by taking a short survey. It will take just 5 minutes so why wait!

Click here for the survey.

Stay tuned for an email in the next week or so with a call for proposals to present the important work our colleagues in Alaska are doing.

Questions? Contact [email protected]

Healthcare collaborations will center needs of individuals

We are working to formalize partnerships with our community’s healthcare organizations to prevent anyone from being discharged into homelessness. Our healthcare integration director, Ziona Brownlow, recently met with colleagues at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute to share about the Coordinated Entry system that prioritizes housing for those most in need and our hospital discharge liaison efforts.

Learn more about the work: Healthcare collaborations will center needs of individuals — ACEH

Data update

Our latest data analysis that the number of people experiencing homelessness in Anchorage continues to edge up. Comparing March 2025 to the same month a year earlier, 225 more individuals are experiencing homelessness, and fewer are leaving homelessness for housing.

We are facing challenges similar to those experienced nationwide. To effectively address the issue of homelessness in Anchorage, we must prioritize investments in rental subsidies through rapid rehousing initiatives. That’s the proven, best way to reduce homelessness. Without such investments, we are unlikely to witness notable reductions in the city's homelessness figures.

See our data snapshot: Get an overview of homelessness in Anchorage.

Upcoming

Volunteer Opportunities

Looking to spread some kindness and make a difference in the lives of our unsheltered neighbors? Join us as we assemble outreach kits for those forced to sleep outside. Next events are May 5 from 5:30 to 6:30 and 6:45 to 7:45 p.m.

Assembly Housing and Homelessness Committee

Learn more about the Committee's work and Assembly initiatives to provide Housing First and to solve Anchorage homelessness. Next meeting is on May 21, at 12 p.m.

Learn more

Homeless Prevention and Response System Advisory Council meeting

The Advisory Council meets monthly to discuss relevant Anchorage Continuum of Care initiatives and current events. Next meeting is on May 22 at 4 p.m.

Learn more

Case Conferencing

These meetings provide a platform for housing providers to share vital information about client situations, whereabouts, and both past and current circumstances.

Email Mac Lyons to learn more and get involved.

[email protected]