Anchorage shelters have been reaching capacity as we enter into winter and as we continue to adjust the system to best protect our vulnerable community members during COVID-19.

The Anchorage Assembly Committee on Homelessness will meet tomorrow,  Wednesday October 21st from 11 to 12:30 to discuss the city’s plan for additional winter shelter capacity and to review the recommendations the Center for Disease Control and Housing and Urban Development provided to the Anchorage Health Department after the late summer COVID-19 outbreak. You can find the recommendations in the CDC/HUD Field Report on the Response to COVID-19 Among Persons 14 Experiencing Homeless In Anchorage, Alaska. This meeting will also include an overview of the Anchorage street outreach pilot. Agendas and handouts can be found at the Committee on Homelessness webpage.

How The Public Can Participate In This Virtual Committee Meeting:

Applications will open for the Municipality of Anchorage Nonprofit Relief grant program at noon on Monday, October 19, 2020. The grant program will make available over $4,000,000 of CARES Act funds to eligible nonprofits, and $50,000 from the Rasmuson Foundation that will be dedicated to arts and culture nonprofits.  Cook Inlet Lending Center (CILC) will process applications for this grant program and distribute the funds.  
 
$2.5 million of the grant program will be set aside for general nonprofits, while $1.5 million of the grant program will be set aside for arts and culture nonprofits.  Qualified applicants will be eligible to receive grants of $7,500, $15,000, or $30,000 depending on the recipient’s gross revenue. 
 
The grants may be used to cover costs of operational interruptions caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic and local emergency orders, including loss of income, additional expenses incurred to protect staff and clients, and the cost of expanding critical charitable services to address the direct impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
Nonprofits are eligible if they have been harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and: 

• They have been in operation in the Municipality of Anchorage since at least January 1, 2019 
• They provide charitable services or perform charitable work that benefits Anchorage residents, organizations, or businesses 
• They have 501(c)(3), 501(c)(6), or 501(c)(19) status, as verified by a formal determination letter from the IRS 

 
In addition to the above criteria, arts and culture nonprofits must fit within the following definition of arts or cultural organizations: An arts organization is a nonprofit with a primary purpose to produce or promote arts events, projects, or services. A cultural organization is a nonprofit with a primary purpose to engage in the promotion or preservation of cultural identities, histories, and traditional practices. Those entities that received relief funding as one of the Culture Pillars identified by the Anchorage Assembly, are not eligible for this round of funding. 
 
Applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 30, 2020. Applications and more information can be found on the Cook Inlet Lending Center (CILC) website.  

AHFC has an open Planner I position, working with homeless service programs. The job posting is available on the AHFC website at ahfc.us.
 
OVERVIEW
The Planner I may develop, coordinate and administer housing grant programs. Programs managed by the Planning and Program Development department primarily focus on expanding housing opportunities for low-to-moderate income Alaskans, seniors, the homeless, victims of domestic violence, and persons affected by disabilities.

This is a level 20 position with an annual salary of $67,736.88. Excellent benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and leave package.

A complete job description and online application may be obtained from the website at https://www.ahfc.us/about-us/jobs/all-job-seekers/.  A new AHFC application must be submitted for each position (a resume may be attached). 
 
APPLICATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 23, by 5:00 P.M.