Too many times, people experiencing real hardship don’t get help because they don’t know where to go. In this case, Alaskans who lost income or incurred expenses as a result of COVID-19 may be eligible. We know that many friends in tourism lost hours and jobs. The $200 million federally funded program will address arrearages before current or future rent or utility obligations.
The program is designed to serve those at 80% of Area Median Income or below. The income requirement is addressed following the COVID event. In Denali Borough, that’s $88,400 or $7,366/month.
Because I know you have lots of friends and contacts industry, I thought it would be useful to provide you with AMI for several other communities:
· In Anchorage, it’s $77,840 or $6,487/month.
· In the Mat-Su, it’s $73,120 or $6,093/month.
· In Fairbanks, it’s $74,480 or $6,206/month
· Kenai Borough is $71,760 or $5,980/month
We are currently accepting applications from Alaskans for our Rent and Utility relief program. We know how hard tourism was hit. We’d appreciate any help you can provide to get the word out to landlords whose tenants have been unable to meet their monthly obligations as well as to the tenants who might qualify. Deadline for applications is next Friday, March 5 at 11:59 p.m.
We’ve designed several flyers and materials for your use, including in multiple languages and with opportunities for co-branding, and we’re active on Facebook if you’d like to share.
Alaskans can apply for Alaska Housing Rent Relief by visiting us at AlaskaHousingRelief.org or by calling or texting the word “relief” toll-free to 833-440-0420.
One final note – renters aren’t the only ones who are struggling to make ends meet because of the pandemic. The legislation doesn’t allow us to address homeowners at this time. If future funding becomes available, the web address above will be updated.