Alaska Housing prioritizes emergency rental assistance payments

WASILLA — Alaska Housing Finance Corporation prioritized getting emergency rental assistance payments out as quickly as possible in anticipation of financial hardship by renters and landlords alike, due to the financial impacts of COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended an eviction moratorium multiple times throughout the pandemic, and on Aug. 26, 2021, the United States Supreme Court ended the moratorium, according to a recent press release from Alaska Housing.

$191.6 million has been paid and nearly every qualified person who applied for Alaska Housing Rent Relief has had their past due rent and utilities paid to date.

“The federal funding allowed us to address critical needs of Alaskans experiencing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Alaska Housing CEO/Executive Director Bryan Butcher stated in the press release. “Too often people forget about the cost of owning and maintaining properties. Landlords know too well about these financial obligations and when their tenants struggle, landlords do too.”

The Alaska Court System prominently included information about the status of the moratorium and availability of Alaska Housing Rent Relief on its website with Alaskan judges informed of the availability of AHFC’s commitment letter.

Alaska Court System administrative director Stacey Marz indicated that eviction filing rates have remained low after the federal eviction moratorium ended and are less than half what they were in 2019.

“In the past four weeks, there have been 85 eviction cases filed across the state,” Marz stated in the press release. “While in the same time period in 2019, there were 182. The court system was preparing to see an increase in cases after the end of the moratorium, but thankfully that has not come to pass.”

According to the press release, data has shown that there are tremendous emotional and physical benefits to keeping people safely housed during times of stress, especially relevant to the long-term impacts of COVID-19 when many have experienced job loss and reduced incomes.

In addition to specifically targeting elements of eviction diversion, Alaska Housing’s efforts include implementing safety nets by providing temporary rent reductions to families living in public housing or with a housing voucher through increased federal subsidy; suspending late rent fees for public housing residents; and forbearance for AHFC mortgage holders.

“Stable housing is essential for public health, financial stability, and economic recovery. Our simple, people-centric commitment letter has proven to be highly effective in reducing pandemic evictions,” Butcher stated in the press release. “Many households that were in crisis at the start of the year can go into the holiday season with less fear of eviction and look to 2022 for a fresh start.”

Alaska Housing estimated that the most eligible applicants will continue to receive Alaska Housing Rent Relief through spring 2022 and plans to continue their efforts to develop new programs and services that are responsive to the diverse housing needs statewide.

For more information, visit ahfc.us.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com