Alaskans hoping for financial relief due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are set to receive help from the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation.
The Alaska Housing Rent Relief provides up to 12 months of rent and/or utility relief for eligible Alaskans who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. $200 million will be administered in federal funds to eligible Alaskan renters through an application process.
In order to check your eligibility, a link on the Alaska Housing Relief website asks for your email address and a mobile phone number capable of sending and receiving texts. Upon doing so, they ask for your first and last name and have you fill out a questionnaire. The questions include whether you rent your home, your financial status and if any member of your household demonstrated risk of homelessness or housing instability. There’s also a link on the website for frequently asked questions you may have.
Congress passed the Fiscal Year 2021 Omnibus and COVID Relief and Response Act at the end of 2020, which included $25 billion for emergency housing assistance. The Corporation reports that the state’s share includes distribution from the U.S. Department of Treasury through the Coronavirus Relief Fund to tribal housing authorities, the Municipality of Anchorage and the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation.
The request to spend Alaska’s emergency rental assistance was submitted by Governor Mike Dunleavy to the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee, which acted in January to authorize the Corporation to disburse up to $200 million in federal funds.
The legislation Congress passed is designed to allow for all eligible Alaskans to apply and receive up to $1,200 of assistance payable to their landlord or mortgage servicer. The U.S. Treasury Department also reports that the program is available to renters meeting certain program criteria including being at or below 80% of Area Median Income, to be calculated after their COVID-19 hardship.
If you have checked your eligibility and have pre-registered, you will be directly emailed on February 16 with a personal link to provide additional details, which includes basic information to verify your income, as well as detailed information regarding how much assistance you need for rent and/or utilities. That includes up to 12 months, and funds will be used to first pay unpaid rent and utility bills.
The application period opens on February 16 and runs through March 5.