Saturday, May 25, 2013
Weather
No More Housing Voucher ApplicationsAK Housing Finance Corp. closes list for the first time as more people need help with housing.Related Content
By Lauren Maxwell
ANCHORAGE—Finding affordable housing in Anchorage is getting harder, especially if you don't make a living wage. Social service agencies say they are getting more calls for help with things like rental assistance or finding apartments that will take low-income tenants.
Agencies say they would like to offer more support but don't have the funding. On top of that, there simply isn't the supply of housing to keep up with the need.
At the Lutheran Social Services office, director Alan Budahl says he is getting at least a half dozen calls a week from people looking for help with housing. It's help he can't provide but Budahl says what he can do is direct them to the food pantry.
"I tell them to save their money for rent, because many of these people are working,” Budahl said. “I will make sure that there is food on the table for their families if they can give what money they have to the landlord.”
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation is another agency that has historically helped provide low-income housing. But just last month the agency closed its list of those waiting for a housing voucher.
"And the reason that we did that is because the waiting list became so large," said Jim Gurke. "We didn't want to give people false hope."
Gurke says there are more than 4,000 people currently on that list. He says it could easily take years before all are served. On the plus side, the agency is working on acquiring more housing. One of the biggest projects, Loussac Place in midtown Anchorage, should start accepting tenants next summer.
|
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled.
Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.
|
You have indicated this comment should be removed.
The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .
JEAN MASSEY said on Tuesday, Jul 12 at 7:04 AM
If you don't work, no help for housing, food or ANYTHING! If you can't find a job (anyone can even if its McDonalds or janitor work0 Its time to cut off WELFARE, FOR THE LAZY BUMS in American that live off the system. Why do the hard working tax payer have to fund the leeches?If you don't have the brains to care for yourself and family, quit having kids by the dozen!
70551878Irene said on Monday, Jul 11 at 5:43 PM
The MAJORITY of people on assistance are just too lazy to work for their keep!In the 50s-60s when my mother was raising 5 kids ( under 8 years old) becasue the bum of a father ran off with some sleeze. He was in the military, but in those days no one went after bums for child support. My mother who was 95 pounds, worked in a laundry six days a week, and picked cotton on Sunday to feed us. No food stamsp no welfare,no assistance of any kind. Plus she didn't sleep around like the pigs do now a days and have kids from half dozen men.Put these lazy fat, people doing community work for the city to get even food stamps, UNLESS they have jobs of some sort.Its disgusting how tax payers have to support these leeches from other countries and watch them spend our hard earned tax dollar on beer, junk food, and all the other items not necessary for life.Thats what the dam politicians do, give entitlements to the lazy immoral bums in America. That is why we are in debt!Along with the fact that stupi
70525802Nathan said on Friday, Jul 8 at 4:13 PM
Mikey get your facts straight. You clearly don't know what you are talking about.
70384586after all said on Friday, Jul 8 at 2:26 PM
There are so many people who are capable of working but choose not to, making it difficult for those that actually need the help to get the help they deserve.
70380433mikey372002 said on Friday, Jul 8 at 2:25 PM
Sounds like to many programs and handouts, back when i first moved to anchorage i held down 2 jobs, people nowadays expect a handout, like the bible says , teach a man to fish ,he will fish for life, give a man a fish , he will come back asking for more. common sense. And all these big churchs with tax free property, just more handouts form the government, with all the money the churchs make they could buy more property to rent to low income people, but as you can see a lot of the large churchs are self serving and commerialized for profit. go figure what wrong with religons nowadays.
70380387Add a comment
Most Popular