If you need help right now in Alaska, call 2-1-1 or walk into an emergency shelter; no paperwork or intake is required for a bed tonight. For anything beyond emergency shelter, the Alaska homeless assistance program works through a network of partner agencies coordinated by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), and you get in by completing a Coordinated Entry assessment at a designated access point. Where you live determines which agencies handle your case, and the wait for subsidized housing is real, so it’s worth starting the process the same day you ask for shelter.
Start With Alaska 2-1-1 or an Emergency Shelter
Dial 2-1-1 or call 800-478-2221. The service is free, confidential, and staffed Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with 24/7 access online at alaska211.org.1Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. Statewide Homeless Housing Office Operators can tell you which shelters have open beds tonight, point you to warming centers in cold weather, and refer you to food, clothing, and other immediate resources.2Alaska 2-1-1. About Alaska 2-1-1
Emergency shelters accept walk-ins. Anchorage runs several, including the E. 56th Ave Shelter and Linda’s Place. Each shelter sets its own rules about gender, family composition, and sobriety, and beds fill quickly in winter, so calling ahead helps.
Domestic violence survivors have a separate, confidential shelter network with unlisted locations. Alaska 2-1-1 can connect you, or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. You do not need to go through the general homeless services system to access DV shelter.
Two Regions, Two Doors
Alaska splits homeless assistance into two Continuum of Care (CoC) regions. The Anchorage CoC is led by the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. The Balance of State CoC covers every other community and is led by the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness.3Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. Continuum of Care (CoC) AHFC supports both with grant funding, data systems, and the 25 percent local match required for federal CoC awards.
The programs, access points, and waitlists differ between the two regions. Someone in Fairbanks, Juneau, or a rural village goes through a different set of providers than someone in Anchorage. If you aren’t sure which region applies to you, 2-1-1 will route you.
Coordinated Entry: The Gateway to Housing Programs
Almost every housing program funded by HUD or the state requires you to complete an intake called Coordinated Entry before you can be matched with a slot. HUD mandates the process for all CoC and Emergency Solutions Grant recipients so that resources go to people with the greatest need rather than whoever shows up first.4HUD Exchange. Coordinated Entry Alaska’s state-funded Homeless Assistance Program also requires grantees to fill open slots from the Coordinated Entry list.
You start at a designated access point, which may be a shelter, a non-profit office, or a community resource center. As of early 2024, Coordinated Entry is operational in Anchorage, Bethel, Fairbanks, Juneau, the Mat-Su Valley, and Nome. Anchorage and the Balance of State run separate Coordinated Entry processes.
At the access point, you complete a standardized assessment covering your housing barriers, health conditions, and vulnerability. That information goes into the Alaska Homeless Management Information System (AKHMIS) and places you on a prioritized list. When a housing slot opens, the referral flows to whoever is highest on the list, which may or may not be you. Interventions range from rapid re-housing (short-term rental assistance with case management) to permanent supportive housing (ongoing rental assistance with services for people with disabilities).
Expect to wait. Waits for subsidized housing commonly run from 10 months to several years, and Alaska’s tight housing stock can stretch them further.
Rental and Financial Assistance
AHFC funds partner agencies to deliver direct help with rent, deposits, arrears, and moving costs. You cannot apply to AHFC yourself; you access these dollars through a local agency or through Coordinated Entry.
Homeless Assistance Program
The Homeless Assistance Program (HAP) funds local governments, regional housing authorities, non-profits, and tribal organizations to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, street outreach, homelessness prevention, and rapid re-housing, including security deposits and short-term rental help.5Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. AHFC Grants for Homeless and Supportive Housing6Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. Basic Homeless Assistance Program Notice of Funding Availability
Emergency Solutions Grant
The federal Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program covers communities outside Anchorage through the Balance of State CoC.5Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. AHFC Grants for Homeless and Supportive Housing ESG money pays for rental arrears, utility bills, security deposits, moving costs, and housing stability case management.7U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Emergency Solutions Grants Program Fact Sheet
For ESG prevention help, your household income must fall below 30 percent of area median income, you must lack other support networks that would keep you housed, and you must face an imminent housing crisis such as an eviction notice or a forced move due to economic hardship.8eCFR. 24 CFR 576.2 – Definitions For rapid re-housing, you must already meet the federal definition of homelessness, meaning you lack a fixed, regular, and adequate place to sleep at night.
Long-Term Housing for People With Disabilities
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) combines ongoing rental assistance with support services and has no time limit. It is reserved for people with disabilities, or families with at least one member with a disability, who are experiencing homelessness.9eCFR. 24 CFR Part 578 – Continuum of Care Program Access is through the Coordinated Entry prioritization list, and slots go to the most vulnerable applicants first.
Section 811 Project Rental Assistance is another route for very low-income people with disabilities, pairing rental assistance with community-based services.10HUD Exchange. Section 811 PRA Program AHFC also administers the Special Needs Housing Grant, funded jointly with the Alaska Mental Health Trust, and a Discharge Incentive Grant that funds housing for people with severe mental illness leaving incarceration.5Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. AHFC Grants for Homeless and Supportive Housing
Veterans
Veterans have two dedicated programs that run alongside the general system.
HUD-VASH pairs a rental voucher with case management from the VA. It is available in every Alaska community where AHFC offers Housing Choice Vouchers. Household income must be at or below 80 percent of area median income, and you must be referred by the Alaska VA Healthcare System, which also provides the supportive services.11Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. Homeless Veterans and Their Families AHFC does not accept direct applications for VASH; call the Alaska VA Healthcare System at 907-257-4700 or 888-353-7574 to start.
Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) provides case management for veterans and their families who are homeless or facing eviction. In Anchorage and the Mat-Su Borough, Catholic Social Services runs the program. Eligibility requires income below 80 percent of area median and either current homelessness or documented risk, such as an eviction notice. Veterans with dishonorable discharges are not eligible for SSVF, though other assistance programs may still apply.
Youth Under 24
Covenant House Alaska, based in Anchorage, runs a 24/7 street outreach team providing food, warmth, and transportation to safety. It also operates emergency and longer-term housing, on-site high school classrooms and GED tutoring, job readiness training, a rapid re-housing program, a host homes program, and Passage House for young mothers. The Work Ready Alaska Career Pathway Program connects participants with construction, transportation, and maritime employers.
Under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, children and youth experiencing homelessness can stay enrolled in their school of origin or immediately enroll in a new school, even without the records schools normally require. Every district has a designated local liaison who helps with enrollment, transportation, and services.
Alaska Native and Tribal Programs
Tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs) administer federal funds under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) and receive Indian Housing Block Grants from HUD to develop and operate housing in their service regions. Multiple TDHEs operate across Alaska, each with its own programs and eligibility rules.
Tribal housing programs operate independently of the CoC system, so you do not need to go through Coordinated Entry to access them. If you are Alaska Native or American Indian, contact the TDHE serving your region, or call 2-1-1 for a referral.
What to Bring and What to Expect
Emergency shelters generally require no documents. For programs that go through Coordinated Entry or a formal application, the following are commonly requested: a government-issued photo ID, Social Security card or number, proof of income (pay stubs, benefits letters, or a statement of no income), and birth certificates for any children in your household.
If you have lost your documents, say so at intake. Many agencies have staff who help clients obtain replacement IDs and records, and lack of paperwork does not disqualify you from emergency services. Most housing programs will work with you to gather documents after the initial assessment.
The assessment asks detailed personal questions about your housing history, health, substance use, and other vulnerabilities. Answers stay confidential within AKHMIS and determine your position on the prioritized list. Understating your situation can lower your score. Providing false information on a federally funded housing application can carry criminal penalties of up to five years in prison under federal law.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally
The single most common frustration is the wait. Housing resources are scarce relative to need, especially in Anchorage and during winter. Stay in contact with your case manager, update your information whenever your situation changes, and ask about every program you might qualify for. People who stay engaged with their assigned agencies tend to move through the system faster than those who drop out of contact.