Alaskan residents who have lost a significant portion of their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible to apply for a state lottery offering up to one month of rent or mortgage relief if they meet qualification guidelines.
The Alaska Legislature approved $10 million funding for the Alaska Housing Finance Corp. to help residents who without government assistance may face eviction or foreclosure on their homes.
“Our data shows that it’s better to keep Alaskans stably housed through prevention efforts both in terms of their mental and physical health, but also as a cost-effective measure,” said Bryan Butcher, chief executive officer and executive director of AHFC. Mortgage relief includes principal and interest only. Cost of utilities is excluded.
Each household is eligible for up to $1,200.
Program requirements are online at https://www.alaskahousingrelief.org
Applications for housing relief are being accepted from June 15-26. The basic questionnaire asks the applicant’s name, primary residence address and certification of loss of income. At the closure of the application period a lottery will be conducted.
According to Gov. Mike Dunleavy, the AHFC’s lottery system is based on best practices in public housing management and ensures that, regardless of where Alaskans live, they will have equal access to this housing relief. Anyone unable to access the online application should call or text “RELIEF” to 833-440-0420 for an alternative.
Based on available funding, those selected via the lottery will have payments made by AHFC to their landlord or mortgage servicer on their behalf.
