An Overview of the Anchorage
Homelessness Prevention & Response System
A Continuum of Care (CoC) is a regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for families and individuals experiencing homelessness. CoCs represent communities of all kinds, including major cities, suburbs, and rural areas. In Alaska, there are two CoCs, the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, which serves the greater Anchorage area from Girdwood to Chugiak, and our partner organization, the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness which serves the remainder of the state.
Leading the work on homelessness prevention & response
The Homeless Prevention & Response System (HPRS) Advisory Council connects homeless service provider needs and issues to ACEH strategy. The Advisory Council is also a forum for members to learn about what is happening in homelessness response and share their thoughts and opinions.
Want to get involved in the HPRS Advisory Council? Follow the link below to apply.
Prevention & Diversion
- “Rental Housing Counseling and Eviction Prevention” HUD
- “Eviction Prevention for Continuums of Care” HUD, September 2022
- “Homelessness is a Housing Problem – Sightline Institute” Sightline Institute, March 16, 2022
- “Homelessness Prevention, Diversion, and Rapid Exit” USICH, HUD, & VA, July 2019
Outreach & Navigation
- Anchorage Coordinated Entry
- “Resource Roundup for Addressing Encampments“ USICH, July 29, 2022
- “Core Elements of Effective Street Outreach to People Experiencing Homelessness“ USICH, June 2019
- “7 Principles for Addressing Encampments” USICH
Non-congregate Shelters & Emergency/Congregate Shelter
- “Modifying Services to Protect Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness” NAEH, May 6, 2022
- “Latest Federal Data Provides a Valuable, but Incomplete, View of Homelessness in the First Year of COVID-19” NAEH, February 4, 2022
- “Moving Away from Congregate Shelter” NLIHC, Jun 09, 2020
- “Emergency Shelter Learning Series“ NAEH, April 25, 2017
- “Emergency Shelter“ USICH, June 27, 2018
Transitional Housing
- “What is Transitional Housing?” HUD Exchange
Rapid Re-Housing
- “Rapid Re-Housing Works” NAEH
- “Rapid Re-Housing Toolkit” NAEH, March 22, 2022
- “Critical Time Intervention for Rapid Re-Housing” NAEH, April 6, 2021
Permanent Supportive Housing
- “Permanent Supportive Housing” NAEH, Updated March 2021
CoC Essentials
According to Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a CoC is “a community plan to organize and deliver housing and services to meet the specific needs of people who are homeless as they move to stable housing and maximize self-sufficiency. It includes action steps to end homelessness and prevent a return to homelessness.” HUD identifies five necessary parts of a continuum:
- Outreach, intake, and assessment in order to identify service and housing needs and provide a link to the appropriate level of both;
- Emergency shelter to provide an immediate and safe alternative to sleeping on the streets, especially for homeless families with children;
- Transitional housing with supportive services to allow for the development of skills that will be needed once permanently housed;
- Permanent and permanent supportive housing to provide individuals and families with an affordable place to live with services if needed;
- Supportive services, including homeless prevention activities
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Office Address
3427 E Tudor Road, Suite A, Anchorage, AK 99507
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 243041, Anchorage, AK 99524