June 2023 Data Report
In May 2023, ~3,700 people were experiencing homelessness in Anchorage.
Unsheltered
Emergency Shelters
Rapid & Transitional Housing
Supportive Housing & Services
Couch-surfing or Undisclosed
Lack of housing and better reporting by street outreach is causing a spike in homelessness numbers.
The seasonal nature of Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) data: high numbers in the winter, low numbers in the summer. Cold winter months drive more folks into emergency shelters, where providers record more services and house more people. This increases the (known) number of people experiencing homelessness, or PEH.
As cold weather emergency shelter draws down in the spring, HMIS numbers see a decrease. 2023 is an exception: March saw the largest increase of PEH on record and has remained at ~3,600 as of this report. Why is this happening?
Less rental assistance and a tightening housing market.
Since September of 2022, 81.5% of Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) programs nationwide have closed. As a result, eviction rates are up higher than pre-pandemic levels, especially in cities with a housing crisis like Anchorage.
Between April and May, 41% of Alaskans behind on their rent report being likely to be evicted – 8% higher than the national average.
The average 1 or 2-bedroom apartment in Anchorage averages an adjusted rent of $1,200-1,500/month. To afford this, you must work full time at $23-26/hour.
Recent housing opportunities at the LakeHouse (45), Golden Lion (85), and Barratt (96) will soon house a mix of unsheltered, sheltered, and low-income people experiencing homelessness. While much more housing is needed, the movement will free up beds and resources for the unsheltered community.
New street outreach is accounting for those living unsheltered.
Since September 2022, ACEH-led street outreach has been providing resources to those living in camps. This is the most substantial outreach done in Anchorage. Improved data and wider reach are capturing those efforts in HMIS.
Prior to this year, data during the summer does not reflect unsheltered folks unless they receive housing services such as a Coordinated Entry (CE) assessment. Street outreach is now accounting for them, which led to a surge between February and March 2023 – these are folks who were previously staying at places like the Sullivan, Alex, and Aviator and are now being counted by street outreach.
In other words: lack of housing is causing a “growing” of data, while increased street outreach is causing a “showing” of data.
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