Opportunity to house more youth in Anchorage

Supporters of Covenant House Alaska slept out at Kincaid Park in 2024 to put attention on — and raise money for — the needs of unhoused youth.

Our community is considering a new opportunity to provide housing and other supports for youth. The federal government recently announced that the Anchorage Continuum of Care is eligible to apply for a new round of grants through the federal Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the opportunity on Jan. 13. If the Continuum of Care Advisory Council decides to take part in the competitive grant program, ACEH will post key information on our website. Anchorage organizations interested in starting or expanding a project to provide housing and supports for youth can reach out to grants@aceh.org to be informed about the process and timeline for projects to be considered through the collaboration. Project application deadlines likely will be in March. HUD’s deadline for collaborative, communitywide applications is April 17. With $72 million for the opportunity, the government expects to fund up to 25 projects nationwide.

In fiscal year 2016, the Anchorage Continuum of Care was one of 10 chosen out of 130 applicants. Projects supported with that award in Anchorage included rapid rehousing, host homes, peer support and permanency navigators.