Summary
The Anchorage Health Department briefed the Assembly Housing and Homeless Committee on Aug. 20 about its Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA2) and HOME‑ARP awards and early results, reporting that municipal grants to local nonprofits had housed or diverted hundreds of households while spend‑down and reporting remain on a tight timeline.
The Anchorage Health Department briefed the Assembly Housing and Homeless Committee on Aug. 20 about its Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA2) and HOME‑ARP awards and early results, reporting that municipal grants to local nonprofits had housed or diverted hundreds of households but that spend‑down and reporting remain on a tight timeline.
The update matters because ERA2 funds are time‑limited federal funds that must be spent by Sept. 30, 2025, and municipal staff combined ERA2 tranche‑3 funding with HOME‑ARP supportive‑services funds to move people from homelessness into housing and to avert evictions. Jed (community systems program manager, Anchorage Health Department) told the committee that the city folded the ERA2 tranche into an existing request‑for‑grant‑proposals (RFGP) and awarded combined agreements to six lead organizations: Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, Choosing Our Roots, Henning, NeighborWorks, New Life Development, and United Way (which received three separate awards for different programs).
The Health Department said the total combined allocation across ERA2 and HOME‑ARP for the selected projects is roughly $5 million (allocation varies by grantee and program mix); Jed presented an allocation table showing the ERA and HOME‑ARP split per grantee. Because ERA2 tranche‑3 became available only after the municipality met earlier spend targets, staff said they had to stand up the contracts quickly and that HOME‑ARP provides a longer‑term funding source for supportive services.
On progress, the department reported week‑level client numbers through Aug. 12 showing approximately 581 households served across eviction‑diversion and homelessness‑to‑housing tracks; staff said the household count is current but spending data in the committee slide deck reflected the quarterly report to Treasury through June 30 and therefore lagged the more recent client totals. Jed said the department will supply updated spending figures for July and August and provide a more complete impact report in October, after monthly reporting cycles are compiled.
Committee members pressed staff for clarity on how many grantees had received funds in hand, whether money is advanced or reimbursed, and what would happen to clients when ERA2 spending authority expires on Sept. 30. Jed said some grantees received advances and others operate on reimbursement; the department reported it is working with grantees to ensure they can spend down ERA2 by the deadline and said HOME‑ARP remains available for supportive services beyond the ERA deadline. Health Department Director Kimberly Rash said the department will deliver an October report similar to the alcohol‑tax impact reports that will summarize money received, money spent, and services delivered.
Members also asked about eligibility and program rules. Jed said ERA2 is designed primarily for housing costs; applicants must demonstrate housing status or arrears, have documentation of occupancy (a lease or equivalent record) and meet income caps established by the federal program. The department said ERA2 rules allow funding for some supportive services to help people find and retain housing.
Committee members requested updated spending charts that align households assisted, money allotted and money spent (July/August), to judge where reallocations might be needed before the October reporting deadline. The Health Department agreed to provide the updated breakdown.
