Anchorage HAND Commission approves 2026 action plan, directs $1.35M RFGP for supportive housing and new voucher carve-out

The Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND) Commission approved its 2026 annual action plan at a public meeting after adopting a narrow amendment to align the commission’s stated purpose with coordinating the Anchorage Continuum of Care.

Jessica Parks, who the commission identified as the primary author of the draft report, summarized accomplishments from the past year and the commission’s forward priorities for neighborhood development, innovative housing, and homelessness response. Commissioners moved to approve the plan; after adopting an amendment to bullet four (to match point 8 of the commission purpose language), the commission approved the plan as amended.

The plan sets out how Anchorage will spend its HUD entitlement grants (CDBG, HOME, ESG) and staff described several near-term spending actions: a Request for Grant Proposals (RFGP) that will award approximately $1.35 million total for supportive-housing operations (one-time funding), a homeowner rehabilitation program RFP that will include a small-grant component and mobile-home eligibility, and a homelessness-to-housing voucher carve-out with AHFC intended to provide about 40 vouchers per year. Chase Perrave, lead neighborhood planner, told the commission the voucher carve-out is designed so eligible people identified by shelter or outreach case managers could access a separate set-aside rather than wait on AHFC’s standard voucher list.

Perrave also explained the schedule for the action plan and HUD submission: the formal public comment window runs at least 30 days, staff are targeting an internal submission around July 15 with a hard HUD deadline of August 16, and assembly approval is expected before final HUD review; staff said final HUD approval and funding availability could slip into late fall depending on review timelines.

Commissioners and staff emphasized public input will shape how the ‘‘other’’ funding buckets are spent. Staff repeatedly urged stakeholders to submit written comments through the CSD action-plan email or the online form so ideas are recorded for the RFGP process. Several commissioners praised the increase in activity and noted two resolutions had passed last year — more than typical for recent commission cycles.

The commission’s action was procedural; the plan now proceeds to the municipal approval and HUD review steps described by staff. Staff will issue the RFGPs in the coming weeks and said selected projects would be announced after the RFGP evaluation is complete.