How to Qualify and Apply for Alaska Section 8

Application Instructions for Alaska Section 8

Step 1

The Alaska Section 8 program includes a housing choice voucher program. This federally funded program is available by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD. At the state level, the Alaska Section 8 program is managed by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. The program is administered locally by a public housing authority or PHA.

Individuals who are low-income, disabled, or elderly may be eligible to receive benefits. These benefits help residents afford safe and suitable housing in Alaska. The housing choice voucher program allows Alaskan residents to choose to live in privately held housing or public housing projects. These include:

Private housing can include single family homes, apartments, or townhomes. Individuals who opt to live in private housing must choose a rental property that is approved by the PHA. Additionally, the rental owner must agree to rent according to the housing voucher subsidy.
Public housing is available in 29 housing sites within 14 communities across Alaska. The public housing option includes onsite management and staff so these properties maintain the PHA standard of living.

Additionally, some of the public housing facilities offer specialized living programs. These include:

Low-income individuals and families can rent from privately-owned rental properties in 12 Alaska communities.
Public housing is available in 13 communities.
Senior housing and accessible housing via the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation is combined for low-income Alaskans over 62 and with disabilities.
Single and homeless individuals live in the Adelaide building in a partnership with the Anchorage NeighborWorks association.
Individuals or families displaced by homelessness or institutional living can be referred to the Moving Home Program to receive transitional housing services.
Families victimized by domestic violence or sexual assault find transitional rental assistance through the Empowering Choice Housing Program or ECHP.
Military veterans who are homeless will find housing through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program.
Youth aging out of foster care and individuals on probation or parole, whom qualify as low-income, can apply for the Tenant-based Rental Assistance Program; you must be referred by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Children’s Services in Alaska or the Alaska Department of Corrections.

If this applies to your household situation, speak with your local PHA to locate housing that is for special needs populations.

Who can Qualify for Section 8?

If you are interested in applying for Alaska Section 8 housing assistance, first you must qualify for the program. Here are the requirements for the Alaska Section 8 housing choice voucher program:

You are a full-time resident of Alaska.
You are a US citizen or an eligible immigrant, which includes people who are permanent residents, as well as immigrants who entered the US before January 1, 1972 and has remained a US residence since that time.
Your household income meets the low- or very low-income levels as determined by the US HUD Anchorage Field Office.

As a tenant, you will pay either 10 percent of your household’s gross income or 30 percent of the household’s adjusted income. You will pay the higher amount, but at least $25 a month for rent. HUD subsidies the remaining of the rent. You may also qualify for a utility allowance to cover your utilities expenses.

Keep in mind that the HUD program provides limited funding for the Alaska Section 8 housing choice voucher program. Even if you qualify for assistance, you may be placed on a waiting list. Those families or individuals who are in the following situations will also receive priority housing assistance:

Anyone who is homeless
Anyone in substandard housing
Anyone who is involuntarily displaced
Anyone paying over 50 percent of the gross income to cover rent in Alaska

How to Apply

To get started with your Alaska Section 8 application, contact a PHA office. In Alaska, the AHFC has two PHA offices:

AHFC – S8 for Section 8 housing
AHFC Low-Rent housing

Both are in Anchorage. If you are searching for a local PHA here is the contact information for all the Alaska Public/Indian Housing Authority offices.

Start the application process by submitting the proper paperwork to the PHA office. You will be required to submit various documentation to prove your income, assets, household status, and employment. You will also need to have contact information to verify your previous tenant history. Past evictions and drug convictions may disqualify you from the program.

After you submit your application you will be contacted regarding your eligibility. If you qualify to receive Alaska Section 8 public housing assistance or a housing choice voucher, you will be provided with information on how to find a rental house. The AHFC Housing Locator tool will assist you in this process.