Housing Funds Awarded to Villages to Help Improve Retention of Professionals

ANCHORAGE, AK – December 1, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Wednesday, November 30, 2011 – Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) announced its intent to award $7.5 million to 10 villages statewide as part of its 2012 efts to help rural communities recruit and retain nurses, public safety officers and teachers in rural Alaska.

Monies are made available through the AHFC Teacher Housing and Health Professional, Public Safety Officer Grant program that has funded the new construction, rehabilitation, and acquisition of more than 300 units of housing in Alaska’s most remote communities. This year’s allocation will help leverage other public funding and is being rewarded to government entities in 10 communities: Manokotak, Ft. Yukon, Kobuk, Saxman, Tanana, Huslia, Nunam Iqua, Metlakatla, Quinhagak, and Venetie.

AHFC’s ongoing support of Governor Sean Parnell’s “Choose Respect” campaign includes increasing the number of VPSOs in villages to reduce domestic violence, sexual assault and child sexual abuse incidents. This year AHFC also made funding VPSO projects in Manokotak and Saxman a priority.

Public service employees leave positions in rural Alaska for a variety of reasons; however lack of quality, affordable housing is typically listed as a significant factor. “The challenges in the recruitment and retention of nurses, public safety officers and teachers in rural Alaska negatively impacts a community’s health and finances in far-reaching ways,” Dan Fauske, CEO and Executive Director of AHFC says. “AHFC is committed to reducing the high rate of turnover and the consequences that come from it.”

AHFC is a self-supporting public corporation with offices in 16 communities statewide. It provides statewide financing for multi-family complexes, congregate facilities, and single-family homes, with special loan options for low- to moderate-income borrowers, veterans, teachers, health care professionals, and those living in rural areas of the state.

AHFC also provides energy and weatherization programs, low-income rental assistance in 17 communities, and special programs for the homeless and those seeking to become self-sufficient. AHFC has contributed more than $1.9 billion to Alaska’s state budget revenues through cash transfers, capital projects and debt-service payments.

For more information, contact: Soren Johansson, AHFC Public Relations Manager, 907-330-8447, sjohansson (at) ahfc (dot) us.

Contact:
Soren Johansson
1-907-330-8447
1-800-478-2432
(outside Anchorage but within Alaska)