One thing we are always asked: What causes homelessness? Many factors play a role but there's one primary driver: A lack of affordable housing. For every 100 Alaska households that are extremely low income, there are only 36 affordable units. Two thirds of households with low incomes spend more than half of what they bring in on housing. That's the bottom-line message presented to legislators this week by Jessica Parks with the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness and Brian Wilson with the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness. Watch their Lunch and Learn talk here: https://www.ktoo.org/video/gavel/lunch-and-learn-housing-and-homelessness-2026021050/?eventID=2026021050 Download their presentation: https://bit.ly/LunchandLearn2026 #HomelessnessIsSolvable #HousingIsTheAnswer

Youth in action in Alaska's capital! Young adults working to improve homelessness response across Alaska have gathered in Juneau for a youth convening. Youth Action Board members are making connections, building leadership skills and gaining first-hand advocacy experience. Their voices are strong so listen up! Asked why communities need Youth Action Boards, they jotted down ready answers: "Adults like to ignore youth." "This changes the way policies are written and acted upon." "We need to make sure the policies and procedures we implement help youth and function as intended." They are pictured at Sealaska Plaza with staff from the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, and Covenant House Alaska. Thank you to the youth members for stepping up and to Sealaska Corp. for hosting the group! #YouthActionBoard #YouthConvening #YABBERS

It's happening TODAY! Join for a jam-packed 1.5 hours of valuable information on legislative housing priorities, cross-system connections and Alaska's role in national housing and homelessness efforts. It begins at 10 a.m. Link is in our bio or cut and paste: https://www.alaskahousing-homeless.org/advocacy-day-2026 #AKAdvocacyHousingAndHomelessness #Housingforall #AdvocacyDay #SolvingHomelessness #HousingIsTheAnswer

Would you like to learn about resources in Alaska tailored for vulnerable adults including seniors and those with disabilities? We have partnered with the state for a free, beginner-friendly virtual training that will cover care needs, resources and eligibility for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Supports. The training is offered by the Alaska Department of Health, Division of Senior and Disabilities Services. This two-hour session will help participants better understand how to recognize care needs and navigate long-term care supports so seniors and people with disabilities can be safely supported in their communities. 👉 Click our bio for the registration link or cut and paste: https://bit.ly/ResourceTraining2026 #ResourcesForVulnerableAdults #AlaskaSeniorAndDisabiltiesServices

Checking on the people, one by one Our community's annual Point-in-Time Count of people experiencing homelessness was done last week and while it will take months for the data to be compiled, we know that overall, the number of unhoused people in Anchorage dropped over the last year. Click bios for the Anchorage Daily News story on the count or cut and paste: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/01/30/anchorage-homelessness-service-providers-anticipate-lower-number-of-unhoused-people-from-annual-count/ #EverybodyCounts #PointInTime2026 #SolvingHomelessness

Thank you, community partners! We appreciate all who helped with this year's Point-In-Time Count of people experiencing homelessness. Some people ask whether the count serves any purpose. Yes! The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development uses data from the counts to evaluate the effectiveness of local homelessness responses and to determine funding amounts for agencies that provide housing and other services for those experiencing homelessness. It also provides another opportunity to connect individuals living outdoors with resources and to find out why they aren't in a shelter. While we are still compiling the data, many told us that there was no space in shelter for them. But when space opens up, some now have a clearer path. Thank you to the Anchorage Downtown Partnership (pictured here with some ACEH staff), Anchorage Police Department HOPE team, the Anchorage Mayor's Office, Catholic Social Services, Covenant House Alaska, Henning Inc., Alaska VA Healthcare System, and volunteer counters Sam, Jayson, Jonathan and Kenny. Also, thanks to shelters and temporary transitional housing programs for tallying those staying in their facilities. Special thank you to all those who shared their information. It's important that you are counted! #EveryoneCounts #PointInTimeCount2026

You won't want to miss this! Join for a jam-packed 1.5 hours of valuable information on legislative housing priorities, cross-system connections and Alaska's role in national housing and homelessness efforts. It's set for next Wednesday, Feb. 4, 10 a.m. Link is in our bio or cut and paste: https://www.alaskahousing-homeless.org/advocacy-day-2026 #AKAdvocacyHousingAndHomelessness #Housingforall

Everyone counts! Anchorage community organizations are working with us this week to check camps, doorways and other sleeping spots for the annual nationwide Point in Time Count of our unhoused neighbors. Those who are unsheltered are asked where they spent the night of Monday, Jan. 26. Our community also is asking the reason they weren’t in a shelter. These counts are mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and guide federal funding for efforts addressing homelessness. The Anchorage Continuum of Care with support of our team at the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness and the Institute for Community Alliances — the data experts — lead the Anchorage effort. The count covers those sleeping outdoors whether in a tent, in a snow shelter, under tarps, on the ground or in a self-made pallet home; people camping in a car or an RV without hookups; and those staying in shelters or transitional, temporary housing. (Not part of the count: People who are doubling up or couch surfing.) Learn more about the work of building a better approach to homelessness: https://www.aceh.org/ Pictured: 1) Jessica Parks, interim executive director of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, talks to an individual who has been sleeping outdoors. 2) Mac Lyons, ACEH systems integration director, talks with several people sleeping in a vestibule. 3) Shown from left: Anchorage Downtown Partnership safety team lead Ray Gilkey, Mac Lyons, Jessica Parks, Anchorage Downtown Partnership Executive Director Radhika Krishna and the partnership's Erin Gallagher. Anchorage Downtown Partnership helps with the downtown count. #PointInTimeCount #everyonecounts

Help create a trusted forum for individuals with lived experience in homelessness to heal, engage and provide authentic contributions. Questions? Contact hrac@HPRSadvisorycouncil.org Meetings will take place on the first and third Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. at Bean’s. All are welcome.

Thank you, volunteers! For many, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day on, not a day off. This national holiday is dedicated to honoring Dr. King's legacy through community service and volunteerism. We appreciate the volunteers who gave back today at the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness! We assembled about 300 packets for next week's Point in Time Count of those experiencing homelessness. We always provide snacks and other essentials to those who are unsheltered and next week we are including some food items plus gloves, socks, a hat, handwarmers and an emergency poncho. We couldn't do this work without dedicated volunteers! Special thanks to Anchorage Elks for donating hats, delivered just in time! #MLKDayOn #VolunteersRock #ACEHVolunteers