Next Step is housing people!

Next Step successfully housed 150 people from shelter in the first half of 2024. It’s now providing housing and supports for people who have been living outdoors. This project is the first in Anchorage to solely house people directly from encampments.

Next Step is a collaborative program in homelessness response, aligned with Anchored Home 2023-28.

How to get involved

  • Property owners and managers

    We are looking for market-rate units in which to house our clients. Next Step will pay for the units, so we are not asking for a donation. We are asking for your collaboration to help us solve homelessness within the Anchorage area!

    This program is designed to be a win-win relationship for everyone. Contact us today to learn more and get started.

  • Help us welcome neighbors to their new homes!

    We are seeking donations for our move-in kits. Drop items off at our office, 3427 E. Tudor Road, Suite A, Tues and Thurs, 9-4. New household goods only, please!

    You can order right off our Amazon wish list for easy delivery to our office or go off the downloadable wish list. We appreciate any help!

  • Data Snapshot

    Every gift counts

    Every day matters when waiting for a home, so every gift counts. Compassionate supporters like you have helped our community house hundreds of Anchorage residents, but hundreds more are still currently sleeping outside or in emergency shelters.

    You can help individuals and families experiencing homelessness have the opportunity to invest in their futures.

More than 150 already housed.

We started Next Step in December 2023 as a pilot to prove the concept of how working together, we could successfully house our neighbors coming out of homelessness.

It works! With support from case managers, landlords, funders and community members, our Next Step housing collaboration reached the initial goal of housing 150 people in six months. That’s a person housed every 1.2 days! Most were staying in emergency cold weather shelter. Almost all — 96% — remain housed.

ACEH’s outreach and housing navigation team brings food and other needed items to camps.

How it works

  • Help begins with a housing assessment, a person-centered planning tool. This documents what the individual wants and needs as well as the person’s barriers to housing and resources. Housing navigators with the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness enroll people in Coordinated Entry, getting them on a by-name list of those experiencing homelessness.

  • Landlords are offered financial incentives to hold units, buying into the market.

  • Navigators help individuals collect needed documents such an ID or birth certificate. They also help clients apply for subsidies and apartments, and view units.

  • Everyone housed is connected to a case manager for needed supports and services including up to a year of home visits.

  • A landlord liaison mediates issues.

  • Risk is managed through a risk mitigation pool.

Costs and Savings

$100 a day per person in a shelter.

$85 average daily cost to house a person.

Stay connected!

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The background

Next Step began with collaboration with local and national leaders, service providers and input from the Anchorage community and most importantly, those we serve.

Anchorage was ready. Over the last two years, a public-private partnership has laid a foundation that includes a nationally recognized program to convert hotels into housing, street outreach to connect with those living outdoors, and improved data collection that creates the most complete picture to date of who is experiencing homelessness.

What are people saying about Next Step?

Next Step in the Media

OPINION: Anchorage homelessness — the year so far and looking ahead to winter
Anchorage Daily News, 9/3/24
Op-ed: Meg Zaletel

‘Next Step’ homeless to housing leaders say Anchorage program meeting goal
Anchorage Daily News, 8/29/24
Reporter: Lauren Maxwell

An Anchorage program is moving scores of people from shelters and camps into housing - Anchorage Daily News (adn.com)
Anchorage Daily News, 8/25/24
Reporter: Emily Goodykoontz and photographer Bill Roth

Anchorage’s new housing-first program underway, moving 50 people out of shelter so far
Alaska’s News Source, 2/13/24
Reporter: Lauren Maxwell

Assembly passes $1.5M in tax revenue for homeless housing initiative, approves reclassification of triplex housing
Alaska’s News Source, 1/16/24
Reporters: Joe Cadotte and Lex Yelverton

Anchorage homeless rental program gets $1.5M boost
Alaska Public Media, 1/18/28
Reporter: Jeremy Hsieh

Anchorage Assembly spends $1.5 million to house homeless and sets aside money for shelter pilot project
Anchorage Daily News, 1/17/24
Reporter: Emily Goodykoontz

Anchorage city leaders look to Houston’s homelessness efforts for solutions
Anchorage Daily News, 12/9/23
Reporter: Emily Goodykoontz

‘Next step’ initiative underway as Anchorage leaders look to housing as the solution for homelessness
Alaska’s News Source, 12/6/23
Reporter: Lex Yelverton

Houston experts working with Anchorage officials on homeless housing pilot program
Alaska’s News Source, 12/5/23
Reporters: David Bernknopf and Rebecca Palsha

 

‘Next Step’ initiative plans transition of 150 homeless out of shelters and into more permanent housing
Alaska’s News Source, 12/4/23
Reporter: Joe Cadotte

Stay Updated

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