 June 10, 2004
"This is the first time that two Alaskan housing authorities have literally put territorial boundaries aside and partnered to produce a housing project." said Ed Phillips, Business Manager for THRHA. "Our goal is to demonstrate that regardless of how sophisticated an organization may be, it helps our communities the most, when we all work together." In November 2003 KIC was a successful first-time applicant for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) that will be used to purchase 3.49 acres of property located at the top of Jackson Street and Carlanna that will be used for this housing development. As good planning would have it, this lower parcel is below and adjacent to a similar 3.94 acre parcel that was donated to KIC by Delmar Shull in 2000. Along with the lower parcel, KIC brings a portion of the start-up funding to the table, including preliminary engineering services. KIC will be instrumental in providing local agency coordination and support. KIC and THRHA will work cooperatively to identify and assist those families who wish to apply for this lease/purchase program. The THRHA plans to acquire the funding towards the end of this year and begin construction as soon as next spring. THRHA will share with KIC its well-learned and earned experience in applying for Alaska Housing Finance Corporation's (AHFC) Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) that will be one of the primary sources of funding. The IRS's Tax-Credit program has become one of the nation's most productive and effective delivery mechanism for constructing public housing. This LIHTC Program effectively entices the "for-profit" business world to invest funds in affordable housing projects that would otherwise be impossible to justify without these "tax credits." In Alaska, the program is administered by
THRHA has a proven success record. Earlier this year THRHA was awarded $5.56 million dollars of AHFC's 2004 tax credits for the construction of 25 single-family homes and 16 condo-style homes in a "homeownership" program located in Juneau's Glacier Village Subdivision. The housing subdivision envisioned for Ketchikan will follow the same high standards for quality construction and aesthetics as the one constructed at Glacier Village. Established over 30 years ago
in 1973, THRHA is Southeast Alaska's largest provider of affordable
housing. The private non-profit housing authority owns &
manages approximately 815 housing units located throughout the
region and provides services to both Native and non-Native Alaskan
families and seniors. Additionally, over 250 prior tenants have
achieved ownership of their homes through THRHA programs. "KIC and THRHA are working together to blaze new trails and pathways to the future and affordable housing," said Georgianna Zimmerle, KIC's CEO. President Stephanie Rainwater-Sande agreed and said, "Working with Blake Kazama and his crew is going to open new doors for KIC by bringing construction jobs to our members, and experience and knowledge to our housing people."
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