Tag Archives: Alaska Housing Finance Corporation

Alaska state officials promise aid to hurting Southwest Alaska villages

From the Arctic Sounder on Thursday, January 29, 2009:

State officials assessing hardships on the lower Yukon River area for a possible disaster declaration said they’ll push to create a fuel voucher that could help the poorest families.

After two days of listening to crushing testimony from scores of residents in Emmonak and Kotlik, the team said they would do all they can to quickly help.

“In both communities, we hear loud and clear that the children are going to school not ready to learn, that they’re hungry and cold. That’s really troubling to me,” said Tara Jollie, director of the state Division of Community and Regional Affairs.

“We’re hearing that there are families that are hungry and that’s not acceptable,” she said.   

Click here to read the whole article.

AHFC's Energy Rebate Program

BY: Ilya Benesch, Building Educator at CCHRC
Energy Focus: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner October 9th, 2008, Section A3

In Fairbanks, CCHRC has been funded by AHFC to create the PORTAL (Portal On Retrofits Training And Loans) to help make the statewide weatherization and rebate programs more accessible to the public. The PORTAL office maintains and updates a centralized client sign up list for certified energy raters, provides program applications, and answers questions about energy ratings and weatherization. The Portal is located at 326 Driveway Street Suite 100 and can reached by phone at 455-4328. Their hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. This is the first of two articles about AHFC programs, and outlines the steps in the rebate program. Continue reading →

Alaska energy rebate program very popular

From the Anchorage Daily News on Tuesday, September 30, 2008:

With a fresh infusion of $60 million into the state’s Home Energy Rebate Program, thousands of Alaska homeowners are clamoring to receive home-improvement rebate checks worth as much as $10,000, creating an unprecedented backlog and leaving many people frustrated and stressed with the process to get a piece of the big state giveaway.

In response, the state’s Alaska Housing Finance Corp. has hired more staff and plans to step in to help with the scramble, while local contractors continue to work overtime.

Click here to read the whole article.

Alaska energy rebate program warming homes

From the Anchorage Daily News on Sunday, September 28, 2008:

Teri Hansen is tired of shivering in her own home.

“Each winter it gets colder and colder and the bills go higher and higher. And it’s just not comfortable,” she said. “It’s actually cold. We wear sweaters, sweatshirts, bundle up, and our house is still about 66, 67 degrees. People come over and they are freezing.”

And so when Hansen, who lives in South Anchorage with her husband and two teenage daughters, first heard about the state’s Home Energy Rebate program three months ago, she decided to act fast to take advantage of the up to $10,000 giveaway. Like many people applying for the rebate, she feels lucky to have gotten in when she did. Thousands of others are still waiting to hear from the much-sought-after home energy raters, who have been besieged with requests for inspections.

Click here to read the whole article.

Winter is coming …

On September 21, 2008, “AK,” an Alaska Public Radio Network statewide news and entertainment program, ran several features on heating and weatherizing the Alaskan home. Besides containing useful facts, the pieces highlights the challenges (and joys) of living in a cold climate. Listen to “Weatherization,” “Firewood Frenzy,” and “Firewood Health.”

Click here to listen to the program.

PORTAL to Help Homeowners Save Money on Energy

BY: Susan Keltner, PORTAL Program Liaison/Communications Coordinator
Energy Focus: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner July 10, 2008,  Section A3

Home energy bills are increasing with the price of fuel and winter is fast approaching. Improving home energy efficiency is one way Interior residents can battle increasing energy prices.

Fortunately, the Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC) has recently launched a new consulting service to help Interior Alaska residents access programs and information they can use to improve the energy efficiency of their home. The Portal on Retrofits Training and Loans (PORTAL) can help homeowners save money on their energy bills by facilitating their entry into AHFC’s weatherization, rebate and loan programs. The PORTAL can also help Interior residents learn how to complete energy efficiency improvements on their own by signing them up for free classes and providing useful literature on weatherization techniques. Continue reading →

PORTAL Grand Opening!

The Portal On Retrofits, Training And Loans is now open to assist people in selecting a program that will help improve the energy efficiency of their homes through energy retrofits. The programs include Weatherization, Energy Rebates, and Second Mortgages for those wishing to improve the energy efficiency of their homes whether they rent, own, or live in a multi-family complex.

Additional information can be found on the PORTAL website here.

The PORTAL is located at 326 Driveway Street in Fairbanks, behind the Newsminer building.
Phone: 455-HEAT
Hours: M-F 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM & Sat. 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM.

Newsminer: PORTAL opens for Alaska homeowners seeking advice on energy issues

From the Fairbanks Daily Newsminer July 8, 2008.

With little hope that the price of heating oil will go down before winter sets in, several entities have jointly opened an office to help residents be more energy-efficient.

The Portal on Retrofits, Training and Loans, dubbed PORTAL, is staffed with three pros who can help homeowners navigate through the sometimes-complicated government programs offering rebates and other incentives for energy efficiency upgrades.

Click here to read the full article.

Newsminer: Improving home energy efficiency can truly help Alaskans

From the Fairbanks Daily Newsminer July 6, 2008.

Record-high prices for home heating fuel and utilities are putting a squeeze on family budgets throughout Alaska. People aren’t too happy about the situation, and many are looking for help. Gov. Sarah Palin and state legislators are evaluating additional ways to provide that help, both for the immediate and the long terms.

They already took a crucial step earlier this year by approving $200 million for the state’s weatherization program and $100 million for the Energy Rebate Program. Both programs are administered by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. The money is being allocated on a regional basis in order to give all Alaskans a fair opportunity to participate in one program or the other.

Click here to read the full article.