Juneau’s Gastineau Human Services Corporation has secured two new funding commitments for its permanent housing project in the Capital City.
According to GHS Executive Director Dr. Jonathan Swinton, the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation recently provided the non-profit with an intent to award $1-point-1 million toward the project. In addition, the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority has committed to providing a $300,000 grant to the agency that will be for the housing development.
“We see so many people successfully work through our programs who then have nowhere to go for stable permanent housing. We have the land and the team that can do something about this,” Swinton said, referencing a 5-acre undeveloped plot owned by the nonprofit attached to its campus that borders Lemon Creek in midtown Juneau. Swinton added that, “GHS is known for addressing key community needs that the for-profit sector is unlikely to solve. This is one of those needs and we can help.”
The Juneau Community Foundation and the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority provided GHS with pre-development funds in the amounts of $50,000 and $99,000 respectively to begin the process of making the project a reality.
In 2024, the City and Borough of Juneau provided the agency with $2 million in capital funds. Tlingit & Haida Regional Housing Authority offered their support by providing a $100,000 donation.
According to Swinton, Mariya Lovishchuk from the Juneau Housing First Collaborative has advised GHS through the development process.
Swinton added that U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski is also working to get federal support for the project. She visited the site of the new housing project this past summer and has a $5 million request through committees from federal appropriations for the project. Swinton stated that GHS is also waiting to hear back on a $3.1 million grant request through a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Planning and Development Continuum of Care Builds grant.
Swinton said, “It is going to cost an estimated $11 to 12 million.”
