Alaska Housing Finance Corp. is ready to help
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new order temporarily halting evictions in areas with heightened levels of community transmission of COVID-19. The order makes it illegal to evict any individual who qualifies, and allows tenants to stay in their housing through Oct. 3, 2021.
Meanwhile, state of Alaska officials are still determining the specifics of this new order. The most current guidelines are numbered below. Go to https://www.alaskahousingrelief.org/renters/eviction-guidance for updated information.
Eligibility requirements
In order to qualify for the eviction protection, you must declare that you have made your best effort to obtain all available government assistance for rent or housing. You either:
1. Earned no more than $99,000 (or $198,000 if filing jointly) in calendar year 2020, or
2. Expect to earn no more than $99,000 in annual income for calendar year 2021 (or no more than $198,000 if filing a joint tax return), or
3. Were not required to report any income in 2020 to the IRS, or
4. Received an Economic Impact Payment (stimulus check)
5. Are unable to pay the full rent due to substantial loss of household income, loss of compensable hours of work or wages, a layoff, or extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses
6. You are making your best effort to make timely partial payments that are as close to the full payment as your circumstances may permit, taking into account other non-discretionary expenses
7. Eviction would likely lead to homelessness — or force you to move into and live in close quarters in a new shared living setting — because you have no other available housing options; and
8. You reside in a U.S. area experiencing substantial or high rates of community transmission levels of COVID-19 as defined by the CDC.
To find out if your area is categorized as having substantial or high rates of community transmission, go to: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view.
Go on the AHFC website to review all the requirements to avoid evictions.
While the eviction order does not apply to homeowners if you are struggling to pay a mortgage you may be eligible to request hardship forbearance. Learn more at https://www.alaskahousingrelief.org/homeowners.
For homeowners who need counseling for mortgage problems, go to https://bit.ly/3kgVRXv, which is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development page for foreclosure avoidance counseling if you are behind in your mortgage payments.
