# Health & Homelessness Committee Meeting

The Municipality of Anchorage Health & Homelessness Committee met on October 22, 2026. The committee received a six-month update on Willow Commons, funded in part by opioid settlement proceeds. The Anchorage Community Development Authority (ACDA) ran the construction RFP, which received about 12 bids; Visser was selected and completed the 32-unit transitional housing project in 120 days. The presentation distinguished the approximately $1.2 million used for the build from the Health Department’s separate $500,000 startup contract with Anchorage Recovery Center, selected through a Health Department RFP to provide services. The $500,000 was spent between March and July on approved startup and operating items; rent to ACDA and several other expenses were not allowable under that funding. Presenters also cited municipal facility costs of roughly $568,000 annually and contractor services at about $84 per person per day. No new Willow Commons contract award or spending vote was taken.

Staff also outlined a homelessness-to-housing voucher program funded by municipal HUD entitlement funds and Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) funds. The proposed first-year total is $531,380, intended to support approximately 40 households; staff said agreement terms with AHFC and a purchasing requisition still need to be finalized and reviewed, with applications anticipated to open in January if implementation proceeds as planned. The committee was told shelter capacity at East 56 would increase to 200 beds by November 30, with other reported capacities remaining at 150 beds at Linda’s Place and 100 at the Alex Hotel. The committee also discussed its purpose statement, but deferred further wording work; no procurement-related motions or votes were reported.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Healthcare, Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Grants & Funding, Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** October 22, 2026

### Sources
- [Health & Homelessness Committee Meeting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccpI8hAUmTM) - Municipality of Anchorage