Alaska presents a homelessness challenge unlike any other state. The same features that make Alaska extraordinary — its scale, its remoteness, its climate — make being homeless here acutely dangerous and getting help genuinely difficult. When it is -40°F in Fairbanks in January, the margin between having a place to sleep and dying of exposure can be measured in hours.
Anchorage has about 1,100 people experiencing homelessness on a typical night and a relatively developed emergency service system. Fairbanks has the second largest homeless population and winters that rival anywhere in the United States for danger. Juneau, the state capital, is accessible only by air or sea — you cannot drive there — which shapes everything about how services reach people. And then there are Alaska’s rural communities: villages accessible only by small plane or boat, where the concept of an emergency shelter or hotel voucher is almost meaningless because there is no shelter and no hotel within a hundred miles.
This guide from House for Homeless covers what actually exists and how to reach it from wherever you are.
If you are outside in extreme cold right now — Anchorage: Call 907-277-1522 (Brother Francis Shelter, 24 hours). Fairbanks: Call 907-452-5093 (Fairbanks Rescue Mission, 24 hours). Everywhere else: Call 211. Veterans call 877-424-3838.
Anchorage — Where Most of Alaska’s Homeless Services Are
Roughly two-thirds of Alaska’s entire population lives in the Anchorage metro area, and the homeless services system reflects this concentration. If you can physically get to Anchorage from elsewhere in the state, the resources here are dramatically better than anywhere else.
Brother Francis Shelter Anchorage’s primary emergency shelter — 24 hours, 365 days a year. When it is full, staff work to find hotel placements for overflow.
- Phone: 907-277-1522
- Address: 1021 E 3rd Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
- Website: cssalaska.org/brother-francis-shelter
- This is your first call in Anchorage.
Bean’s Café Adjacent to Brother Francis, Bean’s operates a day shelter and administers some emergency housing funds. They know the Anchorage system better than anyone.
- Phone: 907-274-9595 | beanscafe.org
Salvation Army of Anchorage Emergency housing assistance including hotel vouchers, particularly for families and individuals who do not fit shelter criteria.
- Phone: 907-276-2515 | 1712 A St, Anchorage, AK 99501
Catholic Social Services of Alaska Emergency assistance including housing help. Operates the Clare House for women and children.
- Phone: 907-276-5590 | cssalaska.org
Covenant House Alaska (youth ages 13–21) The primary resource for homeless youth in Anchorage. LGBTQ+ affirming, low-barrier.
- Phone: 907-272-1255 | covenanthouseak.org | 24-hour crisis line
Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness Lead CoC coordinator for Anchorage.
- Phone: 907-561-2021 | aceh.net
Municipality of Anchorage — Emergency Assistance The city administers some emergency housing funds for Anchorage residents.
- Phone: 907-343-4011
Fairbanks — Cold Like Nowhere Else in America
Fairbanks is the second largest city in Alaska and has winters that regularly reach -40°F to -50°F. Outdoor homelessness here is not a chronic lifestyle — it is a medical emergency measured in hours. The city has a small but functional emergency shelter system, and cold weather protocols mean barriers drop significantly when temperatures threaten lives.
Fairbanks Rescue Mission The primary emergency shelter in Fairbanks. Open 24 hours. During extreme cold, overflow goes to warming centers and hotel placements.
- Phone: 907-452-5093
- Website: fairbanksrescuemission.org
- Call first to confirm bed availability.
Salvation Army Fairbanks Emergency housing assistance including hotel vouchers.
- Phone: 907-456-2626 | 714 27th Ave, Fairbanks, AK 99701
Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living (ICANL) — DV survivors Emergency housing for domestic violence survivors in Fairbanks.
- Crisis line: 907-452-2293 (24 hours)
Fairbanks North Star Borough Social Services Borough TANF emergency funds — particularly for families with children.
- Phone: 907-459-1200
When it is dangerously cold in Fairbanks: Call the Rescue Mission first (907-452-5093). If they are full, call 907-459-1200 for borough emergency resources. Cold weather emergencies override normal eligibility requirements.
Juneau — The Capital You Can’t Drive To
Juneau is the only US state capital not connected to the rest of the state by road. If you are homeless in Juneau, you are in Juneau — there is no driving somewhere else for help. The city has a functional but limited homeless services system.
Glory Hall Primary emergency shelter in Juneau.
- Phone: 907-586-4177 | gloryhall.org | Intake: daily
Salvation Army Juneau Emergency housing assistance including hotel vouchers.
- Phone: 907-586-3470
Catholic Community Service of Southeast Alaska Emergency assistance including housing help.
- Phone: 907-463-6130
City and Borough of Juneau Social Services Emergency assistance for Juneau residents.
- Phone: 907-586-0361
Sitka, Ketchikan, and Southeast Alaska
Southeast Alaska — the panhandle — is a chain of islands and coastal communities connected by ferry and air, not roads. Each community is essentially self-contained for emergency services.
Sitka: The Salvation Army at 907-747-3534 is the primary emergency resource. Ketchikan: The First City Shelter at 907-225-8032 provides emergency housing. Ketchikan Indian Community Social Services (907-228-6620) serves tribal members. Wrangell: Local churches and the Salvation Army are the primary resources. Call 211. Petersburg: Call 211 and the local church network — formal homeless services are extremely limited.
Rural Alaska — Honest About What Exists
In most of rural Alaska, formal hotel voucher programs do not exist. Villages accessible only by small plane or snowmobile are not going to have a shelter or a hotel. This is not a failure of a particular organization — it is geography.
What does exist in rural Alaska:
Tribal social services are the primary safety net. Alaska has 229 federally recognized tribes — more than any other state. For Alaska Native people experiencing homelessness in or near their home community, their tribe’s IGAP (Indian General Assistance Program) coordinator or tribal social services is the first call. Contact the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium at 907-729-1900 for referrals to specific tribal resources.
Alaska Division of Public Assistance (DPA) administers emergency assistance statewide including TANF. Regional DPA offices serve remote communities — find your regional office at dhss.alaska.gov/dpa. In genuine crisis situations, DPA can sometimes authorize emergency hotel stays in the nearest town with a hotel.
ANTHC and regional Native health corporations — organizations like the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (907-543-6000) and Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation (907-842-5201) serve vast rural regions and often have social service connections that extend to housing emergencies.
211 — worth calling even from rural Alaska. Operators can identify specific tribal or regional resources not publicly visible.
Alaska’s Unique Homeless Funding Landscape
Alaska has higher per-capita public spending than most states, but this does not automatically translate to better homeless services. The state has faced significant budget cuts in recent years related to oil revenue fluctuations. The result is a service system that is well-developed in Anchorage and Fairbanks but increasingly thin elsewhere.
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) administers ESG funds and state housing resources. AHFC: 907-338-6100 | ahfc.us.
Alaska Division of Public Assistance handles TANF and emergency assistance. 1-800-478-7778 | dhss.alaska.gov/dpa.
For permanent housing, understanding what housing assistance programs are available before your case manager meeting matters — Alaska has Section 8 programs, rural housing programs through AHFC, and USDA rural housing assistance that applies to many parts of the state.
What to Do Once You Have a Placement
Apply for Alaska SNAP immediately — call DPA at 1-800-478-7778 or apply at mybenefits.alaska.gov. With zero income you get the maximum food assistance benefit and expedited processing within 7 days.
Apply for Denali KidCare or Adult Public Assistance for Medicaid coverage — same DPA contact.
Get into Anchorage’s or Fairbanks’s coordinated entry system through 211 or the Coalition to End Homelessness. This is your pathway to rapid rehousing and longer-term rental assistance.
Apply for Section 8. Anchorage Housing Authority: 907-279-7547. Alaska waitlists are long — apply now and learn how the voucher program works from application to placement. Also worth exploring other housing voucher types specific to Alaska, including AHFC programs and rural housing options.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am homeless in rural Alaska — is there any help available?
The honest answer: it depends heavily on your location and tribal affiliation. If you are Alaska Native, contact your tribe’s social services or IGAP coordinator first — tribal programs often have more flexibility than state programs in rural areas. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium at 907-729-1900 can direct you to your regional tribal resource. The Alaska Division of Public Assistance at 1-800-478-7778 can sometimes authorize emergency hotel stays in the nearest town. Call 211 regardless — even for remote areas, operators sometimes know local resources that are not publicly listed.
How dangerous is homelessness in Fairbanks in winter?
Extremely. Fairbanks regularly records temperatures of -40°F to -60°F with wind chill in winter months. At these temperatures, exposed skin can develop frostbite in under 5 minutes, and hypothermia becomes fatal within hours for someone without shelter. The Fairbanks Rescue Mission at 907-452-5093 operates 24 hours and treats cold weather as the emergency it is. During dangerous cold events, the mission and city warming centers lower all barriers — call immediately if you are outside.
What is the difference between Alaska Native and state homeless services?
Alaska Native people have access to two parallel systems: state and county programs available to all residents, and tribal/Native programs available only to tribal members and Alaska Natives. The tribal system is often faster, more culturally appropriate, and sometimes better funded for Native-specific needs. You do not have to choose one — you can pursue both simultaneously. Organizations like the Cook Inlet Tribal Council (907-793-3000) in Anchorage specifically serve Alaska Native people experiencing homelessness and have programs that the general homeless service system does not offer.
Are there hotel vouchers for homeless youth in Alaska?
Yes. Covenant House Alaska in Anchorage at 907-272-1255 serves youth ages 13–21, operates 24 hours, and is explicitly LGBTQ+ affirming. They are the primary resource for homeless youth in Alaska. Outside of Anchorage, youth-specific services are very limited — call 211 and ask specifically for youth emergency housing options in your area.
What happened to Alaska’s homeless funding after oil revenues dropped?
Alaska’s state budget is heavily dependent on oil revenues, and significant budget cuts since oil prices fell in the mid-2010s have reduced state funding for social services including homeless programs. AHFC and DPA have both experienced funding reductions. The result is that the service gap between Anchorage and everywhere else has grown. The federal ESG funds administered through AHFC have partially offset state cuts, but the trajectory has been toward fewer resources outside of the main cities.
Are there hotel vouchers specifically for domestic violence survivors in Alaska?
Yes, and DV survivors are consistently prioritized. In Anchorage, Catholic Social Services operates the Clare House for women and children fleeing DV — call 907-276-5590. In Fairbanks, ICANL has a 24-hour crisis line at 907-452-2293. The Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault maintains a statewide list of local DV programs — call 1-800-799-7233 (national DV hotline) or search andvsa.org for your nearest program.
Can I fly to Anchorage from a rural community to access services?
Potentially — but the cost is real. Alaska’s rural air travel is expensive, and most homeless individuals cannot afford it without help. Some programs, particularly those serving Alaska Native people, can sometimes arrange transportation assistance. Ask your tribal social services or call the Cook Inlet Tribal Council (907-793-3000) if you are Alaska Native. The Alaska Division of Public Assistance (1-800-478-7778) can occasionally arrange transportation in genuine emergencies. Do not assume transportation to Anchorage is impossible — ask explicitly.
How long do hotel vouchers last in Alaska?
In Anchorage, most emergency placements last 1–7 nights depending on the funding source. During extreme cold events in Fairbanks, placements may be extended to prevent exposure deaths. If you are placed through a tribal program, duration rules vary by tribe. Regardless of how long the placement lasts — use every day of it to engage with coordinated entry, apply for benefits, and pursue longer-term housing. Alaska’s housing market is tight and the waitlists are real.