There are some places where housing conversations stay theoretical. Juneau is not one of them.
During a recent visit to Alaska, NeighborWorks® America President & CEO Marietta Rodriguez joined housing leaders for a full-day tour across Juneau to see firsthand how communities are responding to some of the country’s most complex housing challenges with urgency, innovation and partnership.
Hosted by Jacqueline (Jackie) Pata and her team, the visit spotlighted the work of Haa Yakaawu Financial Corporation (HYFC), one of the newest organizations to join the NeighborWorks network, alongside partners from Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority.
From emergency shelter and reentry housing to new subdivision development and elder housing, the tour offered a ground-level view into what it takes to build and preserve housing in Alaska, where geography, weather-related disasters, infrastructure and cost pressures create challenges unlike almost anywhere else in the country.
“This visit was about seeing what it really takes to create housing solutions in communities facing unique and evolving challenges,” Rodriguez said. “What stood out throughout the day was the level of partnership, innovation and determination driving this work forward.”
The day began with breakfast and a leadership overview at the offices of Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority and HYFC. Conversations centered on the realities facing Alaska communities today: rising construction costs, limited housing inventory, weather-related impact, workforce pressures and the growing need for flexible, locally driven solutions.
What became immediately clear throughout the tour was this: Housing in Alaska is not just about units. It is about stability, access, resilience and long-term community investment.
Stops throughout Juneau highlighted the full continuum of housing and support services being developed across the region.
Outside of Forget-Me-Not Manor and Shaanáx̱ Tlein reentry housing, leaders discussed Housing First models and the importance of creating stable pathways for residents transitioning out of crisis situations.
At Shéiyi X̱aat Hít, also known as Spruce Root House, the group learned more about youth shelter services and the increasing need for safe, supportive housing for young people.
“Housing is foundational to everything else,” Pata said during the visit. “When communities have stable housing, it creates stronger pathways for health, education, workforce development and long-term opportunity.”
The visit to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center underscored another reality Alaska communities are navigating daily: weather-related change. Local leaders shared the impacts glacier flooding is already having on neighborhoods, infrastructure and future development planning, reinforcing the need for housing strategies built for long-term resilience.
The tour continued through the Kanta Subdivision, Glacier Village and Pederson Hill Subdivision, where leaders discussed efforts to increase housing supply in Juneau through strategic development and partnership. The Pederson Hill project, supported in partnership with Enterprise Community Partners, highlighted how collaboration across sectors can help move large-scale housing solutions forward in high-need markets.
At the Andrew P. Hope Building, housing and community leaders gathered for lunch and broader discussions around leadership, investment and the future of housing development across Alaska's Native communities. The conversations focused on aligning resources, expanding access to capital and ensuring local organizations have the support needed to scale their impact.
Later stops included Fireweed Place elder housing and the Takhu Whale Project before concluding at the Sealaska Heritage Institute.
For NeighborWorks America, the significance of the visit extended beyond the tour itself. As one of the newest members of the NeighborWorks network, Haa Yakaawu Financial Corporation represents the continued growth of Native-led leadership and locally driven housing solutions within the network.
“This was an opportunity to listen and learn directly from leaders doing this work every day,” Rodriguez said. “The solutions we saw in Juneau reinforce why local leadership and strong partnerships matter so much in addressing the housing challenges communities are facing across the country.”
The work happening in Juneau is not small in vision or ambition. It is comprehensive, collaborative and deeply focused on creating long-term opportunities for residents. And for NeighborWorks America, the visit served as another reminder that some of the most important housing innovations happening today are being led by organizations closest to the communities they serve.
