Financial assistance for low-income, older, and disabled homeowners and renters
25 programs listed · 21 verified against the program's own website
Alaska delivers most of this help through the Department of Health and the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), and there is no statewide property or income tax. For many programs the practical first calls are the Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) at 1-855-565-2017 for in-home supports and modifications, your regional weatherization provider through AHFC for energy help, your local borough or municipal assessor for property tax relief, and the Division of Public Assistance (DPA) at 800-478-7778 for heating assistance and senior cash benefits. Alaska specifics run through everything here: high-cost rural energy, the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) as a fall lump sum that can affect income tests, and delivery through regional and tribal housing authorities.
Everything below, in one file you can print or take to an appointment.
Home modification and aging in place
Alaskans Living Independently (ALI) Medicaid waiver - environmental modifications
state
Who it is for
Homeowners (or renter with landlord permission)
Type of help
service
Who runs it
Alaska Dept. of Health, Division of Senior and Disabilities Services (SDS); Medicaid financial eligibility via Division of Public Assistance (DPA)
What you get
Home and environmental modifications (ramps, bathroom and accessibility adaptations) authorized in the care plan based on assessed need; no fixed dollar cap published (2026)
Who qualifies
21+ (serves older adults and adults with physical disabilities)
Income limit
Medicaid long-term-care/waiver financial limits (commonly 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate, about $2,901/mo individual in 2025; dollar figure not published on the state HCBS page)
How to apply
Request an assessment through SDS (907-269-3666) or the ADRC (1-855-565-2017); Medicaid financial eligibility determined by DPA
If you share your home:
this program does not count a home seeker's income, so sharing your home does not affect it.
We could not open this program's own website to
check these details, so they may be out of date or incomplete. Please call
or visit the program before relying on anything here.
Type of help
loan and grant
Who runs it
USDA Rural Development, Alaska State Office (Rural Housing Service)
What you get
Loan up to $40,000 at 1% fixed for up to 20 years; grant up to $10,000 lifetime (up to $15,000 in a declared disaster area); combined up to $50,000 (2026)
Who qualifies
any for the loan; 62+ for the grant
Income limit
Very-low income (at or below 50% of area median; borough-specific USDA limits, 2026)
How to apply
Contact the USDA RD Alaska State Office and confirm the property is in an eligible rural area; year-round intake. State office (907) 283-6640
If you share your home:
a home seeker's income counts toward this program's income test, so it can change what you qualify for.
Alaska Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) - housing rehabilitation
stateNot confirmed
We could not open this program's own website to
check these details, so they may be out of date or incomplete. Please call
or visit the program before relying on anything here.
Who it is for
Homeowners (only through a local grantee's rehab project, if one exists)
Type of help
grant
Who runs it
Alaska Dept. of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), Division of Community and Regional Affairs (DCRA)
What you get
Grants to municipalities, tribes, and nonprofits; housing rehabilitation is a possible activity only where a community elects it (FY2026)
Who qualifies
n/a (recipients are local governments and nonprofits, not individuals)
Income limit
HUD low/moderate-income national objective applies to end beneficiaries; no individual income application
How to apply
Individuals cannot apply directly; a resident must go through a locally-run CDBG-funded rehab project if their municipality or tribe operates one. DCRA Grants 907-269-7906; caa@alaska.gov
Alaska has no standalone statewide direct-to-homeowner repair grant for older adults or people with disabilities. Deferred-maintenance help instead runs through USDA Section 504 (rural), AHFC weatherization, regional/tribal housing authorities, and locally-run CDBG rehab projects.
Weatherization and energy efficiency
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
state
Who it is for
Owners or renters (renters eligible with landlord consent)
Type of help
service
Who runs it
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), via regional weatherization providers and housing authorities
What you get
Free energy-efficiency improvements: air sealing, insulation, heating-system repair/upgrade, ventilation, and health/safety items (FY2026)
Who qualifies
any (elderly households prioritized)
Income limit
Income-qualified per AHFC FY2026 income guidelines (dollar table in separate AHFC documentation, not on the consumer page)
How to apply
Review the income guidelines, then contact the weatherization provider serving your region; AHFC 907-338-6100 or 800-478-2432
If you share your home:
a home seeker's income counts toward this program's income test, so it can change what you qualify for.
Weatherization Assistance Program (RurAL CAP provider)
nonprofit
Who it is for
Owners or renters (rentals require a landlord-tenant agreement)
Type of help
service
Who runs it
Rural Alaska Community Action Program (RurAL CAP), an AHFC-designated provider
What you get
Free air sealing, insulation, ventilation, heating-system improvements, smoke/CO detectors, and energy education; no charge to the participant (FY2026)
Who qualifies
any (elderly prioritized under WAP)
Income limit
Income-qualified under WAP rules (AHFC FY2026 income table)
How to apply
Download the correct application (Rural Alaska, Anchorage, or Juneau) at ruralcap.org and submit; RurAL CAP 907-279-2511 or 800-478-7227
If you share your home:
a home seeker's income counts toward this program's income test, so it can change what you qualify for.
Alaska Residential Energy Rebates (Home Energy Rebate / IRA-funded rebates)
stateHomeowners
Type of help
grant
Who runs it
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), using federal Inflation Reduction Act funds
What you get
New Home Construction Rebate $10,000 (open, 2026). Income-tiered HOMES and High-Efficiency Electric Home (HEEHR) retrofit/electrification rebates NOT yet launched as of 2026-07-24
Who qualifies
any
Income limit
New Home rebate: no income cap. Pending HEEHR/HOMES rebates expected to be income-tiered (rules not yet published)
How to apply
New Home Construction Rebate at alaskahousingenergy.us; sign up for AHFC email updates for the pending retrofit programs; AHFC 907-338-6100 or 800-478-2432
If you share your home:
this program does not clearly say how it treats another adult in the home. Confirm with the program before anyone moves in.
Alaska Dept. of Health, Division of Public Assistance (DPA)
What you get
Seasonal heating benefit paid directly to the heat/utility vendor as an account credit (Oct 1 to Apr 30); amount varies by income, household size, region, and fuel type (2025-2026 season)
Who qualifies
any (households note members age 60+ for outreach)
Income limit
At or below 150% of federal poverty guidelines. 2025-2026 monthly limits: 1 person $2,443; 2 $3,303; 3 $4,162; 4 $5,023; 5 $5,883; 6 $6,742; plus $860 for each additional person. Must also have at least $200/yr out-of-pocket heating cost
How to apply
Apply after Oct 1 (non-crisis deadline Apr 30) online, in person, by mail, fax, or email to a DPA office; DPA 800-478-7778; liheap@alaska.gov
If you share your home:
a home seeker's income counts toward this program's income test, so it can change what you qualify for.
Alaska Energy Authority (AEA); rates set with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska
What you get
Per-kWh subsidy applied automatically as a bill credit on the first 500 kWh per month per residential customer in eligible rural communities; example about $800/household/year in Nome, roughly halving the effective residential rate (recent reported years)
Who qualifies
any
Income limit
None; eligibility is geographic (rural high-cost communities), not income-tested
How to apply
No individual application; the local rural electric utility applies the credit automatically for accounts in eligible communities. AEA 907-771-3000
No permanent income-qualified or age-based electricity/gas rate discount exists at the major Alaska utilities checked. Chugach Electric, Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA), and Enstar Natural Gas all confirmed referral-only (LIHEAP/HAP referral, payment arrangements, and member-donation charity funds such as GVEA Good Cents/Benevolent Fund), not a standing low-income tariff. Most Alaska electric utilities are member-owned cooperatives. The functional low-income help is the vendor-credit model (HAP pays the utility directly) plus PCE for rural electric.
Property tax relief
Senior Citizen and Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption
stateHomeownersNot confirmed
We could not open this program's own website to
check these details, so they may be out of date or incomplete. Please call
or visit the program before relying on anything here.
Type of help
exemption
Who runs it
Local borough/municipal assessors under state mandate; state oversight by DCCED/DCRA, Office of the State Assessor
What you get
First $150,000 of assessed value of the primary residence is exempt (AS 29.45.030(e); 2026)
Who qualifies
65+; or a surviving spouse 60+ of a qualified person; disabled veterans qualify at any age
Income limit
None; this exemption is age/status-based, not income-tested (2026)
How to apply
File with your local borough or municipal assessor by the local deadline (the Anchorage deadline is March 15)
If you share your home:
this program does not count a home seeker's income, so sharing your home does not affect it.
Municipality of Anchorage property tax exemptions (senior, disabled veteran, and residential)
county-cityHomeowners
Type of help
exemption
Who runs it
Municipality of Anchorage, Property Appraisal Division
What you get
Senior 65+ exemption up to $150,000; disabled veteran exemption up to $150,000; separate residential exemption of 40% of assessed value up to $75,000 for any owner-occupied home (2026)
Who qualifies
65+ (reached before Jan 1); surviving spouse 60+ for the senior/vet exemption; the residential exemption has no age requirement
Income limit
None; Anchorage does not offer a low-income or hardship individual exemption
How to apply
File with Anchorage Property Appraisal by March 15 annually; 907-343-6770
If you share your home:
this program does not count a home seeker's income, so sharing your home does not affect it.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough exemptions (additional senior exemption and income-tested hardship exemption)
county-cityHomeowners
Type of help
exemption
Who runs it
Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Division of Assessment
What you get
State-mandated $150,000 exemption PLUS an optional borough additional exemption up to $129,720 of assessed value (2026, adjusts annually by the Anchorage-MSA housing price index); a separate hardship exemption caps real property tax at 2% of gross household income
Who qualifies
65+, or a disabled veteran, or a surviving spouse 60+; must also be Permanent Fund Dividend eligible
Income limit
Additional senior exemption: not income-tested. Hardship exemption: gross family income at or below 135% of the federal poverty guideline and net worth under $250,000 (2026)
How to apply
File with the Mat-Su Borough Division of Assessment (2026 SCIT/DVET application); 907-861-8642
If you share your home:
a home seeker's income counts toward this program's income test, so it can change what you qualify for.
No property tax deferral for older adults or people with disabilities (a lien repaid with interest) exists statewide or in Anchorage, Mat-Su, or the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB deferral authority under FNSBC 8.08 is for economic-development/rehabilitation only, not older adults). Alaska also has no state income-based circuit-breaker credit. The state-mandated $150,000 senior/veteran exemption is the primary tool.
Insurance-related help
We did not identify a program in this category. That does not always mean none exists, so it is worth asking your city or county.
Alaska Medicare Information Office / State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
stateOwners or renters
Type of help
service
Who runs it
Alaska Dept. of Health, Division of Senior and Disabilities Services (federally funded by the Administration for Community Living)
What you get
Free one-on-one Medicare counseling, plan comparison, appeals help, and Medicare Savings Program screening; includes Senior Medicare Patrol fraud/error detection
We could not open this program's own website to
check these details, so they may be out of date or incomplete. Please call
or visit the program before relying on anything here.
Type of help
service
Who runs it
Alaska Dept. of Health - Division of Public Assistance (eligibility) and Division of Health Care Services (payment)
What you get
Pays Medicare premiums (QMB also pays Part A/B deductibles and coinsurance; SLMB and QI pay the Part B premium; QDWI pays the Part A premium)
Who qualifies
Medicare-eligible (65+ or under 65 with disability)
Income limit
QMB up to 100% FPG; SLMB up to 120% FPG; QI up to 135% FPG; QDWI up to 200% FPG; resource limits apply (indexed annually, 2026)
How to apply
Apply through DPA; 800-478-7778 (Alaska Relay 711) or the Alaska Connect portal
If you share your home:
a home seeker's income counts toward this program's income test, so it can change what you qualify for.
Contact the ADRC and Alaska 2-1-1 for roommate and housing navigation.
Anchorage Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) zoning reform
county-cityHomeowners
Type of help
service
Who runs it
Municipality of Anchorage (Assembly; Office of Community Planning and Development)
What you get
Policy, not cash: allows ADUs across residential and commercial zones, removed the owner-occupancy requirement and the 2-bedroom cap, and raised the maximum floor area to 900 to 1,200 sq ft (adopted Jan 2023, effective Feb 2023)
Who qualifies
any
Income limit
none
How to apply
Building/zoning permit via the Anchorage Office of Community Planning and Development; 907-343-7900
Alaska Dept. of Health, Division of Public Assistance (DPA)
What you get
Monthly cash payment of $250, $175, or $125 depending on income (tiers effective April 1, 2025). Individual limits: $250/mo up to $14,663/yr; $175/mo up to $19,550/yr; $125/mo up to $34,213/yr. Married couple: $250/mo up to $19,823/yr; $175/mo up to $26,430/yr; $125/mo up to $46,253/yr
Who qualifies
65+
Income limit
See tiers above (2025 figures, effective April 1, 2025); assets and savings are NOT counted
How to apply
Apply via Alaska Connect or DPA 800-478-7778 (TDD/Relay 711); request a paper form at 888-620-1111
If you share your home:
a home seeker's income counts toward this program's income test, so it can change what you qualify for.
Some of the biggest sources of help are federal and work much the same everywhere, including USDA Section 504 home repair, LIHEAP energy assistance, the Weatherization Assistance Program, and VA housing grants. They are described once, in detail, on our federal programs page, and the entries above give you the Alaska contacts.
One more option
Sharing your home is not on this list, but it belongs beside it.
Every program here helps you afford the home you have. Home sharing does something different: it turns a spare room into steady income and company. It is worth considering before you sell, before you move, and before things get harder to manage alone.