00                   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 3                                                                   
01 Recognizing the shortage of affordable housing available in the state; supporting public-                               
02 private partnerships that maximize the impact of public funding; and urging the state to                                
03 support Housing Alaskans.                                                                                               
04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
05       WHEREAS there is a shortage of affordable housing in the state; and                                             
06       WHEREAS the average home sales price in the state has risen 17 percent since 2019,                              
07 and rents rose eight percent between 2021 and 2022; and                                                                 
08       WHEREAS the increase in housing costs in the state is most economically harmful to                              
09 low- and middle-income households and leads to overcrowding and an inability for                                        
10 households to meet food, medical, and other family needs; and                                                           
11       WHEREAS, because a lack of safe and affordable housing is a key barrier to                                      
12 attracting and retaining workers, the housing shortage in the state inhibits economic growth                            
13 and hurts the state economy; and                                                                                        
14       WHEREAS construction has slowed considerably because housing projects do not                                    
15 account for the actual sale or rental prices consumers can afford, and Alaska is one of just                            

01 three states where new housing construction permits declined between 2019 and 2022; and                                 
02       WHEREAS, because the average house in the state was built in 1985, almost 40 years                            
03 ago, housing preservation is critical, and more funding is needed to maintain and preserve                              
04 existing housing while new housing units are added to the market; and                                                   
05       WHEREAS the scale of the housing problem in the state and the funding needed to                                 
06 address it requires creative solutions; and                                                                             
07 WHEREAS Housing Alaskans was formed as a public-private partnership to produce,                                       
08 preserve, and protect housing for all residents of the state and will work to leverage state,                           
09 federal, and municipal resources with philanthropic contributions to increase the housing                               
10 supply throughout the state; and                                                                                        
11 WHEREAS funds of Housing Alaskans are invested, managed, and granted by the                                         
12 Alaska Community Foundation through an independent board of directors that represents the                               
13 geographic, ethnic, and cultural diversity of all residents of the state, including representation                      
14 from various state regions, sectors affected by the housing crisis, and those who have                                  
15 expertise in the state in housing needs;                                                                                
16 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the shortage of                                           
17 affordable housing available across communities in the state and the significant social and                             
18 economic costs of not addressing this housing shortage; and be it                                                       
19 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports public-private                                            
20 partnerships that maximize the impact of public funding; and be it                                                      
21 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the state to support                                         
22 Housing Alaskans to leverage funding to preserve existing and build new housing across the                              
23 state.