Weidner Apartment Homes Philanthropic Investments in Anchorage Continue to Make Demonstrable Positive Impact on Homelessness

  |     |   Alaska, Weidner News

[Anchorage, AK, March 25, 2025] – Weidner Apartment Homes, the largest owner and operator of rental housing in Anchorage, with 5,032 units and 43 apartment communities, has been well-vested in the Alaskan housing market since 1981. Weidner emphasizes supporting all sectors of the housing industry and is a significant contributor to several public-private partnerships established to reduce homelessness in Anchorage through innovative programs, such as the Complex Care Shelter (Complex Care) and 3rd Ave Resource and Navigation Center (3RNC), both operated by Catholic Social Services. Since Weidner's initial investments, both programs have consistently shown a positive impact in reducing chronic homelessness in Anchorage.

The exterior Building of the 3rd Avenue Navigation and Resource Center in Anchorage, AK. 3RNC is an innovative 7,000-square-foot facility that provides comprehensive services for individuals experiencing homelessness. These services range from immediate needs, such as showers and phone chargers, to long-term support, including case management and employment assistance. Weidner funded the purchase and renovation of the building to create a low-barrier, client-centered hub for multiple partner agencies.

Since opening in February 2023, over 41,368 individuals, averaging 2,189 guests per month, have visited the center seeking various services. Of those visitors, 1,934 sought help connecting with housing services, 2,181 used the center's transportation services for medical appointments at multiple providers, and 317 received access to other public benefits.

Complex Care is a three-story facility that provides emergency housing and support for up to 83 medically fragile and elderly adults experiencing homelessness. This high-risk demographic requires specialized care to achieve stability, which is not traditionally offered at other facilities. Once admitted to the shelter, homeless individuals are paired with a case worker who helps them connect with critical support services to achieve permanent housing.

The exterior building of the Complex Care Shelter in Anchorage, AK. Since opening in June of 2022, over 944 individuals, averaging 72 monthly guests, have resided at the referral-only shelter, while the waitlist averages 57 people per month. The average stay at the shelter is 134 days, and over 20 individuals are positively discharged each month.

 
"Weidner's community engagement efforts have identified housing and service gaps, intending to use a private, public partnership approach to invest in new models." Said Greg Cerbana, Weidner's VP of Government Affairs. "One identified gap focuses on medically fragile seniors who need a place to stabilize, connect with services, and experience more supported housing. Since the inception of Complex Care, many residents have successfully exited the program and transitioned into assisted living facilities. The second gap is the challenge of connecting unhoused people to housing and employment services. 3RNC connects individuals with basic services, transportation, and case management necessary to exit homelessness. Both investments provide strong evidence of each program's success, and we are proud to support the Anchorage community in helping connect our neighbors with the services they need to thrive."

Despite demonstrated successes from innovative homelessness services, such as 3RNC and Complex Care, national concerns persist about the potential for decreased or eliminated federal funding for homelessness services. This uncertainty creates acute anxiety for nonprofits, key service providers, and local governments because of the devastating impacts on vulnerable populations.

Weidner shares these concerns because innovative solutions to homelessness, such as 3RNC and Complex Care, are most successful when implemented through public-private partnerships. Critical efforts to address homelessness in Anchorage cannot succeed without public support. Weidner is encouraged by the impact of 3RNC and Complex Care on ending homelessness in Anchorage and continues to support this successful public-private partnership to help the city's unhoused community.

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