Anchorage Neighborhood Housing Services (ANHS) is participating in a pilot program sponsored by the Ford Foundation and Energy Partners’ Consortium called “WRAP” (Weatherization, Rehab and Asset Preservation Partnership), which provides energy-efficiency improvements and rehabilitation services to targeted neighborhoods across the country. The program’s goals are to increase energy savings, eliminate home safety hazards, and help homeowners maintain their investment.

Anchorage Neighborhood Housing Services (ANHS) was founded in 1981 by a partnership of residents, business leaders, and government officials to address the needs in the Spenard neighborhood in Anchorage. The organization now conducts targeted revitalization in four additional neighborhoods and provides affordable housing services throughout the city. Programs include community-building and organizing services, affordable rentals, and homeownership programs for lower-income families. ANHS also provides house rehabilitation and community development activities.
 
The goal of WRAP is to reduce maintenance costs through weatherization and renovation, which subsequently increases the value of a home. The program provides comprehensive energy, health and safety repairs through a blend of conservation, house rehabilitation, and counseling services. Eleven organizations in the United States are participating in the program.
 
ANHS joined WRAP in 2004 to help low- and moderate-income homeowners preserve their prime asset – their home – through creative approaches and partnerships with local programs and services. ANHS’s WRAP program is concentrated in the city’s Mountain View neighborhood.

Counseling.  ANHS staff members work closely with families to create a comprehensive plan for success that includes home repair, education and referrals. Interested homeowners visit ANHS, where staff review their credit, debt, employment, home repair, and financing needs, then formulate a plan to address those needs. Customers who require services such as employment assistance, which is unavailable through ANHS, are referred to other local agencies for help.

Rehab Services.  After helping families determine their home maintenance and repair needs, ANHS hires a contractor to do the work. Most projects involve repairs and upgrades to windows, doors, furnaces, and roofs. All construction is managed by ANHS.

Loans and Grants.  ANHS staff help customers obtain financing for their home repairs. Options include loans through ANHS, which can be up to $5,000 at 6 percent for three years. Staff also connect homeowners who are at or below 80 percent of the area median income (AMI) with grants available through the city and state. These grants may be up to $15,000 and are forgiven after three years. Households at or below 60 percent of the AMI are linked with a statewide weatherization program that offers grants of up to $2,500, which are forgiven after three years.

Education.  As part of WRAP, ANHS offers a series of free trainings throughout the year to educate homeowners on various topics, including home maintenance, insurance, budgeting, fire safety, home values, savings strategies, and repairs. ANHS recruits representatives from local partners, such as lenders and insurance agencies, to help teach these classes. Six to eight training sessions are offered each year and future training topics are determined at each event. These classes are not required, but are open to any homeowner in the program.

Tracking.  Staff photograph each home to track and measure program progress. They also conduct ongoing reporting procedures through the University of North Carolina for the Ford Foundation, which helps evaluate program success.

Staffing.  Three existing staff at ANHS – the program manager, rehab manager, and case manager – work about half-time on WRAP activities.

Marketing.  Program services through WRAP are marketed through grassroots outreach techniques. Staff attend community events to distribute information, meet with various community groups, visit churches, post fliers at local businesses, send direct mailings, and visit homeowners door-to-door. So far, word of mouth has been the most effective form of outreach.

Program Costs.  The primary costs of this program include staffing, materials, travel, interpreters, and reporting expenses. In addition, ANHS incurred significant start-up costs for computers and telephone upgrades. The first year’s expenditure was $100,000, which included start-up. Ongoing program expenses should be less.

Partners and Funding.  The WRAP program is sponsored by the Ford Foundation in partnership with the Energy Partners’ Consortium, which provides up to $100,000 for the program’s first three years. Additional local support comes from the Anchorage Community Land Trust funded through the Rasmuson Foundation, State Farm, ConocoPhillips, Wells Fargo and Wells Fargo Foundation, First National Bank Alaska, and municipality of Anchorage. Each partner has contributed between $5,000 and $35,000.

The WRAP program allows ANHS to serve families in a comprehensive way. It offers a holistic approach to asset-building and maintenance, and helps families address all their needs.
 
As of spring 2006, 19 homeowners had joined ANHS’s WRAP program and participated in the educational and counseling component. Three grants were made for home improvements, and four more were in the pipeline. All grant applications were for health and safety issues or energy efficiency upgrades, such as windows, insulation, doors and roofs.
 
The WRAP program has encouraged connections among program participants. For example, one group of homeowners who did not know each other previously planned a neighborhood cleanup. These connections add a powerful and positive component to neighborhood revitalization.

• Prepare for Staffing Needs. WRAP is a time consuming program for ANHS because resources must be balanced and blended to serve families in a comprehensive way. In addition, it takes time to connect with each homeowner and built trust.
   
• Be Inclusive. Invite local agencies to join. This will help families connect with the various options and solutions they need to succeed. Work together and allow the program to grow and evolve.
   
• Develop a Client-Centered Approach. During program development, focus on meeting the needs of local homeowners instead of forcing customers to fit within program parameters. A client-centered approach will encourage program success.
   
• Manage Program Funding. Stable funding sources are an obvious need, but the agency should also streamline services and merge with programs already in existence.

Agency interview on 04-04-06 with Lori Nealley, WRAP Program Manager