Anchorage Tiny Homes Pair Housing With Addiction Treatment

In late March 2026, Anchorage launched a new approach to homelessness that's already showing promise: tiny homes paired with comprehensive addiction treatment.

Willow Commons opened with 32 microunits, each about 100 square feet, designed specifically for homeless individuals seeking substance use treatment. Within days of opening, all units were filled.

"You get a bed, towel set, hygiene kit, a fridge, a microwave, and then it's not in here yet, but we plan to add a TV," said Summer Bond, who helps residents settle into the program run by Anchorage Recovery Center.

The program tackles a persistent challenge: when you're homeless, consistently showing up for outpatient care becomes nearly impossible. Now participants have stable housing while receiving daily behavioral health services.

Getting in is straightforward. If you're unhoused and need addiction treatment, you can move in the same day if units are available. Right now, only one person sits on the waitlist.

Each resident attends individual and group therapy, works with a caseworker, and learns life skills. The program has fewer restrictions than traditional residential treatment centers with no curfew, but it's a closed campus during early treatment stages. No drugs, alcohol, or visitors are allowed.

The Ripple Effect

Thea Agnew Bemben, special assistant to Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, sees this as more than just one program. She's spent over a year developing Willow Commons as a model for the community.

"What we find is that when people remain unsheltered for a very extended period, oftentimes having a behavioral health issue is part of what's keeping them unsheltered," Agnew Bemben explained.

The city funded the project with over a million dollars from an opioid settlement, building the first 24 units. Grant funding covered the final eight.

The program is entirely voluntary, with timelines tailored to each person's needs. Before graduating, residents work with staff to secure safe housing and stable income. Even after discharge, Anchorage Recovery Center stays connected.

"Relapse is a part of recovery, so we always have our doors open," Bond said.

The city plans to expand the model. Anchorage Recovery Center will soon provide outpatient services at Alder Place, a recently renamed hotel undergoing renovations.

Agnew Bemben hopes other organizations will see what's possible and create their own versions. To truly address Anchorage's homelessness, she said, it will take the whole community stepping up with different approaches.

The tiny homes are built to city code and should withstand Alaska winters, though the team will monitor everything from building performance to client satisfaction as they learn and improve.