Child care services, affordable housing essential for Alaskans

According to a report from Housing Alaskans, on average, southern Southeast residents spend between 50% and 60% of their monthly income on rent. Above-average rents are particularly harmful to lower-income families, leading to an alarming increase in the number of families with housing needs.

Child care expenses make up a particularly large portion of numerous families’ budgets. Parents without access to affordable child care can be faced with the difficult decisions of cutting essential expenses elsewhere to pay for child care. In some cases, they may even have to choose between working and providing care for their children.

Lack of affordable housing and child care are the primary reasons why I’m co-sponsoring the following bills in our current legislative session.

Senate Bill 191, supported by the Alaska Bankers Association, allows flexibility in the Alaska Housing Finance Corp.’s loan-to-value ratio. The intent is to provide potential homeowners with more opportunities to obtain a loan. Relaxing the ratio allows modifications to residential lending programs, such as a lower initial cash outlay. Providing additional loan opportunities for Alaska families makes homeownership more attainable.

House Bill 89 is a child care tax credit bill that incentivizes corporations in Alaska to provide child care benefits to their employees by allowing companies to write off the expenses against their tax obligations to the state. The bill also expands the number of families who can access assistance by raising the income level to qualify for child care assistance.

Child care provides significant benefits to working parents and their children. Parents with access to affordable and dependable care are less likely to face interruptions in their work schedule.

Overall, addressing the issues of affordable housing and child care access is crucial. By supporting legislative initiatives like these, we can make strides toward providing families with the resources they need to thrive. As a community, we must continue to prioritize these issues and work together to find sustainable solutions that benefit everyone.

I am committed to advocating for these important issues and will continue to fight for the well-being of families in southern southeast Alaska.

-- Rep. Dan Ortiz, Ketchikan