Weather makes state's last block grant workshop Zoom-only; applications still due Dec. 4

Bad weather in Anchorage made the state's last workshop for Community Development Block Grant applicants online-only Tuesday. Applications are still due Dec. 4.

The Alaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs had planned to hold the session both on Zoom and in person at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Anchorage office. It announced Tuesday morning that it had canceled the in-person part. "We apologize for the inconvenience but want to keep everyone safe and off the roads as conditions continue to deteriorate," the division wrote. The National Weather Service had forecast snow turning to freezing rain overnight.

The federal grants pay for local projects that mainly benefit low- and moderate-income residents, and for the first time this cycle that can include housing. Any Alaska city or borough except Anchorage can apply for up to $850,000. Applications go through the state's online portal.