“You’re looking at a small, one bedroom efficiency apartment that lined up as bunk on bunk sitting area on one side and across from that, a full counter with a two burner induction hot plate on it, with the single tank sink with the fan over the top and some lockers.”
That is Forchunatus Wayne, a board member for Sitka Homeless Coalition.
“And then in the back, and go through the through the front room area you got on one side a closet, and in the back you have a bath, a shower and lavatory setup.”
Wayne is standing in one of the 12-new Hítx’i Sáani tiny homes that are dedicated to providing housing to unhoused Sitkans. Other visitors file in and out of the room, whether to express awe at the home’s modern interior, or to find relief from the snowy, 30-degree weather outside.
As somebody who has experienced being unhoused himself, Wayne is no stranger to how dangerous it can be to go without access to warm and reliable housing, especially during Alaskan winters. He says the location of the Hítx’i Sáani Community, next to Sitka Mini Storage at the end of Jarvis St., is especially meaningful to him. As a teenager growing up in Sitka, he got to know some unhoused folks who hung out in that area.
“And one in particular, he’d probably be going, ‘Yes, this is a good thing,'” said Wayne. “But this has been needed for at least 30 years.”
And Wayne is not the only person excited by the grand opening of Hítx’i Sáani, which has been in development for three years. Numerous speakers from all across Alaska addressed the crowd of over 60 to padded applause from attendees’ gloved hands, from Maria Uchytil, the regional director for the Juneau office of Senator Dan Sullivan, to Sitka Mayor Steven Eisenbeisz.
“There are people in this town who just need a little bit of help to get back on their feet, and this is exactly what this is going to do for us. It’s going to strengthen our town in many more ways than just providing a roof over your head,” said Eisenbeisz. “And what an example of a day of why we need this, right? Everybody’s out here bundled up in hats, gloves, coats, we’re all a little bit cold. Can you imagine if you didn’t have one of these to go to after this event?”
For speakers such as longtime Sitka Homeless Coalition volunteer Lenise Henderson, helping get Hítx’i Sáani off the ground was a deeply personal endeavor, as her brother passed away while unhoused in Seattle, Washington.
“And I want to thank everybody here who spent even a minute on this, because I have a feeling that if there would have been something for my brother Jack, maybe he might be here with me,” said Henderson. “I’m really personally thankful for the closure and how my heart feels right now. It’s huge for me, and so thanks for letting me help.”
After many speeches, and much anticipation, the attendees all gathered around as Sitka Homeless Coalition Executive Director Andrew Hinton and Rasmuson Foundation’s Strategy Program Officer Deborah Vo cut a bright red ribbon marking the official grand opening of the Hítx’i Sáani Community, with much fanfare from the crowd.
Holding one end of the unfurled ribbon is Denise Shaffer, the Programs Director for the Homeless Coalition, who was praised alongside Hinton by numerous speakers for her work in connecting the organization’s clients with the paperwork they need to move into the new homes. For Shaffer, it is an incredibly touching moment to celebrate all the people who helped make Hítx’i Sáani a reality.
“It’s extremely emotional for me, because I look around and I see so many people who have been a part of this,” said Shaffer. “In that role as connector, I also got to be a supporter. And you can’t pour from an empty cup, and all these people poured into mine. So it’s good to see them and good to celebrate.”
As of December 15, five of the 12 housing units in Hítx’i Sáani are occupied by new tenants. Going forward, the Sitka Homeless Coalition hopes to build a services building for Hítx’i Sáani residents to gather and access essential behavioral health and employment services.
