Buying right: Anchorage Neighborhood Housing Services merged with Dokoozian and Associates, looking for a match that helps communities grow and prosper and to provide affordable housing to residents.

• Author: West, Gail
• Position: BUILDING ALASKA - Anchorage Neighborhood Housing Services Inc - Dokoozian Construction LLC

In a move that's a first for Alaska, Anchorage Neighborhood Housing Services Inc. purchased a portion of Dokoozian and Associates March 1, 2006, and created Dokoozian Construction LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of ANHS. Debe Mahoney, executive director for ANHS, called the move "a good fit for both organizations."

According to Mahoney, ANHS and its board spent the last year working on a new business plan. As a part of that plan, the nonprofit looked for opportunities that would bring income and make it more sustainable and less dependent upon its parent organization, NeighborWorks[R] America.

That process, Mahoney said, involved looking at building and affordable housing trends in the Alaska market, as well as evaluating ANHS' strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. It was this process--as well as a friendly conversation between Mahoney and George Haley, former operations manager of Dokoozian and Associates and now general manager of Dokoozian Construction LLC-which led them to the merger. Both said they respected the other's abilities and business goals, and were looking for more opportunities to work together.

A RELATIONSHIP THAT LASTS

The two had joined on a variety of building projects over the years, several involved funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which brought with it federal regulations and requirements.

"We had talked about the number of organizations that can build HUD-funded projects in Alaska," Mahoney said, "and there is still more need than there is capacity to fill it. Dokoozian already has built HUD projects, and has capacity built in. It seemed to us that by joining forces, we could enhance the ability to bring that kind of funding and housing into the state."

Haley echoed Mahoney's comments.

"We began working together in the mid-'90s," he said, "and after working with them (ANHS) for the last decade, I felt that their values and what they want to accomplish is so much in alignment with ours."

FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

ANHS has a number of future construction and rehabilitation projects in its sights and Dokoozian brought some of its current projects into the sale, Mahoney and Haley both said there is room for more.

"We began working together in the mid-'90s," he said, "and after working with them (ANHS) for the last decade, I felt that their values and what they want to accomplish is so much in alignment with ours."

ANHS has a number of future construction and rehabilitation projects in its...