Regarding the recent tragedy in which a 17-year-old girl was shot and killed in East Anchorage, we grieve for her family and loved ones. Any loss of life caused by violence in our community is unacceptable and raises concern about underlying social issues that generate it.

That incident also raised questions about the official policy regarding public complaints of disruptive behavior in public housing facilities managed by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. As the director of AHFC's Public Housing Division, let me assure all Alaskans that we address each complaint as it is brought to our attention, whether it was reported verbally or in writing. We consider ourselves a proactive landlord and take seriously any report of wrongdoing in our housing facilities.

Similar to the federal laws that require medical care personnel to safeguard the personal information of their patients, federal and state laws require Public Housing personnel to keep tenant information confidential. Thus AHFC is not at liberty to discuss specifics regarding a complaint filed against a tenant.

A written complaint is best because it provides a record of the facts and evidence in the event legal action is required, but we also act on oral notification. Regardless of how the message is received, the usual course is to contact the tenant to get his or her side of the story. This is only fair. Depending on that review, AHFC will then take the necessary action.

Sometimes the necessary action results in AHFC filing a complaint in court. When that happens, the process becomes public record and the news media or any other interested party can get access to that record. Until that point, however, we cannot disclose personal landlord and tenant information. While this doesn't provide much satisfaction to the public who want to know what has been done about a particular complaint, this is all the law allows.

Like everyone else in the community, we await the result of the police homicide investigation to learn what actually happened and why. What we do know is that a 17-year old died and that's unacceptable.

Jim Gurke is director of the Public Housing Division of the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation

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