The Planning Commission Tuesday discussed the scarcity of available housing when it met to consider a proposed update to Juneau’s Comprehensive Plan. Commissioners decided the plan should call on companies to “anticipate” the impact of bringing workers to Juneau for projects.
Language proposed by the Juneau Economic Development Council would have made it the “primary responsibility” of mining companies to “develop” housing, roads and other needed infrastructure for its miners, sparking a discussion over whether the plan should call on businesses to provide living space for incoming workers.
“Worker housing, as it’s discussed in this plan, is very different than man camps,” said Ben Lyman, Community Development Department planner. “This is saying that if you’re going to be bringing new people into Juneau … there’s an obligation to provide them with adequate housing.”
Lyman said he favored requiring companies to either construct housing for new workers or pay into a fund to help cover costs, perhaps by city ordinance.
Mike Satre, chairman of the Planning Commission, called talk of introducing an ordinance “premature.” Nonetheless, he said, the Comprehensive Plan should recognize the impact of new workers on Juneau, where housing can be hard to come by.
“That chicken-and-egg question of economic development versus housing has to be addressed in some way, shape or form,” Satre said.
The meeting also evaluated the JEDC’s proposed insertion of sections into Chapter 5 of the plan recognizing the importance of “entrepreneurship,” and calling for the promotion of Juneau and the Southeast Alaska region as a research and education destination.
“There are many foundation elements that support a thriving economy,” said JEDC executive director Brian Holst. “We didn’t include all of them. But research is an especially critical piece.”
The JEDC representatives at the meeting emphasized their desire to establish Chapter 5 of the Comprehensive Plan as a continually updated master plan for economic development in Juneau, a suggestion that met with commissioners’ support.
“I think actually having a living document that can be considered an overall economic development plan would be a really important thing for the city,” said Kevin Ritchie, treasurer of the JEDC’s board of directors.
“We’re talking about transportation, we’re talking about riding bicycles and pedestrian opportunities and waterfront use and the Willoughby Plan, and yet we don’t have a clear vision as to what we all buy into,” Commissioner Marsha Bennett agreed. She called the JEDC-proposed changes to the document’s scope “exactly where we need to go.”
Satre said he believes the plan should be updated at least once every two years, or as needed.
“Could be even year-by-year. I’m not sure anyone wants to take that on,” Satre added, to laughter.
Chapter 5 of the Comprehensive Plan is not set in stone after Tuesday’s meeting. Although commissioners appeared to establish a broad consensus on the issues of company responsibilities and the need to keep the document updated frequently, Lyman said he was “not quite done” with the chapter. He said he would incorporate the input from the meeting into a revised draft, which the commission will consider on July 10.
After every chapter has been reviewed and revised, the commission will work through a full draft before signing off on the updated plan’s publication.
“We go through each chapter until the commission is relatively happy with what’s there,” Lyman explained. However, he added, he does not know when that process will be completed.
“Our plan was to be done with the Planning Commission review of the Comprehensive Plan in July,” Lyman said. “At this point, we won’t make that.”
• Contact reporter Mark D. Miller at 523-2279 or at mark.d.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (16)
Add commentI don't get it
Why should the City make the mines, or any employers, responsible for workers' housing? Isn't that what the Juneau housing and construction markets are set up for already?
If you come to Juneau with a new business that will bring in a bunch of people, they'll need housing. And housing's expensive here, so you'll need to pay them more so they can afford to live here. That's a cost of doing business in Juneau. You have the option, as a business decision, to construct housing for your employees, pay them less but provide them housing. Your call.
As the demand for housing rises, more housing will be constructed.
The City can help the situation by making land available and providing basic infrastructure service (water & sewer). The City can also modify land use codes to allow higher density housing, and mixed-use commercial/residential housing.
I dont see any of the hotels
I dont see any of the hotels complaining about being overrun with miners filling up those empty hotel rooms and helping the hotel actually run in the black...
A real problem
Yes, its great Alaska and Juneau is riding a mining boom but, there is no place for them to live. What about all the new Coast Guard families? Let's not forget other issues that accompany the influx of these new families. Schools, emergency services, employment for spouses and children. None of this has been addressed. New housing? It takes years to get through CBJ red tape for construction and the greenies want to block everything. Real problems brewing here.
Worker housing?
Shouldn't we call them new citizens? JEDC really? Housing, roads and "other infrastructure"? You have got to be kidding! Other Infrastructure is a pretty broad, like roads, water, sewer, schools, police, fire.... Now, businesses who might want to locate here in Juneau, bringing population back to Southeast, diversifying our economy are also to be responsible for all the traditional city/borough tasks of the community. REJECT the proposed language by JEDC.
Worker housing
Housing for Outside workers becomes both the Borough's and the community's problem when low-wage, summer workers are brought in to staff the shops along Franklin but not paid enough to afford housing in Juneau's expensive market. Some of these employers are known to direct their staff to the various formal and informal campgrounds around town, contributing to our homeless population.
Use Other Government Tools for Housing
Let the businesses and organizations that come here focus on their core competency (mining, tourism, etc) and let those who specialize in the private sector provide the housing--with appropriate government incentives.
Think about less onerous existing tools in the local government tool box before requiring firms to build housing: release land for multi-family apts, lower permits/fees; favorable zoning; limited property tax incentives; water/sewer, etc.
More creativity might be in order. Ever see the hotel statistics in Juneau--very high off season vacancies--lending these to possible conversion to suites.
Federal, state and local governments have long been a part of incentives (carrots not sticks) such as low down payment/low interest loans for certain types of housing development targeting segments of the population and local needs.
Misquoted
I can certainly appreciate the attitude of many of the comments on this story. Unfortunately, Mr. Miller didn't just mis-quote me when he wrote "Lyman said he favored requiring companies to either construct housing for new workers or pay into a fund to help cover costs, perhaps by city ordinance;" he actually got my relationship to what I said completely backwards. I prefaced my remark with the statement that "I am not advocating for this, but some communities elsewhere have [made large employers, typically big-box stores with low-wage employees] construct housing or pay into a fund." While I apologize for anything I may have said that confused Mr. Miller, I am happy to assure readers that I did not speak as Mr. Miller reported. The context of the meeting was to discuss Economic Development in Juneau, and at the time of the mis-quoted statement, we were exploring the topic of housing and how it affects the ability of employers to expand or even open in Juneau, a situation that I think we can all agree exists.
I say hold on here. I thought
I say hold on here. I thought we were pushing mines in SE as a way to employee Southeast Alaskans? I am certainly not for more mines if it means we have to look for a work force from out of town. This is insane and will certainly have a negative impact on our community.
I resent our business community trying to enrich themselves by over stuffing our towns. Lets allow for sustainability and equilibrium principals to form our growth not greed
I am glad Mr. Lyman clarified the context of his statement
Why he would even say what he did is beyond me though, except perhaps for purposes of expanding the conversation. Citizens of Juneau, be aware of what is going in in these government meetings. Be informed because if you are not decisions will be made that you will not like. And, thank you Juneau Empire for covering these meetings, and for helping to keep the public informed. I think these meetings and the public participation can be more entertaining that TV!
confusing terminology?
When most people say "workers," I assume them to mean temporary summer employees who do not intend to settle here in Juneau. There is a great influx of temporary workers to Juneau and other SE communities and housing is a significant problem in these areas. Many of the larger businesses have already built housing for their employees; smaller businesses may not be as financially able to do so. This includes locally-owned businesses. I think that would have a negative impact on our small business community and thus would be of concern to CBJ, the JEDC and the Chamber of Commerce.
I applaud them for opening the topic to discussion and for being courageous enough to throw out all sorts of ideas in order to have a free and open process that will, hopefully, narrow down the best options for this impactful issue.
As far as "new citizens" and their housing needs, the City really needs to address this issue as well. As someone else mentioned, perhaps some incentives for builders to develop high density housing, downtown and in the valley, would be helpful ... or maybe other avenues will open up now that we're (AGAIN) discussing this perennial topic.
echo lat, al97ct and spiff
first, why would businesses be responsible for housing? Why are we encouraging influx as opposed to current local hire? What about those large businesses who want to hire locals, will they need to build housing too? Wouldn't a regulation like this just encourage the cheapest, poorest quality housing possible? And are summer only businesses just supposed to sit on empty buildings all winter?
People wanting to come up can easily use the internet to figure out what costs are before they decide to take a job here. It's not that tough to figure out whether you can afford to live somehwere.
A side note. I have
A side note. I have neighbors that live a few houses down from me they like to set off seal bombs, rockets etc... during the holidays and the guy works out at Greens Creek. Ever since I went to speak to him a couple years ago our house gets hit with several Rockets during the middle of the night on the holidays. So I have not been impressed by the mining community.
swimmer
nevermind ... misread your title. too much sun apparently.
Housing
Rather than lay housing on the backs of the mining companies and other employers, the city might offer tax rebates to developers to create more housing. What we need in addition to single family homes are apartment complexes that are clean and well run so that people coming to work in Juneau can have a chance to explore the community before they commit to a home purchase. I have had excellent candidates for professional positions in my agency decline employment here because they cannot find suitable apartments to live in for the first year or so while they save for a down payment on a more permanent home.
pets
I guess Im not opposed to having the various industries having some skin in the game as far as housing is concerned. We have been talking affordable housing in Juneau since at least the 70's and it never seems to happen. Who's to say with a little tax incentive that the mining or tour industry wouldnt want to get involved in some of their own housing. Maybe it would help lower the rental rates around town. Another thing that is desperately needed is housing that accepts pets. We have alot of outsiders come in for work, they bring their pet with them then cant find housing that will take pets so those pets end up at our shelter.