The City and Borough of Juneau Affordable Housing Commission met Tuesday to discuss a proposal for 105 new housing units to be built in three phases near the Airport.
The project would be developed, and funding found, by the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
The first phase, an addition to the Society’s Smith Hall, would provide affordable senior housing in its upper two floors. The bottom floor would house a convenience store for the residents and a thrift store. Phase two and three, called the Home Run project, would add the 93 remaining units in a nearby development. Units would run from 270-square-foot studio apartments to three-bedroom apartments.
Affordable housing is defined as meeting a purchase price of less than $250,000, or a rental at 80 percent to 120 percent of HUD’s Median Family Income level.
The project would result in 51 efficiency apartments, 33 one-bedroom units, a dozen two-bedroom and nine three-bedroom affordable apartments.
In a letter to the commission from Dan Austin, general manager of Saint Vincent de Paul, Austin said the project would specifically help single seniors living on Social Security. These residents “on average lack more than $300 per month in income in order to afford housing at Fair Market Rates,” Austin said. The Smith Hall Studios project would deliver housing “at a price low-income seniors can afford without subsidies.” Austin went on to say that this Juneau demographic is expected to double in a decade.
Saint Vincent de Paul is asking for help funding its 270 square foot senior apartments through the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation and through a CBJ matching grant of around $1 million.
Committee Chairman Alan Wilson said he wanted more assurance that the housing proposed in this project remains affordable.
“We definitely need more affordable housing,” Commissioner Shari Partin said.
Though Partin said she approved of Saint Vincent de Paul’s effort to provide unsubsidized housing for seniors, she also wanted a more complete pro forma on the project and wanted a chance to talk more with the project developer to make sure all needs are being met.
Saint Vincent’s Dan Austin was unavailable to meet the Commission on Tuesday. Jim Triplett of Triplett Construction attended in Austin’s stead, but recommended questions be directed to Saint Vincent’s general manager.
The entire project is expected to cost nearly $14 million.
The design is modular with all residential units being built to LEED energy efficiency standards. LEED qualification opens avenues for funding and saves on energy expenses over time, Triplett said.
A U.S. Census report from 2008 found 4,000 Juneau households spent more than 30 percent of their income on household costs.
Marlow said she was concerned that the project did not have access to street lights, sidewalks and other public services.
“We don’t see schools or ready access to recreation areas,” Marlow said. “I would like to hear a response from the sponsor as to the access of these services at the site.”
Marlow said the CBJ Assembly tasked the Housing Commission with discussing the Home Run project before CBJ goes forward with proposed buildable lands developments in Peterson Creek and Switzer Creek.
At Tuesday’s meeting the Housing Commission also discussed its priorities. It plans to meet its affordable housing goal through targets to reach and maintain a 5 percent vacancy rate for all housing types and to develop housing affordable for families in the 80 percent to 120 percent of HUD’s Median Family Income level. Currently Juneau has a vacancy rate for all housing of 1.4 percent for owned homes and 3.2 percent for rentals, according to the Juneau Economic Development Council.
The Commission plans to deliver questions to the society and then revisit the matter in August.
• Contact reporter Russell Stigall at 523-2276 or at russell.stigall@juneauempire.com.
Comments (16)
Add commentaffordable?
" 120 percent of HUD’s Median Family Income level"
CBJ economics, spend 120 percent and borrow what you don't have.
Aah,, ok, the title is
Aah,, ok, the title is misleading (sort of). This is affordable renting.
270 sq ft? That is
270 sq ft? That is 16.43x16.43. Not exactly the ritz. So that is the luxury I can look forward to? You either qualify for a $400k home or you get a cell?
Affordable Housing...WHATEVER!
Anytime discussion of affordable housing comes up it typically means zero-lots, condos and the like. In this case it's affordable renting as Sync points out. Give me a break.
30 percent.....
seems ok - what is included in "household costs", and how does that compare to the national average?
I'm not sure
But I wonder why if the plan is for low income senior citizens, why they might need a three bedroom apartment?? Maybe they have others living with them of get a lot of company.
Some low income senior citizens live alone and may not need a large apartment.
Is this the kind of
Is this the kind of "affordable" housing Juneau wants to encourage?
What about private investment? Why does everything have to be top-down government owned or subsidized. That's no way to build the local economy. It won't lead to good things for the city down the road.
"Marlow said she was concerned that the project did not have access to street lights, sidewalks and other public services."
Cha-ching taxpayers - pony up!
Calypso, It says they are
Calypso, It says they are seeking funding. Feel free to donate.
The private companies are not
The private companies are not building in town. At least nothing close to what you'd be able to afford unless you made $80k+ a year. I'd rather see private construction doing it but that won't happen. Why would you build low income housing when you can spend less money, build less units, and charge the average for town and make bank? It's got to come from the government since the private side hasn't done it. (and if there are reasons they can't that means it'll still take the government changing something so they can).
As much as you hate government calypso, it's what keeps things going. Im all for private enterprise, unfortunately greed usually takes over and sticks it to everyone else. While people can blame the high cost of property and rent in town on many many things it still comes down to greed. There are many places I personally know of that charge far less then the average but you can't get in them because ice they are filled they stay that way for years.
Ideology, stu,
Ideology, stu, ideology...
Juneau is a progressive, big government town and evidently that's the way the citizens have been trained to think and the way they want it?
And, these units will be property tax free
So guess what, here comes your redistribution of wealth.
Calypso is absolutely right
"Cha-ching taxpayers - pony up!"
Yeah, and?
“We don’t see schools or ready access to recreation areas,” Marlow said.
Do Seniors who are seeking affordable housing care about having schools nearby? I don't think so. They care about having public transportation, a pharmacy, and a grocer all within easy access however.
I'd like to see St Vincents build what they want to build. I don't want to see the CBJ actually chipping in for it, aside from the tax breaks for which St Vincents already qualifies.
A little confusion...
There seems to be a little confusion over what is being proposed here. I have been following this project. It has the potential to serve as a catalyst for private development in our town as well as non-profit.
First, the 12 studio apartments proposed for the $1.1 mm being requested will be attached to Smith Hall, and dedicated to seniors. Currently, there are no senior housing vacancies in our town. When seniors move out of their homes and into efficient comfortable apartments, some free up housing for the rest of the market.
These units will be manufactured here in Juneau (read local jobs) and go together on the site like LEGOs. They are TINY, but clean and energy efficient and comfortable. And just like LEGOs, once we have a source for them, anyone should be able to buy them and attach one to their garage or put it in the backyard or stack a couple of dozen up and make condos for the ski enthusiasts at Eaglecrest. Site work can be spread over multiple contractors and the skins can be made to look like almost anything, so these can be made to blend whether you are adding a guesthouse to your own home or a developer wants to build commercial apartments or condos in the Willoughby district.
Phase II and III of this project as currently envisioned are NOT limited to seniors. It is limited to individuals who make less than 80% of median family income ... everyone from single moms or dads to new and returning young college grads to people who have disabilities and for whom life has delivered a hard knock or two. Those phases will feature studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units.
"Affordable housing," in its technical sense, says that no one should have to spend more than 30% of their net household income on rent or mortgage payments, utilities, and property taxes. No for-profit developer is going to rent to people who can't afford to cover costs and a reasonable profit. So without government involvement, those who cannot afford housing have to make do.
Making do can make us stronger, no question. For those of us who were fortunate enough to have good beginnings in life, making do has defined us and given us the courage and the strength to do more. But for those who are not so fortunate, if they weren't born to parents who could give them a solid foundation, making do can quickly morph into crime, and the cost to our community and our society far exceed any subsidy we put into trying to break this cycle.
@Ruth - you sort of, almost
@Ruth - you sort of, almost had me until your last paragraph. Rather than relying on the liberal, anecdotal, sob story to sell the project, just stick to the facts. We all know that each one of us has a "life story" and our stories are all different. So what???
It seems to me that leaving out the "Lego" nature of these "housing units" and how they will be manufactured in Juneau is a pretty big omission. What company has agreed to build them in town?
Is a 270 sq. ft. unit even qualified as livable? Sounds more like a refrigerator box. Or just buy some Rubbermaid sheds from Home Depot. And stacking up 93 of them - now it's sounding more like the pictures we see in Thailand and China. And crime - it'll be rampant just from the stress of living in cages!
This is a really bad idea. And as far as local jobs - this is a project and then it will end.
Here's the whole project, for
Here's the whole project, for your viewing pleasure!
I still don't like it...subsidized housing and it's a Canadian company.
http://omb.alaska.gov/ombfiles/13_budget/CapBackup/proj57977.pdf