Katie Riley, 28, grew up in Sitka. After leaving for college and working abroad, she returned to her hometown and decided to get involved. She’s the youngest member of the Sitka Planning Commission and has a passion for addressing Sitka’s affordable housing crisis. KCAW’s Erin McKinstry spoke with Riley about the problem and possible solutions as part of a special “Building Solutions” series.
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When people think of trailer homes, many envision shoddy construction and unhealthy living conditions, but in places like Sitka where construction costs are high and land availability is low, they’re an important affordable housing alternative. For one Sitkan, renovating a trailer provided a path to debt-free home ownership, and this resident is not the only one looking beyond the stigma of trailer living.
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Many Southeast Alaska homeowners are converting to electric heat pumps as a way to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and improve air quality. But in some of Southeast’s smallest communities, the high cost of electricity makes operating them unaffordable. A recent study found that offering a special rate for heat pumps in the Kupreanof Island village of Kake and other remote communities could help the electric utility, the environment and the consumer.
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Sitka resident Victoria Compton, her partner and their two dogs started looking for a place to live months ago, after their landlord decided to sell. As part of Building Solutions, a special series on affordable housing, Compton spoke with KCAW’s Erin McKinstry about the struggle to find housing in her hometown.
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School is just letting out for the summer, so it may seem early to think about fall preschool. But enrollment is already open for children ages 3 to 5 for Sitka's Wooch.een Preschool. Kari Sagel and Kelly Peranto joined KCAW's Peter Apathy to talk about the benefits of preschool and how to register.
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The Admiralty Island village of Angoon has received nearly 2 million dollars in federal funding to build a visitor center. The relief money is meant to combat economic impacts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Local leaders hope it will boost a homegrown cultural tourism industry.
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As summer approaches, Sitka is coming alive. The Tongass is abuzz with birds and insects. Flowers are blooming, and the forest floor is blanketed with green. Sitka Trail Works is gearing up for a full summer season of hiking trips. Lee House and Lynne Brandon joined KCAW's Erin Fulton to talk about summer hike offerings, Sitka Trail Works' projects including the Cross Trail expansion, and a look toward the future.
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Tiny homes have gained traction in recent years as an affordable housing alternative, but building them legally poses challenges in many communities. Sitka was one of the first cities in the country to introduce a set of tiny home friendly code changes last year. But, a year after passing the groundbreaking ordinance, no one is building them.
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The Tongass Tiny Home project, a six-year collaboration between the Sitka Conservation Society and Sitka High School, has finally come to an end. The student-built tiny house was sold to a buyer in Juneau this spring. As part of KCAW’s Building Solutions series about affordable housing, Sitka Conservation Society’s Chandler O’Connell spoke with KCAW’s Erin McKinstry about lessons learned and the possibilities tiny homes hold for Sitka.
Read MoreOne man was arrested following a car accident early Tuesday morning on Halibut Point Road. Sitka Police Department spokesperson Serena Wild said a man allegedly hit an unoccupied Dodge Dakota and then reported the accident to the police just after 4 in the morning.
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