Amy AInslie Archives

Sitka’s housing crunch hits tribal citizens hardest, study says

by Meredith Redick | Apr 11, 2024 | Local News

Tribal citizens in Sitka are being squeezed out of Sitka’s housing market, and some are leaving town, according to a new study commissioned by Baranof Island Housing Authority, with support from Sitka Tribe of Alaska. Now, they are hoping the data – and community input – will guide them towards solutions. Read More

Assembly weighs creation of Sitka Tourism Commission, and a new tourism director position in City Hall

by Robert Woolsey, KCAW | Mar 13, 2024 | Local News, Syndicated

One likely outcome of the rapid growth of tourism in Sitka will be the hiring of a tourism director in city hall, and an overhaul of the contract with the Sitka Chamber of Commerce's "Visit Sitka." Read More

Sitkans share ‘magic numbers’ for future cruise tourism in survey

by Meredith Redick | Jan 30, 2024 | Local News, Syndicated

Over 1000 Sitkans responded to a cruise tourism survey recently circulated by the city’s tourism task force. When the task force met Thursday night (1-25-24), they reviewed the survey results and continued to grapple with questions about how to “right size” tourism in Sitka. Read More

How Sitka’s strong rental market contributes to ‘sticky’ home prices

by Robert Woolsey, KCAW | Oct 11, 2023 | Local News, Syndicated

Why do home prices in Sitka go up and never come down? Sitka planning director Amy Ainslie says a number of factors contribute to price "stickiness" in the real estate market, especially Sitka's strong market for both long- and short-term rentals. Read More

Community Garden proposal will advance to assembly table

by Katherine Rose | Jul 21, 2023 | Local News, Syndicated

Supporters of a Community Garden in Sitka hope to address local food insecurity from the ground up, literally, by building gardens and renting out plots to green thumbs who want to grow their own food. But there are many challenges ahead for the project, including some neighborhood opposition. Read More