Sitka

I just moved to Sitka from the Juneau-Douglas area and love the town. My problem is the housing market. It's nearly impossible to find a place to live that doesn't cost an arm and a leg (and I'm used to $950 for a two-bedroom), allows pets and doesn't want to boot you out of the house in April or May for the tourist season. I've got to believe the housing crunch has some negative impacts on local businesses. If your workers can't afford to live in town, they're not going to stick around. I spent two weeks debating between my new Sitka job and a job in another town that paid $5,000 less a year but had a better housing market. Does anybody have any solutions for the housing crunch? Also, if you have any housing leads I have an ad in that category.

The extra cost of fuel prices and other price fluctuations sure doesn't help either. All the living expenses in Sitka can make it challenging for people to afford. I wish there was a EZ solution.

There is an article in the Sitka Sentinel tonight on this issue.

I am a little worried about that as well...if I get a job there but have no where to live...where does that leave me....out with the bears!

No, seriously. What did the paper have as a solution to the problem?

It is so hard to live here. My family is here, and so I do not want to move to anywhere else any time soon, but I don't know how long I can afford it. I have one of the most reasonably-priced three-bedrooms at $1000/mo. +$50 tax, but electricity+heat runs us $250/mo. It just feels like a small group of people have the influence here, some have the business influence and some have the political influence. Nobody wants anything to change, but it will have to if the town is going to be able to survive. This includes the problem of a SEVERE lack of affordable housing here.

Where I live, admittedly one of the most expensive places in the nation, you would be hard put to find a 1 br apt for $1000. My untilies bill for Dec. (I own my house and I do not have central heating of any sort only a wood-burning fireplace) was $400. Like Sitka it is one of the most beautiful places and is sought after by the "rich and famous" and tourists. Job opportunities are limited to the professions and services. Needless to say, since I'm neither rich nor famous I could not live here had I not happened in early on.

My point being that perhaps Sitka is in the ball park with the rest of the country after all. Everyone wants to live in Paradise.

Is the housing crunch in Sitka a yearly challenge or is it just seasonal?