Assembly retreat focuses on housing availability, zoning and incentives

Haines Borough Assembly members used the planning retreat to explore multiple approaches to improving housing availability, from zoning reform to targeted land sales and tax incentives.

Moderator (speaker 2) summarized survey results showing housing as a repeated priority and asked members to explain their choices. One assembly member (speaker 1) urged diversifying housing types beyond large lots and single-family models, saying, "I think we need to try and attract somebody to do more condos or some kind of diversified housing or apartment something." Another member recommended examining zoning to make it work for housing supply rather than as a protection that inflates prices.

Ideas discussed included allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs), offering tax breaks to homeowners who add rental capacity, selling small borough parcels for owner-financing, and creating seasonal-to-permanent residency incentives. Members also debated where the borough should intervene: some argued the borough should not build housing directly but can help by making land and permitting more accessible.

Speakers emphasized coordinated approaches tying housing to workforce, childcare and economic development. "Childcare, housing, and supporting entrepreneurs are all part of the same thing," one participant said, urging integrated solutions.

Next steps: the facilitator said housing would be grouped with related priorities for voting during the retreat and recommended follow-up staff work on zoning options and potential incentives.