Housing forum organizers release needs report

The outcomes report from the Community Conversation: Housing Solutions in the Greater Homer Area event held March 25 is now available to the public.

The community event organizers have released a report aiming to provide insights and recommendations for next steps to address the housing crisis in the greater Homer area, according to a June 12 press release.

The report, which can be found on the City of Homer website at www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/economicdevelopment/housing, “highlights the key findings of the event and presents a survey analysis to better understand the community’s perspective on the housing crisis,” the release states.

The report, which includes results from the community and employer surveys released prior to the March 25 event as well as a thematic analysis of the topics discussed during the event by attendees, is intended to present findings that can be used in next steps toward addressing Homer’s housing needs. According to the press release, organizers hope to elicit larger community participation and hold follow-up events in the future.

City of Homer Acting City Planner and Special Projects Coordinator Ryan Foster and Karin Marks, representing some of the community organizers in charge of the March 25 event, also presented a summary of the report to the Homer city council during the regular meeting held on Monday, June 12.

“What we really find is that from this one event, we have really comprehensive and wide-ranging ideas of how the community could approach what is a really complex challenge,” Foster told the council. “This is really still just a start. This information (from the report) that the community has put forth can be utilized for further steps in the process and (to) start taking a look at alternatives and focus areas.”

For more information, visit https://www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/economicdevelopment/housing or contact Foster at rfoster@ci.homer.ak.us or 907-299-8529.