Curious about building homes and land use issues in Juneau?
The city is holding a housing forum today for developers, contractors, homeowners and real estate agents. It’s part of the local government’s efforts to address a housing shortage in Juneau.
Lands and Resources Manager Greg Chaney says topics will include construction trends, the permitting process, and the city’s plans to sell some of its land holdings.
“Including our proposal to offer a couple of Lena (Point) lots for sale again, as we have done in the past, through a sealed bid process,” Chaney said last week on “A Juneau Afternoon.”
“But also some other bigger things that are coming down the pike,” he said.
The city sold 32 residential lots in the Lena Point area in 2007. It tried to sell 11 more in 2010, but only unloaded two. The Juneau Assembly tonight will be asked to approve a plan to sell 12 other Lena Point lots, starting with two along Ocean View Drive.
The city also owns several acres in the Pederson Hill area between Auke Lake and the Mendenhall Valley, which the Assembly has expressed interest in opening up for residential development.
Chaney says licensed contractors who attend the forum can get five continuing education credits toward their residential contractor endorsement.
“If you’re a contractor you have to keep your license current, and we’re offering this for free,” he said. “Normally people have to fly to Anchorage or Seattle to get these classes, and they’re not real pertinent to Juneau. All of our information is going to be Juneau specific.”
The housing forum will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Vocational Training & Resource Center on Hospital Drive.
This is the second year the city has hosted the event.
