BIHA staff and board members recently participated in the Sitka Housing Summit, a collaboration between STA, BIHA, and CBS on affordable housing. The two-day summit convened federal, state, and private housing funders, local subsidized and supportive housing providers, banks, construction companies, and local employers to develop a list of ideas to increase the supply of housing affordable to Sitka residents. Initial priorities identified by participants included: 

• Develop options to create new housing at higher densities to reduce cost
• Develop incentives for creation and retention of year-round housing for Sitka residents
• Develop strategies to prevent displacement of mobile homes
• Create a “pocket neighborhood” of tiny homes with a communal building and space for child care center
• Work with state and federal partners to create a wet climate housing research center
• Investigate options for expanding BIHA capacity and services
• Identify local housing champions and create a local housing network to advance
• These and other ideas to increase housing supply and affordability