Anchorage Assembly Housing Action Plan Work Session - August 28, 2026

The Anchorage Assembly held a work session on Friday, August 28, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM to review the Housing Action Plan, housing policy progress, and hear from administration and private developers on current challenges and successes. The session was chaired by Assembly Chair Brawley and included introductions from members, presentations from the administration on the 10,000 Homes Plan, from ACDA on their pipeline and catalytic efforts, and from three private developers (Cook Inlet Housing Authority, Debenham Properties, and the Home Builders Association). No public testimony was taken. The work session did not include any formal votes but identified multiple priorities for future assembly action.

Discussion Items

• Housing Action Plan Overview: Chair Brawley provided a history of housing work since 2012, noting that many challenges remain unchanged. The plan adopted December 2023 includes six strategies and a toolbox of assembly actions. She asked members to consider whether to update the plan.
• Progress Report: Claire Ross presented the second edition of the progress report, tracking actions under each strategy. She noted some metrics (e.g., evictions) are difficult to track and may be replaced with data from the 10,000 Homes dashboard and new permitting software expected in six months.
• Administration Presentation (Bob Dole, Director of CED): Dole highlighted the 10,000 Homes in 10 Years plan, focusing on cutting red tape, fixing municipal processes, capital contributions, and remediating neglect. He reported that housing permits issued in 2026 already exceed all of 2024 or 2025, with multifamily growth leading. He mentioned a pending AO to give planning director more discretion on dimensional variances, and a future AO to better protect vacant/abandoned properties from trespass. He also noted that the Urban Design Commission was sunset, with its fence variance function moved to Planning and Zoning.
• ACDA Presentation (Mike Robbins): Robbins described ACDA's role as a catalyst for development, highlighting recent projects (Block 96, North Point, Willow Commons modular project in 120 days). He noted a new real estate market study due in December that will break down housing needs by price point and unit type. ACDA is working on land acquisition from the state, a modular manufacturing prospect, and a land lease program.
• Private Developer Presentations:
  • Tyler Robinson (Cook Inlet Housing): Cited multifamily design standards pause and major site plan review pause as critical – without them, the 24-unit Baxter project would not be leasing now. He noted improved municipal coordination but asked for permanent adoption of the design standards pause (ends 2028), improved RFP process (invitation for partnership rather than full design upfront), infrastructure funding challenges ($900,000 water main extension for 40 homes), and tax abatement expansion to include smaller projects like fourplexes on adjacent parcels. He also called for sample site plans to clarify what is allowed on R1 parcels.
  • Sean Debenham (Debenham Properties): Emphasized that permitting remains a bottleneck – Raspberry Townhomes took nine months to permit. He advocated for a culture of “how do we get to yes,” reducing fire lane requirements that cost 15 units at that project, and increasing lot coverage allowances (R3 allows 40%, but he achieved only 30%). He noted that fire lanes currently dictate multifamily housing policy.
  • Bill Taylor (Home Builders Association): Described a case where DEC contamination standards were replaced by stricter city standards, adding $82,000 in unnecessary costs. He called for a single point of authority or “housing czar” to arbitrate interdepartmental disputes and a philosophy of “substantially in compliance” from the mayor to allow flexibility.
• Member Discussions:
  • Member Baldwin Day raised the need for a municipal infrastructure funding mechanism, noting AWO’s constraints and the lack of a clean funding stream. She also pressed for more strategic use of municipal land to ensure it produces the housing types most needed.
  • Member Scout requested a public-facing graphic or timeline for vacant/abandoned property enforcement to manage community expectations.
  • Member Martinez encouraged use of the Economic Development Framework’s four pillars (stackable return on investment, preemptive resiliency, equity) to evaluate housing investments.
  • Member Voland noted the need for 2,600 new very low to moderate income rental units (from a mayor’s office 2025 study) and asked who will build them without public dollars.
• Single Most Impactful Action: Developers gave rapid responses: Bill Taylor – ability to contract out permitting and inspections; Tyler Robinson – infrastructure funding and realistic municipal standards; Sean Debenham – streamline permitting process including accepting private certification.

Key Outcomes

• No formal resolutions or votes were taken.
• Assembly members will consider updating the Housing Action Plan to reflect current priorities and align with the 10,000 Homes strategy.
• Chair Brawley indicated intent to work on making the multifamily design standards pause permanent (currently set to expire in 2028).
• The administration committed to developing a graphic or timeline for vacant/abandoned property processes for public communication.
• A proposed ordinance to give planning director more variance discretion is headed to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
• An administration AO to better protect vacant/abandoned properties from trespass is forthcoming.
• ACDA expects to release a real estate market study in December 2026.
• The assembly will hold a separate work session on the proposed Tojo Block 102 land swap later that day (1:20 PM-2:30 PM).
• Members will follow up on infrastructure funding options, sample site plans for R1 parcels, and the status of the rehab and repair fund (to be addressed by AHD).