Jeremy Hsieh, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
Jeremy Hsieh covers Anchorage with an emphasis on housing, homelessness, infrastructure and development. Reach him at jhsieh@alaskapublic.org or 907-550-8428. Read more about Jeremy here.
Alaskans can skip the down payment in this housing program. Instead, they put in sweat equity.
Families commit to work 36 hours a week building a block of homes. Their labor covers the down payments, and they get access to low-interest and subsidized mortgages.
Anchorage joins long list of cities petitioning U.S. Supreme Court to hear key homelessness case
Mayor Dave Bronson says he wants the high court to nullify Ninth Circuit decisions that made it more difficult to manage homeless people.
Officials are aiming to move all of Anchorage’s homeless campers into housing or shelter in October
Unlike last winter, the plan does not include a mass shelter like the Sullivan Arena.
Can this robot print a whole house? Nome is going to find out next year.
Nome and its partners hope the project will prove the technology can slash the time and cost to build quality housing, even in Alaska’s most remote communities.
Anchorage IT director resigns after Assembly pressures mayor for more information on scheme to challenge election
Weeks after an investigator’s report laid out inappropriate behavior, the mayor said he asked for the resignation.
Anchorage Assembly to put off vote on residential zoning reform pending planners’ review
The proposed residential zones generally allow for more density and more flexibility in terms of both land uses and types of buildings.
Does Alaska have an affordable housing crisis?
Across the state, homebuilding and vacancy rates are down. Rent, mortgage rates and home prices are up.
Longtime Alaska writer reflects on Alaska’s history of aviation fatalities
“It’s something we really can’t get used to, shouldn’t get used to,” said Charles Wohlforth.
Bill Popp enters Anchorage mayoral race
He's the fourth major candidate to enter the race, joining incumbent Mayor Dave Bronson, former Anchorage Assembly Chair Suzanne LaFrance and former state Rep. Chris Tuck.
Anchorage Assembly temporarily boosts police, outreach and sanitation at large homeless encampments
There was a particular focus on crime, drug use and uncleanliness in the camp near Third Avenue and Ingra Street downtown.
Anchorage Assembly rejects mayor’s library board picks in latest culture war skirmish
Assembly member Anna Brawley said the candidates were engaged in a national, partisan effort against LGBTQ people and freedom of speech in libraries.
New report highlights circumstances around hundreds of Alaska’s missing Indigenous people
The report includes 280 missing persons cases, some dating back to the 1960s.
Funding and unresolved questions linger ahead of vote on Anchorage mayor’s homeless shelter proposal
If the Assembly approves the funding, the shelter is unlikely to fully open this winter.
Indigenous Place Names Project celebrates 4th Anchorage-area signpost
The new marker along the Coastal Trail says “Nuch’ishtunt,” which means “the place protected from the wind” in Dena’ina Athabascan.
Anchorage Health Department announces firing, then un-firing, of contractor that runs 24-hour sleep-off service
The contractor’s service has been inconsistent for months due to staffing shortages. A fire department official says that’s better than going months without the service at all.
Panel recommends renaming port after Don Young and reverting to ‘of Anchorage’
The Anchorage Assembly is set to hold a public hearing and vote on the renaming Sept. 12.
Anchorage Assembly OKs Port of Alaska cargo terminal design and user fees to finance project
Modernizing the port, an essential cargo lifeline for the entire state, has been bogged down in political and technical processes for years.
Roadside assistance? This sheep got stuck along the Seward Highway. Alaska DOT helped her out.
“This is a new one on me,” said an area biologist who helped with the rescue.
Anchorage bus system apologizes to riders for canceled trips amid driver shortage
Lots of employers in Alaska and nationally are hurting for workers with commercial driver’s licenses.
Alaska emergency officials investigate why Saturday’s tsunami phone alerts went beyond targeted areas
Earthquakes in 2018 and 2020 also led to urgent tsunami phone alerts well beyond the intended audience.