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Alaska Legislature Votes to Tackle Housing Crisis
JUNEAU — In a step toward addressing Alaska’s deepening housing crisis, the Alaska State Legislature has passed SB 50—a bill that empowers both state agencies and local communities to take meaningful, coordinated action to improve housing availability across the state.
Alaska’s housing is increasingly overcrowded, deteriorating, and energy inefficient. Every community—urban and rural—is grappling with a shortage of adequate, affordable housing. With Alaska facing workforce development challenges and recruitment and retention issues across every sector, we can no longer afford inaction on this issue. At the same time, the state is experiencing an unprecedented exodus of working-age residents, leaving employers across all sectors struggling with workforce shortages.
SB 50 strengthens the role of local governments in addressing the housing crisis by encouraging first- and second-class boroughs to include housing development plans in their comprehensive planning efforts. By elevating housing as a standalone priority—rather than a subset of general land use—this bill ensures local governments critically assess housing needs, evaluate policy, and engage the public in crafting community-specific strategies.
“Alaska must use every tool at its disposal to address this crisis,” said Senator Forrest Dunbar (D-Anchorage), the bill sponsor. “SB 50 encourages local communities to plan and act with clarity and purpose.”
"Housing is a critical issue in every community in our state, and its development is a valuable addition to comprehensive planning,” said Representative Rebecca Himschoot (NA-Sitka). “As a former assembly member, I cannot overstate the value of a comprehensive plan; it incorporates the perspectives and wellbeing of diverse community voices and requires local government to collaborate across interests."
SB 50 is the first, but hopefully not the last, bill of the session intended to encourage the construction of additional homes in Alaska.
The bill now heads to Governor Dunelavy for his signature.
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