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TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST YAKUTAT HOUSING MARKET ANALYSIS Prepared for the TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST Prepared by MICHAEL L. FOSTER & ASSOCIATES, INC. 13135 Old Glenn Highway, Suite 200 Eagle River, Alaska 99577 February 13, 2015 MLFA Job No. USFS-USFS-007-0001

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Page 1: Final Yakutat Housing Analysis - WordPress.com...Yakutat Housing Market Analysis MLFA Job No. USFS-USFS-007-0001 o Yakutat has a high demand for rental units, especially during the

TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST

YAKUTAT HOUSING MARKET ANALYSIS

Prepared for the

TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST

Prepared by

MICHAEL L. FOSTER & ASSOCIATES, INC.

13135 Old Glenn Highway, Suite 200

Eagle River, Alaska 99577

February 13, 2015

MLFA Job No. USFS-USFS-007-0001

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Tongass National Forest i February 13, 2015 Yakutat Housing Market Analysis MLFA Job No. USFS-USFS-007-0001

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Tongass National Forest (TNF) retained Michael L. Foster & Associates, Inc. (MLFA) to assist them with a housing market analysis for the Yakutat Ranger District. The purpose of the analyses is to evaluate current housing preferences, trends, and long-term projections and determine: 1) if it is feasible and cost effective for government employees to find housing in the local communities; and 2) if the government needs to continue to provide housing for permanent employees working in the ranger districts.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Scope of Work included descriptions of existing conditions and demographics; evaluations of housing demands and preferences; a 20-year housing demand projection; a housing project cost/feasibility analysis; and descriptions of best practices and recommendations. The Scope of Work also included a site visit to tour the government housing, compare it to local housing, and discuss conditions with residents.

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

Key findings are summarized below.

There is a high demand for affordable housing. There aren’t any realtors, banks, or construction contractors in Yakutat. Many of the houses were self-built by the owners, don’t meet code requirements, and

aren’t financeable. Seasonal labor impacts the availability of rental units and homes for sale. Projections indicate the Yakutat population is decreasing, the total number of housing

units is decreasing, and the demand for rental units is increasing. There is a lack of affordable housing and many of the older homes that are in poor

condition are not being replaced. The median prices for housing are more costly than many of the Yakutat Ranger District

employees can afford. MLFA concludes that the high demand for affordable housing will continue.

DEMOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW

Yakutat is located on the north coast of the Gulf of Alaska at the mouth of Yakutat Bay about 225 air miles northwest of Juneau, 220 air miles southeast of Cordova, and 366 air miles southeast of Anchorage, Alaska. The City and Borough of Yakutat is within and surrounded by the TNF, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Access is by air or water and there are no roads into the community. The state-owned airport located about three miles southeast of the town center has daily commercial jet service from Anchorage and Juneau. There are also air taxis and float plane services to Yakutat.

Monti Bay is the only sheltered deep water port in the Gulf of Alaska. The City and Borough of Yakutat operates the state-owned boat harbor and the Ocean Cape Dock, which is used by barges, commercial fishing vessels, small cruise ships, and the Alaska Marine Highway System ferries. Barges deliver goods monthly during the winter and more frequently in summer. The City and Borough of Yakutat also operates a small boat harbor located north of Monti Bay at the end of Mallott Avenue.

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Yakutat has approximately 631 year-round residents. The original settlers are believed to have been Eyak-speaking people from the Copper River area who were conquered by the Tlingits. English, French, Spanish, and Russian explorers came to the region in the 18th and 19th centuries and fur traders were attracted to the region's sea otters. In 1884 the Alaska Commercial Company opened a store in Yakutat and by 1886, the black sand beaches in the area were being mined for gold. A school and sawmill were opened in 1889, and a cannery, sawmill, store, and railroad were constructed beginning in 1903. During World War II, a large aviation garrison and paved runway were constructed. The runway is still in use.

The City of Yakutat was formed in 1948, but in 1992 the city was dissolved and a borough was organized for the region. A community piped water system serves most of the developed areas near the town center and community piped sewer services are available to many of the homes. The airport has a small wastewater lagoon, and homes and businesses outside the service areas have individual wells and septic systems. Most of the Yakutat residents live within three miles of the town center.

Yakutat’s economy is dependent on fishing, fish processing, and government and there are abundant recreation and tourism opportunities. Although government jobs are mostly year-round, employment in Yakutat is mostly seasonal.

HOUSING SUPPLY

According to the Alaska Department of Labor 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates there are 368 housing units in Yakutat. Of these, 259 were occupied, 57 were vacant due to seasonal use, 1 was vacant because it was for sale, 6 were vacant because they were for rent, and 45 were vacant for other reasons. About 70 percent of the 368 housing units are single-family homes. The median value of the owner occupied housing was $148,400 and the estimated median monthly mortgage costs were $1,219. The median rent paid was $1,000 per month.

BARRIERS TO DEVELOPMENT

Population projections show growth is decreasing. The barriers to development include the lack of construction contractors for renovations, repairs, and new housing; the limited number of year-round jobs; and the high cost of living.

HOUSING DEMAND ESTIMATES

Records show people want single-family homes with two or more bedrooms. It is difficult to find housing units for sale or rent that are in good condition and affordable. Additionally, seasonal jobs impact the availability of the rental housing.

BEST PRACTICES / RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are MLFA’s conclusions and recommendations for housing Yakutat Ranger District employees.

MLFA recommends that the Forest Service continue to provide transitional housing for permanent employees in Yakutat. o There aren’t any realtors in Yakutat. o There aren’t any construction contractors and many of the homes that were self-built

by the owners, don’t meet code requirements, and aren’t financeable. o Housing may not be excessively large, but the median prices are more costly than

many of the Yakutat employees can afford.

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o Yakutat has a high demand for rental units, especially during the summer season. During MLFA’s site visit, three of the Yakutat transitional housing units were in use and

some of the vacant units had been used as bunk houses for seasonal and temporary employees.

The number of transitional housing units maintained in Yakutat needs to consider the projected number of permanent employee vacancies to be filled each year.

Seasonal labor impacts the availability of rental units and homes for sale. Projections indicate the Yakutat population is decreasing, the total number of housing

units is decreasing, and the demand for rental units is increasing. There is a lack of affordable housing and many of the older homes that are in poor

condition are not being replaced. MLFA concludes that the high demand for affordable housing will continue. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility

Standard (ABAAS) for accessibility, energy efficiency, and wet climate conditions need to be considered for all new construction and building renovations.

Whenever possible, the Forest Service should meet the housing needs through private sector vendors.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................... i SCOPE OF WORK .................................................................................................................... i SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS ................................................................................................ i DEMOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW ................................................................................................... i HOUSING SUPPLY .................................................................................................................. ii BARRIERS TO DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................. ii HOUSING DEMAND ESTIMATES ........................................................................................... ii BEST PRACTICES / RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................... ii 

1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1 

2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS AND DEMOGRAPHICS ................................................................ 2 2.1 COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION AND DEMOGRAPHICS ..................................................... 2 2.2 YAKUTAT RANGER DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHICS ........................................................... 9 

3.0 FOREST SERVICE HOUSING ............................................................................................... 9 3.1 Yakutat Crew Quarters (#1028) ........................................................................................ 10 3.2 Yakutat Employee Housing #1083 and #1084 .................................................................. 12 3.3 Ranger Residence (#1021) ............................................................................................... 12 3.4 Mobile Home #1 (#1072) .................................................................................................. 14 3.5 Mobile Home #2 (#1073) .................................................................................................. 17 3.6 Mobile Home #3 (#1074) .................................................................................................. 19 3.7 Modular #4 (#5061055) ..................................................................................................... 21 3.8 Modular #5 (#5061056) ..................................................................................................... 23 

4.0 HOUSING DEMANDS AND PREFERENCES ...................................................................... 25 4.1 DEMAND FOR RENTAL AND OWNERSHIP ................................................................... 25 4.2 HOUSING TYPES AND PREFERENCES ........................................................................ 26 4.3 AVAILABLE AMENITIES AND PREFERENCES .............................................................. 31 4.4 INCOME LEVELS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING .......................................................... 31 4.5 COMMUTING OPTIONS .................................................................................................. 33 

5.0 20-YEAR HOUSING DEMAND PROJECTION .................................................................... 34 

6.0 HOUSING PROJECT COST / FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS ..................................................... 36 6.1 Government Deferred Maintenance Costs versus Local Market Conditions .................... 36 6.2 Private Unit Market Costs Versus Construction Costs ...................................................... 38 6.3 Feasibility of Government Workers to Purchase and Maintain a Home in Yakutat ........... 39 6.4 Fair Market Rent Value of Government Housing Units ..................................................... 40 

7.0 BEST PRACTICES / RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................... 41 

8.0 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 42 

9.0 ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................. 43 

APPENDICES Appendix A Organizational Chart Appendix B Salary Data Appendix C 2014 Master Plan Maps Appendix D Building Layouts

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FIGURES Page

Figure 1 Location Map. Image is from https://maps.google.com, January 29, 2015. ......... 2 Figure 2 Aerial Photo of Yakutat area. Image is from https://maps.google.com, January

29, 2015. ............................................................................................................... 2 Figure 3 Aerial Photo of Yakutat Core Area. Image is from https://maps.google.com,

January 29, 2015. .................................................................................................. 3

CHARTS Page

Chart 1 Yakutat Historical Population................................................................................. 4 Chart 2 Yakutat Population Projections ........................................................................... 34

PHOTOS Page

Photo 1 Yakutat Ocean Cape Dock, October 14, 2014. ..................................................... 5 Photo 2 Floating house in the Yakutat small boat harbor, October 14, 2014. .................... 5 Photo 3 Homes on the north end of Yakutat, October 15, 2014. ........................................ 5 Photo 4 Central Yakutat neighborhood, October 14, 2014. ................................................ 5 Photo 5 Sunrise House Apartments, October 14, 2014. ..................................................... 5 Photo 6 Back sides of the Sunrise House Apartments, October 14, 2014. ........................ 5 Photo 7 Homes on hill in the central Yakutat area, October 14, 2014. ............................... 6 Photo 8 Homes on Path of the Sun Avenue, October 14, 2014. ........................................ 6 Photo 9 Xeitl Aani’ Subdivision homes, October 14, 2014. ................................................. 6 Photo 10 South Addition homes, October 14, 2014. ............................................................ 6 Photo 11 Homes in the South Addition neighborhood, October 14, 2014. ........................... 6 Photo 12 Mobile homes in trailer park southeast of the town center, October 14, 2014. ..... 6 Photo 13 Four-plex southeast of the town center, October 14, 2014. .................................. 7 Photo 14 Mobile home on private lot, October 14, 2014. ..................................................... 7 Photo 15 Yakutat Ranger District Crew Quarters (#1028), October 14, 2014. ................... 10 Photo 16 Crew quarters living room, October 14, 2014. ..................................................... 10 Photo 17 Crew quarters kitchen, dining, and living room area, October 14, 2014. ............. 10 Photo 18 Crew quarters laundry room, October 14, 2014. ................................................. 10 Photo 19 Crew quarters ADA accessible bathroom, October 14, 2014. ............................. 11 Photo 20 Crew quarters bathroom #2, October 14, 2014. .................................................. 11 Photo 21 Crew quarters ADA accessible bedroom, October 14, 2014. .............................. 11 Photo 22 Crew quarters bedroom #4, October 14, 2014. ................................................... 11 Photo 23 Crew quarters storage shelves, October 14, 2014. ............................................. 11 Photo 24 Maintenance shop attached to crew quarters, October 14, 2014. ....................... 11 Photo 25 New Yakutat Ranger District house at Site Plan location #1083 under

construction, October 14, 2014. .......................................................................... 12 Photo 26 New Yakutat Ranger District house at Site Plan location #1084 under

construction, October 14, 2014. .......................................................................... 12 Photo 27 The two new single-family homes under construction, October 14, 2014. .......... 12 Photo 28 Construction of the kitchen, living room, and dining area in new single-family

home #1083, October 14, 2014. .......................................................................... 12 Photo 29 Yakutat Ranger Residence (#1021), October 14, 2014. ..................................... 13 Photo 30 Back side of the ranger house, October 14, 2014. .............................................. 13 Photo 31 Ranger house living room, October 14, 2014. ..................................................... 13 Photo 32 Ranger house front door, October 14, 2014. ....................................................... 13 Photo 33 Ranger house kitchen and laundry area, October 14, 2014. ............................... 13

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Photo 34 Ranger house kitchen and dining area, October 14, 2014. ................................. 13 Photo 35 Ranger house bathroom, October 14, 2014. ....................................................... 14 Photo 36 Ranger house bedroom #1, October 14, 2014. ................................................... 14 Photo 37 Ranger house bedroom #2, October 14, 2014. ................................................... 14 Photo 38 Ranger house bedroom #3, October 14, 2014. ................................................... 14 Photo 39 Mobile home #1 (#1072) and mobile home #2 (#1073), October 14, 2014. ........ 15 Photo 40 Mobile home #1 front entrance, October 14, 2014. ............................................. 15 Photo 41 Mobile home #1 back entrance, October 14, 2014. ............................................ 15 Photo 42 Mobile home #1 front entrance wannagan, October 14, 2014. ........................... 15 Photo 43 Mobile home #1 living room from kitchen, October 14, 2014. ............................. 15 Photo 44 Mobile home #1 kitchen from living room, October 14, 2014. ............................. 15 Photo 45 Mobile home #1 bedroom #1, October 14, 2014. ................................................ 16 Photo 46 Mobile home #1 bathroom #1, October 14, 2014. ............................................... 16 Photo 47 Mobile home #1 bedroom #2, October 14, 2014. ................................................ 16 Photo 48 Mobile home #1 bedroom #3, October 14, 2014. ................................................ 16 Photo 49 Mobile home #1 bathroom #2, October 14, 2014. ............................................... 16 Photo 50 Back ends of mobile home #1 and mobile home #2, October 14, 2014. ............. 16 Photo 51 Mobile Home #2 (#1073), October 14, 2014. ...................................................... 17 Photo 52 Mobile home #2 wannagan entrances, October 14, 2014. .................................. 17 Photo 53 Mobile home #2 wannagan, October 14, 2014. .................................................. 17 Photo 54 Mobile home #2 living room from kitchen, October 14, 2014. ............................. 17 Photo 55 Mobile home #2 kitchen, October 14, 2014. ........................................................ 18 Photo 56 Mobile home #2 washer and dryer in bathroom #1, October 14, 2014. .............. 18 Photo 57 Mobile home #2 bedroom #1, October 14, 2014. ................................................ 18 Photo 58 Mobile home #2 bedroom #2, October 14, 2014. ................................................ 18 Photo 59 Mobile home #2 bedroom #3, October 14, 2014. ................................................ 18 Photo 60 Mobile home #2 bathroom #2, October 14, 2014. ............................................... 18 Photo 61 Mobile Home # 3 (#1074) next to Modular #4 (5061055), October 14, 2014. ..... 19 Photo 62 Back end of mobile home #3, October 14, 2014. ................................................ 19 Photo 63 Mobile home #3 back door, October 14, 2014. ................................................... 19 Photo 64 Mobile home #3 living room from kitchen, October 14, 2014. ............................. 19 Photo 65 Mobile home #3 kitchen from living room, October 14, 2014. ............................. 20 Photo 66 Mobile home #3 kitchen, October 14, 2014. ........................................................ 20 Photo 67 Mobile home #3 bathroom, October 14, 2014. .................................................... 20 Photo 68 Mobile home #3 bedroom #1, October 14, 2014. ................................................ 20 Photo 69 Mobile home #3 bedroom #2, October 14, 2014. ................................................ 20 Photo 70 Mobile home #3 bedroom #3, October 14, 2014. ................................................ 20 Photo 71 Modular #4 (5061055), October 14, 2014. .......................................................... 21 Photo 72 Modular #4 front door and septic system clean outs, October 14, 2014. ............ 21 Photo 73 Modular #4 living room and dining room, October 14, 2014. ............................... 21 Photo 74 Modular #4 kitchen, October 14, 2014. ............................................................... 21 Photo 75 Modular #4 laundry area next to bathroom #1, October 14, 2014. ...................... 22 Photo 76 Modular #4 bathroom #2, October 14, 2014........................................................ 22 Photo 77 Modular #4 bedroom #1, October 14, 2014......................................................... 22 Photo 78 Modular #4 bedroom #2, October 14, 2014......................................................... 22 Photo 79 Modular #4 bedroom #3, October 14, 2014......................................................... 22 Photo 80 Modular #4 wannagan storage area, October 14, 2014. ..................................... 22 Photo 81 Modular #5 (5061056) front end, October 14, 2014. ........................................... 23 Photo 82 Modular #5 back end, October 14, 2014. ............................................................ 23 Photo 83 Modular #5 living room, October 14, 2014. ......................................................... 23 Photo 84 Modular #5 living room and dining room, October 14, 2014. ............................... 23

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Photo 85 Modular #5 kitchen, October 14, 2014. ............................................................... 24 Photo 86 Modular #5 laundry area next to bathroom #1, October 14, 2014. ...................... 24 Photo 87 Modular #5 bathroom #1, October 14, 2014........................................................ 24 Photo 88 Modular #5 bathroom #1 shower, October 14, 2014. .......................................... 24 Photo 89 Modular #5 bedroom #1, October 14, 2014......................................................... 24 Photo 90 Modular #5 bedroom #2, October 14, 2014......................................................... 24 Photo 91 Modular #5 bedroom #3, October 14, 2014......................................................... 25 Photo 92 Modular #5 bathroom #2, October 14, 2014........................................................ 25

TABLES Page

Table 1 Housing and Household Data................................................................................ 7 Table 2 Income and Poverty Data ...................................................................................... 8 Table 3 2013 Poverty Guidelines for Alaska ...................................................................... 8 Table 4 Alaska Resident Workers by Industry.................................................................... 8 Table 5 Yakutat Ranger District Employee Salary Estimates ............................................. 9 Table 6 Yakutat Housing Types ....................................................................................... 26 Table 7 Occupied Housing Data ...................................................................................... 27 Table 8 Renter Occupied Housing Data ........................................................................... 28 Table 9 Owner Occupied Housing Data ........................................................................... 28 Table 10 Monthly Owner Costs for Owner Occupied Housing ........................................... 29 Table 11 Yakutat Income Levels ........................................................................................ 32 Table 12 District Employee Salaries Compared to Rent and Mortgage Medians .............. 33 Table 13 Commuting Options ............................................................................................. 34 Table 14 Projected Populations ......................................................................................... 35 Table 15 New Housing Units in Yakutat 2008 to 2013 ....................................................... 36 Table 16 Government Housing Utility, Maintenance, and Deferred Maintenance Costs and

Replacement Values ........................................................................................... 37 Table 17 Stick-Built and Modular Home Construction Costs .............................................. 39 Table 18 Government Housing Rental Rates ..................................................................... 40 Table 19 Forest Service Housing Criteria........................................................................... 41

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Tongass National Forest (TNF) retained Michael L. Foster & Associates, Inc. (MLFA) to assist them with housing market analyses for six ranger districts in Southeast Alaska. The purpose of the analyses is to evaluate current housing preferences, trends, and long-term projections and determine: 1) if it is feasible and cost effective for government employees to find housing in the local communities; and 2) if the government needs to continue to provide housing for permanent employees working in the ranger districts. The housing market analyses were recommended in the Tongass National Forest 2014 Facilities Master Plan (Bowers and others, 2014).

The Forest Service provides permanent and interim housing for permanent, temporary, volunteer, and detail employees only when the following criteria permit it (Bowers and others, 2014).

Where there is a lack of available housing within the local community for an extended duration which can be demonstrated by one or more of the following. o Housing cannot be located through realtors or advertisements. o Available housing is substandard by reasons of design, construction, or location. o Available housing is excessively large and therefore considerably more costly than

employees can afford. o Employees who are subject to rotation cannot obtain leases which will permit them to

vacate with only a thirty day notice, at prevailing rental rates. o Commuting travel time is in excess of two hours per round trip by automobile or public

transportation. o Commuting travel distance is in excess of 50 miles each way.

Where there is a requirement by the Forest Service to provide service or protection. o Employee occupancy of government quarters at a station is required by the

government to provide a necessary service, or for the protection of government property.

The following guidelines are used to manage employee housing (Bowers and others, 2014).

Wherever possible, meet interim, temporary, volunteer, and detail housing needs through private sector vendors.

Provide facilities that comply with Forest Service policy of separate and equal facilities. Emphasize flexible housing designs (designs applicable to bunkhouse or residential use). Provide accessibility in accordance with the Region 10 Accessibility Strategy for

Administrative Sites/Facilities. Validate the economics and utilization of all existing residences and bunkhouses not in an

existing compound. This report describes the housing analysis completed for the Yakutat Ranger District in the City and Borough of Yakutat. It includes descriptions of existing conditions and demographics; descriptions of Forest Service housing; housing demand and preference information; a 20-year housing demand projection; a housing project cost/feasibility analysis; descriptions of best practices and recommendations; and references and abbreviations. Figures, charts, photos, and tables are in the text and appendices are attached.

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2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS AND DEMOGRAPHICS

2.1 COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION AND DEMOGRAPHICS

Yakutat is located on the north coast of the Gulf of Alaska at the mouth of Yakutat Bay about 225 air miles northwest of Juneau, 220 air miles southeast of Cordova, and 366 air miles southeast of Anchorage, Alaska. The City and Borough of Yakutat is within and surrounded by the TNF, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (Figure 1).

Figure 1 - Location Map. Image is from https://maps.google.com, January 29, 2015.

Access is by air or water and there are no roads into the community. The state-owned airport located about three miles southeast of the town center has daily commercial jet service from Anchorage and Juneau (Figure 2). There are also air taxis and float plane services to Yakutat.

Figure 2 – Aerial Photo of Yakutat area. Image is from https://maps.google.com, January 29, 2015.

Gustavus

Yakutat

Airport

Cordova

Haines

Juneau

Forest Service Housing

Yakutat Town Center

Monti Bay

Gulf of Alaska

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Monti Bay is the only sheltered deep water port in the Gulf of Alaska. The City and Borough of Yakutat operates the state-owned boat harbor and the Ocean Cape Dock, which is used by barges, commercial fishing vessels, small cruise ships, and the Alaska Marine Highway System ferries (Figure 3). Barges deliver goods monthly during the winter and more frequently in summer (ADCCED, 2015). The City and Borough of Yakutat also operates a small boat harbor located north of Monti Bay at the end of Mallott Avenue (Yakutat, 2010).

Figure 3 - Aerial Photo of Yakutat Core Area. Image is from https://maps.google.com, January 29,

2015.

Yakutat has a cool, moist, maritime climate. The average summer temperature is 52.5 degrees Fahrenheit and the average winter temperature is 27.4 degrees Fahrenheit. The average annual precipitation is 143.44 inches and the average annual snowfall is 185.1 inches (WRCC, 2015).

Yakutat has approximately 631 year-round residents. The original settlers are believed to have been Eyak-speaking people from the Copper River area who were conquered by the Tlingits. English, French, Spanish, and Russian explorers came to the region in the 18th and 19th centuries and fur traders were attracted to the region's sea otters. The Russian-American Company built a fort in Yakutat in 1805 to harvest sea otter pelts. A Tlingit war party attacked and destroyed the post because the Russians would not allow local access to their traditional fisheries. In 1884 the Alaska Commercial Company opened a store in Yakutat and by 1886, the black sand beaches in the area were being mined for gold. A school and sawmill were opened in 1889, and a cannery, sawmill, store, and railroad were constructed beginning in 1903. Most residents moved to the current site of Yakutat to be closer to the cannery, which operated through 1970. During World War II, a large aviation garrison and paved runway were constructed. Troops were withdrawn after the war, but the runway is still in use. The City of

Small Boat

Harbor

Ocean Cape Dock

West Addition South Addition

Xeitl Aani’ Subdivision (Thunderland Subdivision)

Central Yakutat Subdivision

Monti Bay

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Yakutat was formed in 1948, but in 1992 the city was dissolved and a borough was organized for the region (ADCCED, 2105). Historical population data obtained from the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (ADCCED) is depicted in Chart 1 (ADCCED, 2015).

Chart 1. Yakutat Historical Population

The City and Borough of Yakutat includes 7,605.5 square miles of land and 1,808.8 square miles of water. A community piped water system serves most of the developed areas between the small boat harbor, the west addition, south addition, and the Xeitl Aani’ Subdivision. Community piped sewer services are available to most of the homes, businesses, and public facilities in the central Yakutat and Xeitl Aani’ Subdivision areas. The airport has a small wastewater lagoon operated by the City and Borough of Yakutat. Homes and businesses outside the service areas have individual wells and septic systems. As depicted in Figures 1 through 3 and Photos 1 through 14, there are some hills in the town center but most of the developed areas are relatively flat.

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Photo 1. Yakutat Ocean Cape Dock, October 14, 2014.

Photo 2. Floating house in the Yakutat small boat harbor, October 14, 2014.

Photo 3. Homes on the north end of Yakutat, October 15, 2014.

Photo 4. Central Yakutat neighborhood, October 14, 2014.

Photo 5. Sunrise House Apartments, October 14, 2014.

Photo 6. Back sides of the Sunrise House Apartments, October 14, 2014.

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Photo 7. Homes on hill in the central Yakutat area, October 14, 2014.

Photo 8. Homes on Path of the Sun Avenue, October 14, 2014.

Photo 9. Xeitl Aani’ Subdivision homes, October 14, 2014.

Photo 10. South Addition homes, October 14, 2014.

Photo 11. Homes in the South Addition neighborhood, October 14, 2014.

Photo 12. Mobile homes in trailer park southeast of the town center, October 14, 2014.

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Photo 13. Four-plex southeast of the town center, October 14, 2014.

Photo 14. Mobile home on private lot, October 14, 2014.

Housing and household data for 2000 and 2010 (US Census Bureau, 2015) and 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (ADOL, 2014) are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1 – Housing and Household Data

Characteristics 2000

Census 2010

Census 2008-2012

5-Year DataTotal Housing Units 385 383 368 Occupied Housing (Households) 261 270 259 Vacant Housing 124 113 109 Vacant Due to Seasonal Use No Record 68 57 For Sale No Record 0 1 For Rent No Record 26 6 Other Vacant Housing Units No Record 19 45 Owner Occupied Housing 157 153 119 Median Value of Owner Occupied Units $100,700 No Record $148,400 Renter Occupied Housing 104 117 140 Median Rent Paid $622 No Record $1,000 Average Household Size 3 2.4 2.19 Family Households 158 156 163 Average Family Size 4 3.1 2.71 Non-Family (Non-Related) Households 103 114 96 Population Living in Households 680 644 567 Population Living in Group Quarters 0 18 3 Total Population 680 662 570

Table 2 has income and poverty data from the Alaska Department of Labor (ADOL) 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (ADOL, 2014).

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Table 2 – Income and Poverty Data Characteristics Estimate

Per Capita Income $33,326 Median Household Income $71,705 Median Family Income $74,464 Persons in Poverty 21

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 2013 poverty guidelines for Alaska are listed in Table 3 (HHS, 2014).

Table 3 – 2013 Poverty Guidelines for Alaska Persons in Family/Household Poverty Guideline

1 $14,350 2 $19,380 3 $24,410 4 $29,440 5 $34,470 6 $39,500 7 $44,530 8 $49,560

For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $5,030 to each additional person.

Yakutat’s economy is dependent on fishing, fish processing, and government and there are abundant recreation and tourism opportunities. Although government jobs are mostly year-round, employment in Yakutat is mostly seasonal (Yakutat, 2010). Information on Alaska resident workers by industry in 2013 (ADOL, 2014) is listed in Table 4.

Table 4 – Alaska Resident Workers by Industry

Industry Number of

Workers in 2013 Percent of

Total Employed Natural Resources and Mining 2 0.7 Construction 12 3.9 Manufacturing 14 4.6 Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 48 15.8 Information 2 0.7 Financial Activities 9 3.0 Professional and Business Services 13 4.3 Educational and Health Services 8 2.6 Leisure and Hospitality 33 10.9 State Government 21 6.9 Local Government 141 46.4 Other 1 0.3 Total Number of Workers 304 100% Only Alaska residents (as defined by Permanent Fund Dividend application) are included in the totals. Federal employees, the military, and the self-employed are not included in the data (ADOL, 2014).

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2.2 YAKUTAT RANGER DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHICS

The Yakutat Ranger District has 10 district employees and one law enforcement officer. Additionally, the District typically hires about four temporary employees each year (Bowers and others, 2014). Copies of the Yakutat Ranger District organizational chart from the Tongass National Forest 2014 Facilities Master Plan (Bowers and others, 2014) and 2014 salary information provided by the TNF are included in Appendices A and B. Table 5 shows the estimated salaries for the 10 Yakutat Ranger District employees.

Table 5 – Yakutat Ranger District Employee Salary Estimates

Grade Organizational Chart Positions Step 1

Annual Salary Estimated

Monthly Net Salary 13 No employees $90,264 $4,783.81 12 District Ranger $75,908 $3,923.86 11 Wildlife Biologist $63,330 $3,170.42 10 No employees $57,643 $2,829.76

9 Resource Assistant 09/11 Forester-Rec/Lands

$52,344 $2,512.34

8 No employees $47,391 $2,215.64

7

Support Serv Spec Forestry Technician Supvsy Forestry Technician Fish Biologist 07/09/11 Biological Technician River Ranger

$42,792 $1,940.16

6 No employees $38,508 $1,683.54 5 No employees $34,545 $1,446.16 4 No employees $30,877 $1,226.46 3 No employees $27,504 $1,024.21 2 No employees $25,209 $886.59 1 No employees $22,421 $719.59

Assumptions used to estimate the monthly net salaries are provided in Appendix B.

3.0 FOREST SERVICE HOUSING

The Yakutat Ranger District housing includes a recently renovated bunkhouse, the ranger house, three mobile homes, two modular homes, and two new single-family homes, which were under construction, in a compound on Forest Service land near the airport (see Figure 2). The construction of a third single-family home is planned if funds are available. When construction of the new homes is completed, the mobile homes will be decommissioned. The compound has a well water system and individual and shared septic systems. The site plan from the Tongass National Forest 2014 Facilities Master Plan (Bowers and others, 2014) is included in Appendix C, and some of the building floor plans are in Appendix D.

The government provided transitional housing is used to recruit and retain employees. During MLFA’s site visit on October 14 and 15, 2014, one of the modular homes, one mobile home, the ranger house, and the bunkhouse were occupied. MLFA toured and photographed all of the housing units during the site visit.

Several of the Yakutat Ranger District employees have constructed their own homes because there aren’t any contractors, and many of the houses for sale are in poor condition, not

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financeable, or overpriced. Also, there isn’t much available to rent and young families struggle to find affordable housing. Seasonal jobs and large construction projects impact the availability of housing that is for sale and rent; and people from outside are buying and building second homes in Yakutat.

The descriptions provided below are summaries of data found in the Tongass National Forest 2014 Facilities Master Plan (Bowers and others, 2014) and information obtained during MLFA’s site visit on October 14 and 15, 2014.

3.1 Yakutat Crew Quarters (#1028)

The 11-person, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible 3,420 square-foot bunkhouse was built in 1974 and a major renovation was completed in 2012. It has an open living/dining/kitchen area; five bedrooms with two beds; one ADA accessible bedroom with two beds; three bathrooms (one is ADA accessible); and a laundry room. A maintenance shop with a storage room is attached. The floor plan is included in Appendix D.

The bunkhouse is used by seasonal and temporary employees. It is reported to be in “good” condition with no deferred maintenance work needed (Bowers and others, 2014).

Photo 15. Yakutat Ranger District Crew Quarters (#1028), October 14, 2014.

Photo 16. Crew quarters living room, October 14, 2014.

Photo 17. Crew quarters kitchen, dining, and living room area, October 14, 2014.

Photo 18. Crew quarters laundry room, October 14, 2014.

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Photo 19. Crew quarters ADA accessible

bathroom, October 14, 2014. Photo 20. Crew quarters bathroom #2, October

14, 2014.

Photo 21. Crew quarters ADA accessible bedroom, October 14, 2014.

Photo 22. Crew quarters bedroom #4, October 14, 2014.

Photo 23. Crew quarters storage shelves, October 14, 2014.

Photo 24. Maintenance shop attached to crew quarters, October 14, 2014.

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3.2 Yakutat Employee Housing #1083 and #1084

Two new single-family homes were under construction in 2014 at the Site Plan locations shown in Appendix C for 1083 and 1084 (Bowers and others, 2014). The 2,588 square-foot floor plan (see Appendix D) includes an open living/dining/kitchen area, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a laundry room, an attached two-car garage, and covered front and back porches.

Photo 25. New Yakutat Ranger District house at Site Plan location #1083 under construction,

October 14, 2014.

Photo 26. New Yakutat Ranger District house at Site Plan location #1084 under construction,

October 14, 2014.

Photo 27. The two new single-family homes under construction, October 14, 2014.

Photo 28. Construction of the kitchen, living room, and dining area in new single-family

home #1083, October 14, 2014.

3.3 Ranger Residence (#1021)

The 1,444 square-foot single-family home was built in 1964. It has a living room, dining area, kitchen, three bedrooms, one bathroom, a laundry area, and a garage. A floor plan showing a similar layout is included in Appendix D.

The house is reported to be in “fair” condition with approximately $36,000 in deferred maintenance. Major work needed includes deck repairs, carpet replacement, and exterior painting. Considering the age, the building may also need asbestos abatement, egress window replacements, replacement of original plumbing fixtures, and energy efficiency upgrades (Bowers and others, 2014).

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Photo 29. Yakutat Ranger Residence (#1021), October 14, 2014.

Photo 30. Back side of the ranger house, October 14, 2014.

Photo 31. Ranger house living room, October 14, 2014.

Photo 32. Ranger house front door, October 14, 2014.

Photo 33. Ranger house kitchen and laundry area, October 14, 2014.

Photo 34. Ranger house kitchen and dining area, October 14, 2014.

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Photo 35. Ranger house bathroom, October 14,

2014. Photo 36. Ranger house bedroom #1, October

14, 2014.

Photo 37. Ranger house bedroom #2, October 14, 2014.

Photo 38. Ranger house bedroom #3, October 14, 2014.

3.4 Mobile Home #1 (#1072)

Mobile home #1 is a 1,140 square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom trailer with attached wannagans and a carport. It has an open kitchen/dining/living room area and is being used as a single-family residence.

The mobile home, which was constructed in 1991, is reported to be in “poor” condition. There is approximately $288,000 in deferred maintenance, which is equal to the cost of full replacement, and is recommended for decommissioning (Bowers and others, 2014).

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Photo 39. Mobile home #1 (#1072) and mobile home #2 (#1073), October 14, 2014.

Photo 40. Mobile home #1 front entrance, October 14, 2014.

Photo 41. Mobile home #1 back entrance, October 14, 2014.

Photo 42. Mobile home #1 front entrance

wannagan, October 14, 2014.

Photo 43. Mobile home #1 living room from kitchen, October 14, 2014.

Photo 44. Mobile home #1 kitchen from living room, October 14, 2014.

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Photo 45. Mobile home #1 bedroom #1,

October 14, 2014.

Photo 46. Mobile home #1 bathroom #1,

October 14, 2014.

Photo 47. Mobile home #1 bedroom #2,

October 14, 2014.

Photo 48. Mobile home #1 bedroom #3,

October 14, 2014.

Photo 49. Mobile home #1 bathroom #2,

October 14, 2014. Photo 50. Back ends of mobile home #1 and

mobile home #2, October 14, 2014.

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3.5 Mobile Home #2 (#1073)

Mobile home #2, which was constructed in 1991, is a 1,030 square-foot three-bedroom, two-bathroom trailer with attached wannagans and a carport. It has an open kitchen/dining/living room area and is being used intermittently by seasonal and zoned employees.

It is reported to be in “poor” condition with approximately $115,000 in deferred maintenance. Major work needed includes roof, carpet, furnace, and water heater replacements and interior and exterior painting. It is recommended for decommissioning (Bowers and others, 2014).

Photo 51. Mobile Home #2 (#1073), October 14, 2014.

Photo 52. Mobile home #2 wannagan entrances, October 14, 2014.

Photo 53. Mobile home #2 wannagan, October 14, 2014.

Photo 54. Mobile home #2 living room from kitchen, October 14, 2014.

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Photo 55. Mobile home #2 kitchen, October 14, 2014.

Photo 56. Mobile home #2 washer and dryer in bathroom #1, October 14, 2014.

Photo 57. Mobile home #2 bedroom #1,

October 14, 2014.

Photo 58. Mobile home #2 bedroom #2,

October 14, 2014.

Photo 59. Mobile home #2 bedroom #3, October 14, 2014.

Photo 60. Mobile home #2 bathroom #2,

October 14, 2014.

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3.6 Mobile Home #3 (#1074)

Mobile home #3, which was constructed in 1986, is a 1,087 square-foot three-bedroom, one-bathrooom trailer with attached wannagans and a carport. It has an open kitchen/dining/iving room area and is being used as a bunkhouse.

It is reported to be in “poor” condition. There is approximately $275,000 in deferred maintenance, which is equal to the cost of full replacement, and is recommended for decommissioning (Bowers and others, 2014). During MLFA’s site visit, Forest Service employees said the water system in the mobile home was not working.

Photo 61. Mobile Home # 3 (#1074) next to Modular #4 (5061055), October 14, 2014.

Photo 62. Back end of mobile home #3, October 14, 2014.

Photo 63. Mobile home #3 back door, October 14, 2014.

Photo 64. Mobile home #3 living room from kitchen, October 14, 2014.

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Photo 65. Mobile home #3 kitchen from living room, October 14, 2014.

Photo 66. Mobile home #3 kitchen, October 14, 2014.

Photo 67. Mobile home #3 bathroom, October

14, 2014. Photo 68. Mobile home #3 bedroom #1,

October 14, 2014.

Photo 69. Mobile home #3 bedroom #2, October 14, 2014.

Photo 70. Mobile home #3 bedroom #3,

October 14, 2014.

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3.7 Modular #4 (#5061055)

Modular home #4 is a 1,113 square-foot building constructed in 1995. The building, which is being used as a single-family residence, has a living room/dining room area, a separate kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a laundry area, and an attached carport.

It is reported to be in “poor” condition with approximately $46,000 in deferred maintenance. Major work needed includes kitchen cabinets, carpet replacement, and exterior painting. Additionally, energy efficiency issues need to be addressed (Bowers and others, 2014).

The residents purchased and installed a wood-fired boiler to improve the heating system and reduce utility costs. They reported that prior to the addition of the boiler the temperature inside the house did not get above 45 degrees Fahrenheit. They also said that heavy winter snows have sheared off the plumbing vents and mushrooms had been growing on a bedroom wall after the roof leaked.

Photo 71. Modular #4 (5061055), October 14, 2014.

Photo 72. Modular #4 front door and septic system clean outs, October 14, 2014.

Photo 73. Modular #4 living room and dining room, October 14, 2014.

Photo 74. Modular #4 kitchen, October 14,

2014.

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Photo 75. Modular #4 laundry area next to bathroom #1, October 14, 2014.

Photo 76. Modular #4 bathroom #2, October 14,

2014.

Photo 77. Modular #4 bedroom #1, October 14,

2014.

Photo 78. Modular #4 bedroom #2, October 14,

2014.

Photo 79. Modular #4 bedroom #3, October 14,

2014.

Photo 80. Modular #4 wannagan storage area,

October 14, 2014.

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3.8 Modular #5 (#5061056)

Modular home #5 is a 1,117 square-foot building constructed in 1995. The building, which has been used as a single-family residence and a bunkhouse, has a living room/dining room area, a separate kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a laundry area, and an attached carport.

It is reported to be in “poor” condition with approximately $114,000 in deferred maintenance. Major work needed includes foundation replacement and carpet replacement. Additionally, energy efficiency deficiencies need to be corrected (Bowers and others, 2014).

Photo 81. Modular #5 (5061056) front end, October 14, 2014.

Photo 82. Modular #5 back end, October 14, 2014.

Photo 83. Modular #5 living room, October 14, 2014.

Photo 84. Modular #5 living room and dining room, October 14, 2014.

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Photo 85. Modular #5 kitchen, October 14, 2014.

Photo 86. Modular #5 laundry area next to bathroom #1, October 14, 2014.

Photo 87. Modular #5 bathroom #1, October 14,

2014.

Photo 88. Modular #5 bathroom #1 shower,

October 14, 2014.

Photo 89. Modular #5 bedroom #1, October 14,

2014. Photo 90. Modular #5 bedroom #2, October 14,

2014.

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Photo 91. Modular #5 bedroom #3, October 14, 2014.

Photo 92. Modular #5 bathroom #2, October 14,

2014.

4.0 HOUSING DEMANDS AND PREFERENCES

4.1 DEMAND FOR RENTAL AND OWNERSHIP

MLFA evaluated the demand for rental and ownership by researching information provided in the Tongass National Forest 2014 Facilities Master Plan (Bowers and others, 2014) as well as information available on Internet websites. We also interviewed Yakutat residents and toured and photographed the Forest Service housing during a site visit on October 14 and 15, 2014. Our findings are summarized below.

There aren’t many homes available to rent or buy. o Some of the available housing is overpriced, unaffordable, or in poor condition. o The demand for rentals is higher than the supply. o There are quite a few houses for sale but prices tend to be higher than what people

can afford. It is difficult to buy and sell a home in Yakutat.

o There aren’t any banks, realtors, or contractors in Yakutat. o Land issues are a concern because some houses were built on the property line. o Native families don’t want to sell the older homes when the elder dies. o Many of the self-built homes are not up to code.

It is difficult to find affordable housing. o Rental rates for a small house are $1,000 to $1,200 per month plus utilities. o The advertised rental rate for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom mobile home with

covered entry porch, washer/dryer hook-ups, new insulated plumbing and skirting was $825 per month.

o The advertised rental rate for a nearly new fully furnished one-bedroom manufactured home with a covered porch was $800 per month.

o The rental rate for a small travel trailer was $500 per month plus utilities. o The low income housing has a waiting list. o Rental rates for some of the Native owned housing is based on income. o It is difficult to find rental housing that allows pets. o A Yakutat resident said the estimated construction cost for a modular home shipped

from Washington was $400,000 to $500,000, which wasn’t affordable for lower income families.

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o A Yakutat resident said they wanted to build a 1,400 square-foot house but the construction cost was about $300 per square foot (about $420,000), which wasn’t affordable. Their existing 1,350 square-foot house was assessed at $120,000 and might sell for $180,000.

The high cost of living prevents many people from making long-term commitments to staying in Yakutat. o Everything is barged or flown in which increases the costs. o Fuel prices change when each barge arrives, which makes it difficult to make and keep

a budget. o Gas stations run out of fuel, some of the pumps are broken, and there isn’t anyone on-

site to help when there is a problem. o Electricity is very expensive. o There aren’t any repair shops for vehicles, outboard motors, or ATVs.

Seasonal labor and visitors impact the rental and sales markets. Houses sit empty in the winter and there is an explosion of housing needs in the summer.

The large amounts of snow and rain are big maintenance issues. o Snow loads have crushed vehicles. o Heavy wet snow has sheared off plumbing vents. o Everyone has a never winning issue with mold. Forced air furnaces help with the

moisture issues. The “Toyo” oil stoves are a problem because there is no air circulation.

o Wood pilings rot because of high groundwater conditions. o Windows rot or rust; vinyl mildews and weeps; latex paint withers; and oil-based paints

must be shipped as hazardous material. Most people want 2 or 3 bedroom houses with space for boats and storage. Bears are an issue so people want secure storage areas. The school system is very small with limited resources, so families have been moving

away.

4.2 HOUSING TYPES AND PREFERENCES

American Community Survey 2008-2012 five-year estimates (ADOL, 2014) for Yakutat housing was used to identify the local housing types and preferences and compare them to the Yakutat Ranger District housing types. Some of the five-year estimates are presented in Tables 6 through 10.

Table 6 – Yakutat Housing Types

General Housing Characteristics 2008-2012

5-Year EstimateYakutat Ranger District Housing

Total Housing Units 368

Single-family units 258 3 houses and 2 modular homes

Duplexes 11 0

3 or 4 units 34 1 Bunkhouse with

5 bedrooms 5 to 9 units 17 0 10 to 19 units 6 0 20 or more units 0 0 Mobile homes 40 3 mobile homes Boat, RV, van, etc. 2 0

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General Housing Characteristics 2008-2012

5-Year EstimateYakutat Ranger District Housing

Built 2010 or later 3 Built 2000 to 2009 31 Built 1990 to 1999 77 Built 1980 to 1989 88 Built 1970 to 1979 109 Built 1960 to 1969 15 Built 1950 to 1959 16 Built 1940 to 1949 22 Built 1939 or earlier 7 No bedroom 54 1 bedroom 39 2 bedrooms 91 3 bedrooms 138 4 bedrooms 41 5 or more bedrooms 5 Complete plumbing facilities 314 Lacking complete plumbing facilities 54 Complete kitchen facilities 316 Lacking complete kitchen facilities 52

Table 7 – Occupied Housing Data

Occupied Housing Characteristics 2008-2012

5-Year Estimate Occupied Housing Units 259 Moved in 2010 or later 28 Moved in 2000 to 2009 118 Moved in 1990 to 1999 58 Moved in 1980 to 1989 33 Moved in 1970 to 1979 20 Moved in 1969 or earlier 2 Heating Fuel in Occupied Housing Units Utility gas 10 Bottled, tank, or LP gas 1 Electricity 10 Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 217 Coal or coke 0 Wood 20 Solar energy 0 Other fuel 1 No fuel used 0

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Table 8 – Renter Occupied Housing Data

Renter Occupied Housing Characteristics 2008-2012

5-Year Estimate Renter Occupied Housing 140 1-person household 56 2-person household 27 3-person household 32 4-person household 7 5-person household 16 6-person household 2 7-or-more person household 0 With cash rent 116 Less than $100 0 $100 to $149 1 $150 to $199 0 $200 to $249 0 $250 to $299 2 $300 to $349 2 $350 to $399 0 $400 to $449 18 $450 to $499 2 $500 to $549 3 $550 to $599 17 $600 to $649 12 $650 to $699 3 $700 to $749 11 $750 to $799 7 $800 to $899 2 $900 to $999 18 $1,000 to $1,249 12 $1,250 to $1,499 1 $1,500 to $1,999 3 $2,000 or more 2 No cash rent 24 Pay extra for one or more utilities 116 No extra payment for any utilities 24 Median rent $1,000 Average gross rent $1,063 Gross rent 30% or more of household income 33 Gross rent $750 or more 78

Table 9 – Owner Occupied Housing Data

Owner Occupied Housing Characteristics2008-2012

5-Year Estimate Owner Occupied Housing 119 1-person household 32 2-person household 35 3-person household 22 4-person household 21

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Owner Occupied Housing Characteristics2008-2012

5-Year Estimate 5-person household 3 6-person household 4 7-or-more person household 2 Value of Owner Occupied Housing Less than $10,000 0 $10,000 to $14,999 0 $15,000 to $19,999 2 $20,000 to $24,999 0 $25,000 to $29,999 4 $30,000 to $34,999 0 $35,000 to $39,999 0 $40,000 to $49,999 0 $50,000 to $59,999 3 $60,000 to $69,999 5 $70,000 to $79,999 1 $80,000 to $89,999 7 $90,000 to $99,999 8 $100,000 to $124,999 22 $125,000 to $149,999 8 $150,000 to $174,999 26 $175,000 to $199,999 1 $200,000 to $249,999 10 $250,000 to $299,999 10 $300,000 to $399,999 9 $400,000 to $499,999 3 $500,000 to $749,999 0 $750,000 to $999,999 0 $1,000,000 or more 0 Median value $148,400 Median value for mobile homes $85,000

Table 10 – Monthly Owner Costs for Owner Occupied Housing

Owner Occupied Housing Characteristics 2008-2012

5-Year EstimateHousing units with a mortgage, contract to purchase, or similar debt

39

Less than $200 0 $200 to $299 0 $300 to $399 0 $400 to $499 2 $500 to $599 0 $600 to $699 0 $700 to $799 3 $800 to $899 2 $900 to $999 2 $1,000 to $1,249 12

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Owner Occupied Housing Characteristics 2008-2012

5-Year Estimate $1,250 to $1,499 7 $1,500 to $1,999 9 $2,000 to $2,499 2 $2,500 to $2,999 0 $3,000 or more 0 Mortgage owner costs 30% or more of the household income 7 Median mortgage owner costs $1,219 Housing units without a mortgage 80 Less than $100 2 $100 to $149 4 $150 to $199 4 $200 to $249 4 $250 to $299 4 $300 to $349 5 $350 to $399 7 $400 to $499 14 $500 to $599 10 $600 to $699 8 $700 or more 18 Nonmortgage owner costs 30% or more of the household income 2 Median nonmortgage owner costs $471

The following summary of housing types and preferences is based on the data presented in Tables 6 through 10.

Yakutat Housing Types There are 368 housing units. The majority (258 of 368 or 70%) of the housing units in Yakutat are single-family units.

o 11 (3%) are duplexes. o 57 (15%) are multi-family units. o 40 (11%) are mobile homes. o 2 (less than 1%) are boats, RVs, vans, etc.

Most (308 of 368 or 84%) of the housing units were built after 1970 and more than half (199 or 54%) were built after 1980.

Residents prefer housing units with two or more bedrooms. o 93 (25%) of the 368 units have one or no bedrooms. o 91 (25%) have two bedrooms. o 138 (38%) have three bedrooms. o 46 (13%) have four or more bedrooms.

Most have complete kitchens (316 of 368 or 86%) and complete plumbing facilities (314 of 368 or 85%).

Occupied Housing There are 259 occupied housing units. The majority (146 of 259 or 56%) of the residents moved into the occupied housing units

after 2000. Most of the occupied housing units are heated with fuel oil (217 of 259 or 83%).

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Renter Occupied Housing 140 households live in rental units. Most of the renter occupied housing units have one-person (56 of 140 or 40%), two-

person (27 of 140 or 19%), or three-person (32 of 140 or 23%) households. The majority of the rental unit households (77 of 140 or 55%) pay more than $550 per

month for rent. o The rental rate for 28 households (20%) is less than $550 per month. o The rental rate for 29 households (21%) is $550 to $649 per month. o The rental rate for 23 households (16%) is $650 to $899 per month. o The rental rate for 36 households (26%) is more than $900 per month.

116 households (83%) pay extra for one or more utilities. The median rent is $1,000 per month and the average gross rent is $1,063 per month.

Owner Occupied Housing 119 households live in owner occupied housing units. The majority (67 of 119 or 56%) of the owner occupied housing units have one-person (32

of 119 or 27%) or two-person (35 of 119 or 29%) households. The estimated values for owner occupied housing range from less than $20,000 to more

than $400,000. The estimated median value of the owner occupied housing is $148,400. The estimated median value for mobile homes is $85,000. 39 of the 119 owner occupied housing units (33%) have a mortgage. The estimated median monthly costs for mortgage owners are $1,219. 80 of the 119 owner occupied housing units (67%) do not have a mortgage. The estimated median monthly costs for nonmortgage owners are $471.

4.3 AVAILABLE AMENITIES AND PREFERENCES

MLFA asked a number of Yakutat residents about housing amenities and preferences during the site visit. Most people want extra bedrooms for visitors, office space, and storage for supplies, which are bought in bulk and barged or flown in. Garages or covered parking for dry storage, work space, and vehicles are important. Space for boat storage, wet suits, surf boards, hunting equipment, smoke houses, and wood storage is also important.

Residents interviewed indicated that heating and moisture were common problems throughout the community. Forced air heating systems were preferred to reduce moisture issues, but many people supplemented the systems with wood stoves to reduce fuel oil costs. Older homes and trailers were often in bad shape, and newer construction was preferred but hard to find, and generally not affordable.

4.4 INCOME LEVELS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Information on Yakutat income levels obtained from the American Community Survey 2008-2012 five-year estimates (ADOL, 2014) are provided in Table 11. Also shown is information on Yakutat Ranger District employee annual salaries (see Table 5 and Appendix B).

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Table 11 – Yakutat Income Levels Household Income

in the Past 12 Months (in 2012 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars)

2008-20125-Year

Estimate

Yakutat Ranger District Employee Annual Salary

Estimates Total Number of Households 259 Less than $10,000 2 $10,000 to $14,999 4 $15,000 to $19,999 6 $20,000 to $24,999 22 $25,000 to $29,999 11 $30,000 to $34,999 7 $35,000 to $39,999 14 $40,000 to $44,999 9 6 $45,000 to $49,999 8 $50,000 to $59,999 25 2 $60,000 to $74,999 36 1 $75,000 to $99,999 47 1 $100,000 to $124,999 37 $125,000 to $149,999 8 $150,000 to $199,999 18 $200,000 or more 5 Median annual household income $71,705

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website on affordable housing states: “Families who pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing are considered cost burdened and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and medical care” (HUD, 2014). Therefore, MLFA used the 30 percent criteria for the affordable housing analyses and the following assumptions to compare the Yakutat Ranger District employee salaries to the median rental rates and the median mortgage costs in Yakutat (see Table 12).

The estimated median rent is $1,000 per month. The estimated median monthly costs for mortgage owners are $1,219.

o The median value of an owner occupied home is $148,400. o The median value of an owner occupied mobile home is $85,000.

The employee is the sole provider for the household. Monthly salaries are based on the Yakutat Ranger District organizational chart from the

Tongass National Forest 2014 Facilities Master Plan (Bowers and others, 2014) and 2014 salary information provided by the TNF (see Table 5 and Appendices A and B).

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Table 12 – District Employee Salaries Compared to Rent and Mortgage Medians

Grade Organizational Chart Positions

Estimated Annual Salary

Percent of Salary if Rent is

$1,000 per Month or

$12,000 per Year

Percent of Salary if

Mortgage Is $1,219

per Month or $14,628 per year

30% of Annual Salary

13 No employees $90,264 13% 16% $27,079.2012 District Ranger $75,908 16% 19% $22,772.4011 Wildlife Biologist $63,330 19% 23% $18,999.0010 No employees $57,643 21% 25% $17,292.00

9 Resource Assistant

09/11 Forester-Rec/Lands

$52,344 23% 28% $15,703.00

8 No employees $47,391 25% 31% $14,217.30

7

Support Serv Spec Forestry Technician Supvsy Forestry

Technician Fish Biologist 07/09/11 Biological Technician River Ranger

$42,792 28% 34% $13,265.70

6 No employees $38,508 31% 38% $11,552.405 No employees $34,545 35% 42% $10,363.104 No employees $30,877 39% 47% $9,263.10 3 No employees $27,504 44% 53% $8,251.20 2 No employees $25,209 48% 58% $7,562.70 1 No employees $22,421 54% 65% $6,726.30

As shown, Grade 1 through 6 employees could not afford the median rental rates, and Grade 1 through 8 employees could not afford the median mortgage costs in Yakutat.

4.5 COMMUTING OPTIONS

As shown on Figures 2 and 3, most of the Yakutat area homes are located near the Yakutat Town Center and some homes are located between the airport and the town center. The Forest Service housing compound is located near the airport, which is about three miles from the town center.

Information on commuting options obtained from the American Community Survey 2008-2012 five-year estimates (ADOL, 2014) are provided in Table 13.

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Table 13 – Commuting Options

Commuting to Work 2008-2012

5-Year Estimate

Workers 16 years and over 305 Workers who commute to work 278 Car, truck, or van; drove alone 146 Car, truck, or van; carpooled 82 Public transportation (excluding taxicab) 4 Walked to work 34 Other means of commuting 12 Worked at home 27 Mean travel time to work in minutes 5.4

5.0 20-YEAR HOUSING DEMAND PROJECTION

Historical population data was used to forecast population and potential housing demands over the next 20 years for Yakutat. The population projection for Yakutat is depicted in Chart 2.

Chart 2. Yakutat Population Projections

As shown in Chart 2, the Yakutat population projections considered growth rates of 0.609 percent based on historical data from 1880 to 2010 and 1.07 percent based on historical data from 1990 to 2010. The projected populations are listed in Table 14.

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Table 14 – Projected Populations

Year Historical

Population Population Projection

for a 0.609% Growth RatePopulation Projection

for a 1.07% Growth Rate1880 300 300 1890 308 319 1900 247 339 1910 271 360 1920 165 383 1930 265 407 1940 292 432 1950 298 459 1960 230 488 1970 190 519 1980 449 552 1990 534 586 534 2000 808 623 594 2010 662 662 661 2020 704 736 2030 748 819 2040 795 912

Historically, the Yakutat population has grown and declined. The growth rate for the past 130 years has been 0.609 percent, and the growth rate over the past 20 years was 1.07% and the population has declined over the last decade. Although the population is currently declining, the decline may be a short-term adjustment, there is a high demand for seasonal housing units, there isn’t much new construction, and many of the older homes are in poor condition. Therefore, MLFA believes the housing demands will continue to grow over the next 20 years.

Housing and household data provided in Table 1 in Section 2.0, Existing Conditions and Demographics, was used to identify some of the historical trends in housing demands.

The number of housing units decreased from 385 to 383 (a total of 2 units) between 2000 and 2010, and there was a decrease from 383 to 368 (a total of 15 units) between 2010 and 2012.

Occupied housing increased from 261 to 270 (an increase of 9 households) between 2000 and 2010 and decreased from 270 to 259 (a decrease of 11 households) between 2010 and 2012.

The average household size decreased from 3 in 2000 to 2.19 in 2012. The historical trends suggest there was an increased demand for renter occupied units.

o The number of owner occupied housing units decreased from 157 units in 2000 to 153 units in 2010 (a decrease of 4 units) and decreased from 153 units in 2010 to 119 units in 2012 (a decrease of 34 owner occupied units).

o Renter occupied housing units increased from 104 units in 2000 to 117 units in 2010 (an increase of 13 renter occupied units); and increased from 117 units in 2010 to 140 units in 2012 (an increase of 23 renter occupied units).

Table 15 summarizes data obtained from the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) Quarterly Reports of Alaska Housing Market Indicators (AHFC, 2014). The AHFC reports are based on ADOL quarterly surveys of local government and housing agencies. The survey includes new housing units authorized by building permits as well as units that don’t require

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permits. As shown, no new housing units were constructed in Yakutat in the six-year period between 2008 and 2013.

Table 15 – New Housing Units in Yakutat 2008 to 2013 Year Single-Family Multi-Family Mobile Home Total New Units 2008 0 0 0 0 2009 0 0 0 0 2010 0 0 0 0 2011 0 0 0 0 2012 0 0 0 0 2013 0 0 0 0

6-Year Total 0 0 0 0 Data is from AHFC Quarterly Reports of Alaska Housing Market Indicators (AHFC, 2014).

Some of the long-term factors that may influence future housing demands and preferences are listed below.

There is a high demand for affordable housing. The number of housing units is declining. Housing prices have steadily increased. The need for seasonal housing for tourism and fishing industry employees is likely to

continue. The demand for second homes is likely to continue. The demand for single-family houses with extra bedrooms for office space, extra storage,

and visitors is likely to continue. The demand for garages and/or dry work space for storage, equipment, and projects is

likely to continue. Many of the older homes and trailers are in bad shape and those housing units will

disappear if they aren’t replaced.

6.0 HOUSING PROJECT COST / FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS

The housing project cost / feasibility analysis includes: 1) an evaluation of current government deferred maintenance costs versus local market conditions; 2) a comparison of existing private unit market costs versus costs to construct new similar size residence or to provide equal manufactured home; 3) the feasibility for government workers to purchase and maintain a private residence in the community; and 4) the fair market rent value of local government housing units versus rates being charged today.

6.1 Government Deferred Maintenance Costs versus Local Market Conditions

Most of the maintenance issues in Yakutat seem to be related to climate and moisture issues. Also, older homes need to be repaired or renovated and there aren’t any contractors in Yakutat.

The 2014 Facilities Master Plan stated that the Yakutat bunkhouse was in “good” condition; the ranger residence was in “fair” condition; the three mobile homes were in “poor” condition; and the two modular homes were in “poor” condition. Major work items for the ranger residence included deck repairs, carpet replacement, and exterior painting and it may need asbestos abatement, egress window replacements, plumbing fixture replacements, and energy efficiency upgrades. In general, the deferred maintenance costs for the three mobile homes are higher

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than the estimated replacement costs; therefore, they have been recommended for decommissioning. Major work items for modular home #4 include carpet and kitchen cabinet replacements, and exterior painting; modular home #5 needs foundation and carpet replacement; and both of the modular homes need to have energy efficiency issues addressed.

Government housing utility, maintenance, and deferred maintenance costs and replacement values obtained from the Forest Service are summarized in Table 16.

Table 16 – Government Housing Utility, Maintenance, and Deferred Maintenance Costs and Replacement Values

Building Square

Feet Year Built

Utility and Maintenance Costs and Replacement

Value Remarks

Yakutat Crew

Quarters (#1028)

3,420 1974

$10,255 utility costs. $2,009 maintenance costs. $0 in deferred

maintenance. $1,163,033 replacement

value.

Good condition. Was renovated in 2011/2012.

Yakutat Employee Housing (#1083)

2,588 2014 Under construction. Under construction in 2014. The square footage includes the attached garage.

Yakutat Employee Housing (#1084)

2,588 2014 Under construction. Under construction in 2014. The square footage includes the attached garage.

Ranger Residence

(#1021) 1,444 1964

$2,696 utility costs. $1,239 maintenance costs. $36,492 in deferred

maintenance. $365,887 replacement

value.

Fair condition. Needs deck repairs, carpet replacement, and exterior painting. May also need asbestos abatement, egress window replacements, plumbing fixture replacements, and energy efficiency upgrades.

Mobile Home #1 (#1072)

1,140 1991

$0 utility costs. $1,816 maintenance costs. $288,858 in deferred

maintenance. $288,858 replacement

value.

Poor condition. Needs to be decommissioned.

Mobile Home #2 (#1073)

1,030 1991

$0 utility costs. $1,816 maintenance costs. $114,997 in deferred

maintenance. $260,986 replacement

value.

Poor condition. Needs roof, carpet, furnace, and water heater replacements; and interior and exterior painting. Recommended for decommissioning.

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Building Square

Feet Year Built

Utility and Maintenance Costs and Replacement

Value Remarks

Mobile Home #3 (#1074)

1,087 1986

$0 utility costs. $1,816 maintenance costs. $275,428 in deferred

maintenance. $275,428 replacement

value.

Poor condition. Needs to be decommissioned.

Modular Home #4

(#5061055) 1,113 1995

$4,592 utility costs. $2,009 maintenance costs. $45,685 in deferred

maintenance. $282,016 replacement

value.

Poor condition. Needs kitchen cabinet and carpet replacements; and exterior painting. Also, energy efficiency issues need to be addressed.

Modular Home #5

(#5061056) 1,117 1995

$3,584 utility costs. $2,009 maintenance costs. $114,340 in deferred

maintenance. $283,030 replacement

value.

Poor condition. Needs foundation and carpet replacement. Also, energy efficiency deficiencies need to be corrected.

6.2 Private Unit Market Costs Versus Construction Costs

The following real estate information for Yakutat was obtained from Internet searches.

As of July 29, 2014 the median mortgage debt was $98,816 and the median number of days active properties had been listed was 557 (RealEstate.com, 2014).

A single-story, three-bedroom, one-bath single-family starter home with public water and sewer was listed at $115,000 on September 26, 2014 (Trulia.com, 2015).

A three-story, five-bedroom, three-bathroom single-family home built in 1966 with a garage and a one-bedroom, one-bathroom rental apartment above the garage with public water and sewer was listed at $300,000 on September 26, 2014 (Trulia.com, 2015).

A one-bathroom new construction single-family home was listed at $123,665 on October 19, 2012 (Trulia.com, 2015).

A five-bedroom, five-bathroom new construction single-family home was listed at $1,299,851 on October 19, 2012 (Trulia.com, 2015).

As a result of our site visit, interviews with area residents, and Internet searches, MLFA concluded that homes and lots are for sale but there aren’t any realtors, banks, or housing contractors in Yakutat. There is a concrete plant and a limited amount of heavy equipment available, but there aren’t any cranes. Many of the homes for sale are in poor condition and others are overpriced.

MLFA interviewed a number of residents and contractors about land development and construction costs. The assumptions and estimated costs for stick-built and modular homes are listed below and summarized in Table 17.

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The minimum bid price for a City and Borough of Yakutat 62,719 square-foot lot was $38,419.76. o The price included $4,900.14 for water, electrical and road construction assessments. o Hooking up to the existing utility services could cost $8,000 to $9,000. o An on-site wastewater system must be constructed.

The homes would have three bedrooms and two bathrooms in 1,700 square feet. The homes would have basic construction finishes for flooring, cabinets, doors, plumbing

fixtures, and light fixtures. A garage is not included. The price for a stick-built house is about $300 per square foot or $510,000 for a 1,700

square-foot home. o The cost of the land was not included. o The cost to clear and develop the pad, construct the foundation, and connect to the

existing utilities was included. The price for a modular home manufactured in Washington is about $125 per square foot.

o The cost of the land was not included. o The cost to construct the foundation was not included. The estimated cost is $20,000

to develop the pad and $26,000 to construct the foundation. o The estimated barge costs from Seattle to Yakutat are $22,200. o Transportation costs from the barge landing to the building pad and set them on the

foundation were not included. The estimated cost is $50,000. o The cost to connect the modules; secure them to the foundation; install the

mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and tie into existing utility service lines or construct on-site systems was not included. The estimated cost is $50,000.

Table 17 – Stick-Built and Modular Home Construction Costs

Construction Item Stick-Built Home

Cost Estimate Modular Home Cost Estimate

Construction of a 1,700 square-foot three-bedroom two-bathroom house

$300 per square foot or $510,000

$125 per square foot or $212,500

Pad development Included in the cost per

square foot $20,000

Foundation construction Included in the cost per

square foot $26,000

Barge costs from Seattle to Yakutat Not applicable $22,200 Transportation to the foundation Not applicable $50,000 Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and service connections

Included in the cost per square foot

$50,000

Total without land costs $510,000 $380,700 Total if the land costs $40,000 $560,000 $420,700

As shown, the estimated costs to construct a 1,700 square-foot three-bedroom, two-bathroom stick-built or modular home in Yakutat are much higher than the median value of $148,400 for an owner occupied home in Yakutat.

6.3 Feasibility of Government Workers to Purchase and Maintain a Home in Yakutat

MLFA believes it is feasible for some, but not all of the government workers to purchase and maintain a home in Yakutat.

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Government employees earning less than $48,760 per year cannot afford the median mortgage costs for a home in Yakutat.

This assumes: o the employee is the sole provider for the household; o the median mortgage costs in Yakutat are $14,628 per year; o families paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing are considered cost

burdened.

6.4 Fair Market Rent Value of Government Housing Units

Rental rates for the government housing are shown in Table 18.

Table 18 – Government Housing Rental Rates Housing

Units Daily Rate

Annual Rate

Monthly Average

Remarks

Yakutat Crew Quarters (#1028)

$7.35 $2,682.75 $223.56 Electricity, fuel oil, sewer, trash disposal, and water are billed in rent.

Yakutat Employee Housing (#1083)

N/A N/A N/A Under Construction.

Yakutat Employee Housing (#1084)

N/A N/A N/A Under Construction.

Ranger Residence (#1021)

$23.65 $8,632.25 $719.35 Water and sewer are billed in rent. Occupants pay electric, heating fuel, etc.

Mobile Home #1 (#1072)

$18.26 $6,664.90 $555.41 Water and sewer are billed in rent. Occupants pay electric, heating fuel, etc.

Mobile Home #2 (#1073)

$19.52 $7,124.80 $593.73 Water and sewer are billed in rent. Occupants pay electric, heating fuel, etc.

Mobile Home #3 (#1074)

$19.52 $7,124.80 $593.73 Water and sewer are billed in rent. Occupants pay electric, heating fuel, etc.

Modular Home #4 (#5061055)

$19.79 $7,223.35 $601.95 Water and sewer are billed in rent. Occupants pay electric, heating fuel, etc.

Modular Home #5 (#5061056)

$19.63 $7,164.95 $597.08 Water and sewer are billed in rent. Occupants pay electric, heating fuel, etc.

Note: The annual rental rates were calculated by multiplying the daily rates by 365 days per year. The average monthly rental rates were calculated by dividing the annual rental rates by 12 months per year.

The government rental rates for the Yakutat Ranger District housing units are lower than the median Yakutat rental rate of $1,000 per month. MLFA obtained the following information on rental housing from Yakutat residents during the site visit.

Rental rates are about $1,200 per month. Occasionally something in the $500 to $900 per month range is available, but those are usually short-term rates for a trailer or cabin.

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The average rental rate is $1,000 per month plus $800 per month for heat, electric, water, and sewer depending on where the house is (some homes are on septic systems).

Houses smaller than the Forest Service trailers rent for $900 to $1,000 per month. Rental rates for Native housing are based on income. Rental rates for other housing

range from $750 to $1,200 per month plus utilities. Rental rates for older logging camp era trailers are generally $900 per month. The following ads were posted on a bulletin board.

o Three-bedroom two-bath mobile home at Glacier Bear Park with covered entry porch and washer/dryer hook ups. New insulated plumbing and skirting. $825 per month.

o Nearly new fully furnished one-bedroom manufactured home at Glacier Bear Park. Covered porch. $800 per month.

The rent for a small travel trailer was $500 per month plus utilities. The rental rate for a National Park Service three-bedroom, two-bathroom, energy-efficient,

ADA-accessible modular home with a two car garage, forced air furnace, fire suppression system that was designed and constructed for snow loads, wind, and earthquakes is $700 to $800 per month.

7.0 BEST PRACTICES / RECOMMENDATIONS

MLFA recommends that the Forest Service continue to provide transitional housing for permanent employees in Yakutat. This is demonstrated in Table 19, which shows our evaluation based on the Forest Service housing criteria.

Table 19 – Forest Service Housing Criteria

Criteria

Meets theCriteria –

Yes or No

Comments

Where there is a lack of available housing within the local community for an extended duration which can be demonstrated by one or more of the following.

Yes As shown below, more than one criteria is met.

Housing cannot be located through realtors or advertisements.

Yes There aren’t any realtors in Yakutat.

Available housing is substandard by reasons of design, construction, or location.

Yes

There aren’t any contractors in Yakutat. Many of the houses were self-built by the owners, don’t meet code requirements, and aren’t financeable.

Available housing is excessively large and therefore considerably more costly than employees can afford.

Partially

Housing may not be excessively large, but the median prices are more costly than many of the Yakutat employees can afford.

Employees who are subject to rotation cannot obtain leases which will permit them to vacate with only a thirty day notice, at prevailing rental rates.

Yes Yakutat has a high demand for rental units, especially during the summer season.

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Criteria

Meets theCriteria –

Yes or No

Comments

Commuting travel time is in excess of two hours per round trip by automobile or public transportation.

No The average commute is five minutes.

Commuting travel distance is in excess of 50 miles each way.

No The longest Yakutat commuting distance is three miles each way.

Where there is a requirement by the Forest Service to provide service or protection.

Not Applicable

Employee occupancy of government quarters at a station is required by the government to provide a necessary service, or for the protection of government property.

Not Applicable

The following are some additional conclusions and recommendations for Yakutat Ranger District transitional housing for permanent employees.

During MLFA’s site visit, three of the Yakutat transitional housing units were in use and some of the vacant units had been used as bunk houses for seasonal and temporary employees.

The number of transitional housing units maintained in Yakutat needs to consider the projected number of permanent employee vacancies to be filled each year.

Seasonal labor impacts the availability of rental units and homes for sale. Projections indicate the Yakutat population is decreasing, the total number of housing

units is decreasing, and the demand for rental units is increasing. There is a lack of affordable housing and many of the older homes that are in poor

condition are not being replaced. MLFA concludes that the high demand for affordable housing will continue. The ADA and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standard (ABAAS) for accessibility,

energy efficiency, and wet climate conditions need to be considered for all new construction and building renovations.

Whenever possible, the Forest Service should meet the housing needs through private sector vendors.

8.0 REFERENCES

ADCCED. 2015. Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development Division of Community and Regional Affairs Community Database Online, [Online]. Available: http://commerce.alaska.gov/cra/DCRAExternal/ 1/30/15.

ADOL. 2014. Alaska Department of Labor (ADOL) 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. [Online]. Available: http://labor.alaska.gov/research/census/ 8/4/14.

AHFC. 2014. Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), Alaska Housing Market Indicators. [Online]. Available: http://www.ahfc.us/efficiency/research-information-center/alaska-housing-market-indicators/ 10/27/14.

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Tongass National Forest 43 February 13, 2015 Yakutat Housing Market Analysis MLFA Job No. USFS-USFS-007-0001

Bowers, K., Slaght, L., Dorgan, M., Wild, L., Barnes, F., and Jarrell, T. 2014. Tongass National Forest 2014 Facilities Master Plan. Finalized by the Tongass National Forest on March 10, 2014.

HHS. 2014. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 2013 poverty guidelines. for Alaska [Online]. Available: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/13poverty.cfm 7/26/14.

HUD. 2014. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Affordable Housing website. [Online]. Available: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/affordablehousing 10/27/14.

RealEstate.com. 2014. RealEstate.com website. [Online]. Available: http://www.realestate.com/local/market/AK/ 7/29/14.

Trulia.com. 2015. Trulia.com website. [Online]. Available: http://www.trulia.com/for_sale/02282_c/date;d_sort 2/5/15.

US Census Bureau. 2015. U.S. Census data website. [Online]. Available: http://www.census.gov/ 1/30/15.

WRCC. 2015. Western Regional Climate Center (WRCC) climate summaries. [Online] Available: http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/summary/climsmak.html 1/9/15.

Yakutat. 2010. City and Borough of Yakutat Comprehensive Plan, April 2010. [Online] Available: http://www.yakutatak.us/ 1/30/15.

9.0 ABBREVIATIONS

ABAAS Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standard ADA Americans with Disabilities Act ADCCED Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic

Development ADOL Alaska Department of Labor AHFC Alaska Housing Finance Corporation HHS U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HUD U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development MLFA Michael L. Foster & Associates, Inc. TNF Tongass National Forest U.S. United States WRCC Western Regional Climate Center

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APPENDIX A

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

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Appendix J Organization Charts

Page J-18 Tongass National Forest 2014 Facilities Master Plan

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APPENDIX B

SALARY DATA

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SALARY TABLE 2014-AK INCORPORATING THE 1% GENERAL SCHEDULE INCREASE AND A LOCALITY PAYMENT OF 24.69%

STATE OF ALASKA TOTAL INCREASE: 1%

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2014

Annual Rates by Grade and Step

Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10 1 $ 22,421 $ 23,170 $ 23,916 $ 24,657 $ 25,403 $ 25,841 $ 26,578 $ 27,321 $ 27,350 $ 28,048 2 25,209 25,808 26,643 27,350 27,655 28,468 29,281 30,094 30,907 31,720 3 27,504 28,421 29,337 30,254 31,170 32,086 33,003 33,919 34,836 35,752 4 30,877 31,906 32,934 33,963 34,992 36,020 37,049 38,078 39,107 40,135 5 34,545 35,698 36,850 38,002 39,154 40,306 41,458 42,610 43,762 44,915 6 38,508 39,791 41,074 42,357 43,640 44,923 46,206 47,489 48,772 50,056 7 42,792 44,219 45,645 47,072 48,498 49,925 51,351 52,778 54,204 55,630 8 47,391 48,971 50,551 52,130 53,710 55,290 56,870 58,450 60,030 61,609 9 52,344 54,088 55,832 57,577 59,321 61,066 62,810 64,555 66,299 68,043 10 57,643 59,564 61,486 63,407 65,329 67,250 69,172 71,093 73,015 74,936 11 63,330 65,441 67,552 69,663 71,774 73,885 75,996 78,107 80,218 82,329 12 75,908 78,437 80,967 83,497 86,027 88,557 91,087 93,617 96,147 98,677 13 90,264 93,273 96,282 99,291 102,299 105,308 108,317 111,326 114,334 117,343 14 106,665 110,220 113,775 117,330 120,884 124,439 127,994 131,549 135,104 138,659 15 125,468 129,650 133,832 138,014 142,196 146,379 150,561 154,743 157,100 * 157,100 *

* Rate limited to the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5304 (g)(1)).

Applicable locations are shown on the 2014 Locality Pay Area Definitions page: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2014/locality-pay-area-definitions/

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Grade  Step  Annual Rate  Bi‐Weekly 

Gross 

FERS Base 0.8% 

EmployeeTSP        5% Employee

OASDI   6.2%

Medicare Tax     1.45

Federal Tax   15% Assumed

 FEGLi Life Insurance Basic 

 FEHBA   Family BCBS 

 Dental Insurance Family 

Vision Insurance Family Bi‐Weekly Net 

Monthly Net Salary

1 1 22,421.00$        862.35$           6.90$        43.12$     53.47$    12.50$    122.88$  3.75$         204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      332.12$          719.59$       2 1 25,209.00$        969.58$           7.76$        48.48$     60.11$    14.06$    138.16$  4.20$         204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      409.19$          886.59$       3 1 27,504.00$        1,057.85$        8.46$        52.89$     65.59$    15.34$    150.74$  4.50$         204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      472.71$          1,024.21$    4 1 30,877.00$        1,187.58$        9.50$        59.38$     73.63$    17.22$    169.23$  4.95$         204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      566.06$          1,226.46$    5 1 34,545.00$        1,328.65$        10.63$       66.43$     82.38$    19.27$    189.33$  5.55$         204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      667.46$          1,446.16$    6 1 38,508.00$        1,481.08$        11.85$       74.05$     91.83$    21.48$    211.05$  6.19$         204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      777.02$          1,683.54$    7 1 42,792.00$        1,645.85$        13.17$       82.29$     102.04$  23.86$    234.53$  6.88$         204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      895.46$          1,940.16$    8 1 47,391.00$        1,822.73$        14.58$       91.14$     113.01$  26.43$    259.74$  7.62$         204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      1,022.61$      2,215.64$    9 1 52,344.00$        2,013.23$        16.11$       100.66$   124.82$  29.19$    286.89$  8.42$         204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      1,159.54$      2,512.34$    10 1 57,643.00$        2,217.04$        17.74$       110.85$   137.46$  32.15$    315.93$  9.27$         204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      1,306.04$      2,829.76$    11 1 63,330.00$        2,435.77$        19.49$       121.79$   151.02$  35.32$    347.10$  10.18$       204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      1,463.27$      3,170.42$    12 1 75,908.00$        2,919.54$        23.36$       145.98$   181.01$  42.33$    416.03$  12.20$       204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      1,811.01$      3,923.86$    13 1 90,264.00$        3,471.69$        27.77$       173.58$   215.24$  50.34$    494.72$  14.51$       204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      2,207.91$      4,783.81$    14 1 106,665.00$      4,102.50$        32.82$       205.13$   254.36$  59.49$    584.61$  17.15$       204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      2,661.35$      5,766.26$    15 1 125,468.00$      4,825.69$        38.61$       241.28$   299.19$  69.97$    687.66$  20.17$       204.98$  68.59$     14.04$      3,181.19$      6,892.59$    

Information provided by the U.S. Forest Service for the Tongass National Forest Housing Market Analysis on July 9, 2014.

Assumptions ‐ (1) Employee voluntarily contributes 5% to the TSP Retirement fund,    (2) Federal Tax = 15%,    (3) Basic FEGLI Life Insurance, No family options,    (4) Employee volunteers for extra dental and vision insurance package,   (5) All insurance is at the family rate (not single person)    (6) COLA pay is not included   (7) Step 1 of the Pay Scale used to show worst conditions

2014 Federal GS Salary, Alaska (includes 24.69% Locality)

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APPENDIX C

2014 MASTER PLAN MAPS

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Appendix K Site Development Plans

Page K-24 Tongass National Forest 2014 Facilities Master Plan

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Site Development Plans Appendix K

Tongass National Forest 2014 Facilities Master Plan Page K-25

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APPENDIX D

BUILDING LAYOUTS

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30'-0

"

39'-0"

30'-0

"

8'-0"

28'-0"

28'-0

"

86'-0"

13'-9" 6'-0" 30'-0"

SHOP

SLEEPINGROOM #4

SLEEPINGROOM #6

DINING ANDLIVING ROOM

(200 sf)

FIRE CACHE

STORE ROOM

FURNACEROOM

BATHROOM#1

SLEEPINGROOM #2

SLEEPINGROOM #1

SLEEPINGROOM #3

ADACLEAR

RAMP

2'-0

"

VANACCESSIBLE

PARKING

3'-0

"

STORE ROOM

CLO

SET

ACCESSIBLESLEEPINGR00M #5(120 sf)

ADACLEAR

30681-HRDOOR

BATHROOM#2

ACCESSIBLEBATHR00M

#3

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YAKUTAT TWO NEW EMPLOYEE HOUSING UNITS 

CONSTRUCTED 2014 

 

 

 

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An Alaskan Owned and Operated Company

Michael L. Foster & Associates, Inc. M L A

F

Architects Engineers Planners Scientists Surveyors General Contractors

Phone: (907) 696-6200 Fax: (907) 696-6202; 13135 Old Glenn Highway, Suite 200; Eagle River, Alaska 99577