Finding affordable housing in the Homer area can be difficult. This week on the Coffee Table, we discussed how the housing and rental market has been changing, the impact of vacation rentals on our town and what changes we can expect to see in the future. Our guests are Mark Romick, deputy director of the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, Gina Pelaia with Bay Realty and James Baisden and Brandi Harbaugh with the Kenai Peninsula Borough.

The Homer City Council declined to put a parcel of city-owned land in Homer’s central business district back on the market Monday. The 1.3 acre parcel could have been the future home of Grace Ridge Brewing, but opponents of the move say the property could serve the city in the future.

The city had considered building the new Homer Public Library on the site, but after the city went another direction, the land sat on the market until 2018.  

The Homer Spit’s future as an iconic tourist attraction is in danger of washing away. Erosion along the spit’s sea walls is not a new problem. City officials are working with state and federal agencies to find a lasting solution.

Driving onto the four-mile-long Homer Spit, you’ll notice a majority of the Sterling Highway is shielded by boulders. But as you approach the numerous restaurants and businesses that attract thousands of tourists here each year, that shield against erosion.  

State authorities have charged 11 Alaska residents with 85 felony counts for what they say was a coordinated effort to steal money from ATMs and other property in Anchorage and Homer.

The state Attorney General’s Office announced the charges last week.  Authorities say the alleged thieves stole over $25,000 in cash and checks, bicycles and more than 40 firearms. Most of that money is said to have come from the Salty Dawg Saloon on the Homer Spit.