{
  "story": {
    "slug": "the-valley-builds-three-times-more",
    "headline": "the valley builds three times more",
    "deck": "The Mat-Su builds three times as many homes a year as Anchorage, and part of the reason is literally the dirt under them.",
    "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/story/the-valley-builds-three-times-more",
    "section": "Housing",
    "area": "Anchorage",
    "published_at": "2026-09-13T20:00:00+00:00",
    "updated_at": "2026-10-02T06:04:31.242559+00:00",
    "body_md": "Alaska Public Media examined why homebuilding moves far faster in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough than in the Municipality of Anchorage, finding the Mat-Su builds roughly three times as many homes each year. The report cites geologist Bob Doehl, developer Andre Spinelli, builder Max Sumner, Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance and the Anchorage Assembly as central to understanding the gap.\n\nGeology is the first factor. The Mat-Su sits on gravel, which is cheap and easy to build on, while Anchorage contends with swampy, silty soil, smaller parcels, steep terrain and drainage problems. Bob Doehl said land in Anchorage is often in smaller parcels than people want to live on or develop, or is too steep, or has drainage issues.\n\nRegulation is the second factor, and it directly affects how long and how much it costs to build a home. Parts of the Mat-Su require minimal permitting, with some areas asking for little more than a driveway permit. Anchorage enforces the international building code, with earthquake, snow load and wind standards, and permit turnaround commonly running 20, 40 or 60 days. Andre Spinelli described the process as a seven-headed snake, where cutting back one requirement makes a new one pop up. Max Sumner said everyone says they need more affordable housing, then adopts policies antithetical to it.\n\nThe tradeoff shows up after disaster strikes. Following the 2018 earthquake, the damage rate in less-regulated areas north of Anchorage was five times higher than in the Anchorage Bowl.\n\nMayor LaFrance has set a goal of 10,000 new homes in Anchorage over the next decade. The Anchorage Assembly is scheduled to vote this September on a revised density zoning proposal, after an earlier version was delayed in 2025. Anchorage relaxed accessory dwelling unit rules in 2023 and allowed duplexes in all residential districts in 2024.",
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://alaskapublic.org/news/anchorage/2026-09-02/why-is-homebuilding-so-much-slower-in-anchorage-than-mat-su",
        "label": "alaskapublic.org"
      }
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  "envelope": {
    "story_id": "a389426c-ff74-4e25-8bfa-56e19afae45b",
    "slug": "the-valley-builds-three-times-more",
    "summary": "Alaska Public Media reports the Mat-Su Borough builds about three times as many homes yearly as Anchorage, driven by gravel soil, lighter permitting and faster approvals, while Anchorage's international building code adds safety review. After the 2018 earthquake, damage north of Anchorage ran five times higher than in the Anchorage Bowl.",
    "key_facts": [
      "The Mat-Su builds about three times as many homes a year as Anchorage.",
      "Anchorage permit turnaround commonly runs 20, 40 or 60 days.",
      "After the 2018 earthquake, damage rates north of Anchorage were five times higher than in the Anchorage Bowl.",
      "Mayor LaFrance has set a goal of 10,000 new homes in Anchorage over the next decade.",
      "The Anchorage Assembly is scheduled to vote this September on a revised density zoning proposal.",
      "Anchorage allowed duplexes in all residential districts starting in 2024."
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "a": "The Mat-Su has gravel soil that's cheap and easy to build on, lighter permitting, and faster approvals, while Anchorage deals with swampy soil, steep lots, drainage issues and stricter building codes that slow things down.",
        "q": "why does the mat-su build more homes than anchorage"
      },
      {
        "a": "About three times as many, a pace driven partly by the ground conditions and lighter regulations in parts of the Mat-Su.",
        "q": "how many more homes does mat-su build than anchorage yearly"
      },
      {
        "a": "Mayor LaFrance set a goal of 10,000 new homes over the next decade, the Assembly allowed duplexes in all residential districts starting in 2024, relaxed accessory dwelling unit rules in 2023, and is scheduled to vote on a revised density zoning proposal this September.",
        "q": "what is anchorage doing to build more homes"
      },
      {
        "a": "The 2018 earthquake caused five times more damage in less-regulated areas north of Anchorage than in the Anchorage Bowl, suggesting the lighter rules came with a safety tradeoff.",
        "q": "did lighter building rules in mat-su cause earthquake damage"
      }
    ],
    "claims": [
      {
        "claim": "The Mat-Su builds about three times as many homes a year as Anchorage.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskapublic.org/news/anchorage/2026-09-02/why-is-homebuilding-so-much-slower-in-anchorage-than-mat-su",
        "source_label": "alaskapublic.org"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Anchorage permit turnaround commonly runs 20, 40 or 60 days.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskapublic.org/news/anchorage/2026-09-02/why-is-homebuilding-so-much-slower-in-anchorage-than-mat-su",
        "source_label": "alaskapublic.org"
      },
      {
        "claim": "After the 2018 earthquake, the damage rate in less-regulated areas north of Anchorage was five times higher than in the Anchorage Bowl.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskapublic.org/news/anchorage/2026-09-02/why-is-homebuilding-so-much-slower-in-anchorage-than-mat-su",
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      {
        "claim": "Mayor LaFrance has set a goal of 10,000 new homes in Anchorage over the next decade.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
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      },
      {
        "claim": "The Anchorage Assembly is scheduled to vote this September on a revised density zoning proposal.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
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    "locations": [
      {
        "area": "Mat-Su",
        "kind": "borough",
        "name": "Matanuska-Susitna Borough"
      },
      {
        "area": "Anchorage",
        "kind": "city",
        "name": "Anchorage"
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        "name": "Anchorage Bowl"
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    "people": [
      {
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        "name": "Bob Doehl",
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      {
        "org": null,
        "name": "Andre Spinelli",
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        "name": "Max Sumner",
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        "name": "Suzanne LaFrance",
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    "event_dates": [
      {
        "date": "2018",
        "label": "2018 Anchorage earthquake"
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      {
        "date": "2024",
        "label": "Anchorage allows duplexes in all residential districts"
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        "date": "2023",
        "label": "Anchorage relaxes accessory dwelling unit rules"
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      {
        "date": "2026-09",
        "label": "Anchorage Assembly scheduled zoning vote"
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      "anchorage permit delays",
      "anchorage housing zoning",
      "anchorage building code",
      "2018 alaska earthquake damage",
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    "disclosure": "Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing.",
    "generated_at": "2026-10-01T05:12:12.342+00:00",
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