70 Homes Will Be Removed From the Market in Svalbard

Longyearbyen's rental market loses 70 homes in December, High North News reports, citing the risk of avalanches in the area. The homes are in barracks 3, 4 and 9 in Nybyen. Svalbard Wildlife eiendom rents barrack 3, Hurtigruten Svalbard rents barrack 4 and LNS Spitsbergen rents barrack 9. The owner is the student welfare organisation for the Norwegian Arctic, Norges arktiske studentsamskipnad. The residences house staff of tourism firms and other local industries. They represent around 5% of the town's housing capacity.

Svalbard n æringsforening (the Svalbard Business Association) and Svalbard reiselivsr åd (the Svalbard Tourism Council) have written to Kunnskapsdepartementet (the Ministry of Education and Research) and Justis- og beredskapsdepartementet (the Ministry of Justice and Public Security). Visit Svalbard (the destination company) coordinated the letter. They ask for a meeting without delay and a longer notice period. They state that no plan exists to replace the homes. They also state that a personnel shortage could reduce activity in both the private and the public sector.

Ronny Brunvoll, chief executive of Visit Svalbard, told the outlet that the removal of 70 homes will deepen the housing shortage. He said employees could be forced out on 1 December and then compete for the few alternatives, which he expects to push prices up further. He also noted that LNS Spitsbergen uses barrack 9 for its own staff and for outside craftsmen. He asked where workers will stay when many infrastructure projects are due. He said no permits have been issued for construction barracks or craftsman hotels.

Brunvoll said Nybyen has not been given priority for avalanche control. Asked whether he disputes the risk assessment, he said he does not, since experts made it. He believes the decision against avalanche control is open to debate. He suggested monitoring and evacuation for this winter. He said that, as far as is known, no avalanche has struck buildings there in almost 80 years. He believes the following year could be used to decide Nybyen's future while businesses and staff adapt. High North News said it will follow the matter.