Homer, Alaska

File:Homer alaska satellite map.jpg

Homer is located at 59°38'35" North, 151°31'33" West (59.643059, −151.525900).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} The only road into Homer is the Sterling Highway.{{cite journal|title=From Ketchikan to Barrow|journal=Alaska Magazine|date=June 2015|volume=81|issue=5|page=19}} The town has a total area of {{convert|25.5|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|15|sqmi|km2}} are land and {{convert|10.5|sqmi|km2}} are covered by water.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/community/facts-figures|title=Facts & Figures | City of Homer Alaska Official Website|website=www.cityofhomer-ak.gov}}

Homer is on the shore of Kachemak Bay on the southwest side of the Kenai Peninsula. Its distinguishing feature is the Homer Spit, a narrow {{convert|4.5|mi|abbr=on}} long gravel bar that extends into the bay, on which is located the Homer Harbor. Much of the coastline, as well as the Homer Spit, sank dramatically during the Good Friday earthquake in March 1964. After the earthquake, very little vegetation was able to survive on the Homer Spit.

As with much of South-central Alaska, Homer has a moderate subarctic mediterranean climate (Köppen Dsc), which causes its weather to be moderate compared to interior Alaska. Winters are snowy and long, but not particularly cold, considering the latitude, with the average January high only slightly below freezing. The annual snowfall averages {{convert|50|in|cm|0}} per season, falling primarily from November through March, with some accumulation in October and April but rarely in May. Homer receives only about 25 inches of rainfall annually due to the influence of the Chugach Mountains to the southeast, which shelter it from the Gulf of Alaska. As of 2023, Homer falls within USDA Hardiness Zone 6B.{{Cite web |title=2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map {{!}} USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map |url=https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=planthardiness.ars.usda.gov}} Seven days have a minimum {{convert|0|°F|0}} or below annually. The coldest day of the year averaged {{convert|10|F|C}} in the 1991 to 2020 normals, while the warmest night average was at {{convert|55|F|C}}. The coldest daytime maximum on record is {{convert|-8|F|C}} on January 28, 1989, while, conversely, the record warm daily minimum is {{convert|60|F|C}} on August 9, 1971, and August 23, 1963. Summers are cool due to the marine influence, with {{convert|75|°F|0}} maxima or minima remaining at or above {{convert|55|°F|0}} being extremely rare. Extreme temperatures have ranged from {{convert|−24|°F|0}} on January 28–29, 1989, up to {{convert|81|°F|0}} on July 10, 1993. The coldest has been January 2012 with a mean temperature of {{convert|9.0|F|1}}, while the warmest month was July 2019 at {{convert|58.6|F|1}}; the annual mean temperature has ranged from {{convert|32.9|F|1}} in 1956 to {{convert|43.7|F|1}} in 2014.

{{clear left}}

{{Weather box|width=auto

| collapsed =

| single line = Y

| location = Homer, Alaska (Homer Airport), 1991–2020 normals,{{efn|Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.}} extremes 1932–present

| temperature colour =

| Jan avg record high F = 44.7

| Feb avg record high F = 44.6

| Mar avg record high F = 45.8

| Apr avg record high F = 54.4

| May avg record high F = 63.8

| Jun avg record high F = 68.2

| Jul avg record high F = 70.3

| Aug avg record high F = 70.2

| Sep avg record high F = 63.3

| Oct avg record high F = 55.9

| Nov avg record high F = 47.9

| Dec avg record high F = 45.5

|year avg record high F = 72.9

| Jan avg record low F = -0.6

| Feb avg record low F = 4.3

| Mar avg record low F = 7.0

| Apr avg record low F = 19.9

| May avg record low F = 29.4

| Jun avg record low F = 36.7

| Jul avg record low F = 41.4

| Aug avg record low F = 38.7

| Sep avg record low F = 30.2

| Oct avg record low F = 20.2

| Nov avg record low F = 9.0

| Dec avg record low F = 3.7

|year avg record low F = -4.4

| Jan record high F = 57

| Feb record high F = 53

| Mar record high F = 54

| Apr record high F = 65

| May record high F = 72

| Jun record high F = 80

| Jul record high F = 81

| Aug record high F = 78

| Sep record high F = 69

| Oct record high F = 64

| Nov record high F = 58

| Dec record high F = 52

|Jan high F = 31.8

|Feb high F = 34.9

|Mar high F = 37.1

|Apr high F = 46.1

|May high F = 53.8

|Jun high F = 59.3

|Jul high F = 63.1

|Aug high F = 62.6

|Sep high F = 56.7

|Oct high F = 47.1

|Nov high F = 37.6

|Dec high F = 34.0

|year high F= 47.0

|Jan mean F = 25.4

|Feb mean F = 28.3

|Mar mean F = 30.1

|Apr mean F = 38.7

|May mean F = 46.0

|Jun mean F = 52.0

|Jul mean F = 56.1

|Aug mean F = 55.3

|Sep mean F = 49.5

|Oct mean F = 40.2

|Nov mean F = 31.2

|Dec mean F = 27.7

|year mean F= 40.0

|Jan low F = 19.0

|Feb low F = 21.7

|Mar low F = 23.1

|Apr low F = 31.3

|May low F = 38.2

|Jun low F = 44.7

|Jul low F = 49.2

|Aug low F = 48.0

|Sep low F = 42.3

|Oct low F = 33.3

|Nov low F = 24.8

|Dec low F = 21.4

|year low F= 33.1

| Jan record low F = −24

| Feb record low F = −19

| Mar record low F = −21

| Apr record low F = −9

| May record low F = 6

| Jun record low F = 27

| Jul record low F = 34

| Aug record low F = 31

| Sep record low F = 20

| Oct record low F = 0

| Nov record low F = −7

| Dec record low F = −16

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 2.15

|Feb precipitation inch = 1.82

|Mar precipitation inch = 1.32

|Apr precipitation inch = 1.15

|May precipitation inch = 0.78

|Jun precipitation inch = 0.87

|Jul precipitation inch = 1.45

|Aug precipitation inch = 2.31

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.28

|Oct precipitation inch = 2.61

|Nov precipitation inch = 2.87

|Dec precipitation inch = 3.27

|year precipitation inch= 23.88

|Jan snow inch = 9.1

|Feb snow inch = 9.6

|Mar snow inch = 7.0

|Apr snow inch = 1.9

|May snow inch = trace

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 2.6

|Nov snow inch = 7.0

|Dec snow inch = 10.2

|year snow inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 14.1

|Feb precipitation days = 12.4

|Mar precipitation days = 10.7

|Apr precipitation days = 10.2

|May precipitation days = 9.7

|Jun precipitation days = 9.8

|Jul precipitation days = 12.1

|Aug precipitation days = 14.3

|Sep precipitation days = 16.5

|Oct precipitation days = 14.9

|Nov precipitation days = 14.7

|Dec precipitation days = 16.9

|year precipitation days=

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 8.0

|Feb snow days = 6.4

|Mar snow days = 5.2

|Apr snow days = 1.9

|May snow days = 0.1

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 2.2

|Nov snow days = 5.4

|Dec snow days = 7.6

|Jan humidity = 79.7

|Feb humidity = 78.0

|Mar humidity = 74.0

|Apr humidity = 73.8

|May humidity = 74.2

|Jun humidity = 76.2

|Jul humidity = 80.2

|Aug humidity = 81.6

|Sep humidity = 81.4

|Oct humidity = 78.5

|Nov humidity = 78.9

|Dec humidity = 79.4

|year humidity=

| Jan dew point C = −8.1

| Feb dew point C = −7.4

| Mar dew point C = −5.8

| Apr dew point C = −2.4

| May dew point C = 1.9

| Jun dew point C = 5.7

| Jul dew point C = 8.8

| Aug dew point C = 8.8

| Sep dew point C = 5.7

| Oct dew point C = −0.4

| Nov dew point C = -5.0

| Dec dew point C = −7.2

|Jan sun = 93

|Feb sun = 141.3

|Mar sun = 186

|Apr sun = 240

|May sun = 279

|Jun sun = 270

|Jul sun = 248

|Aug sun = 186

|Sep sun = 150

|Oct sun = 124

|Nov sun = 90

|Dec sun = 62

|year sun =

|Jand sun = 3

|Febd sun = 5

|Mard sun = 6

|Aprd sun = 8

|Mayd sun = 9

|Jund sun = 9

|Juld sun = 8

|Augd sun = 6

|Sepd sun = 5

|Octd sun = 4

|Novd sun = 3

|Decd sun = 2

|yeard sun =

|Jan percentsun = 43

|Feb percentsun = 54

|Mar percentsun = 50

|Apr percentsun = 55

|May percentsun = 52

|Jun percentsun = 48

|Jul percentsun = 45

|Aug percentsun = 39

|Sep percentsun = 39

|Oct percentsun = 40

|Nov percentsun = 39

|Dec percentsun = 33

|year percentsun =

|Jan uv = 0

|Feb uv = 0

|Mar uv = 1

|Apr uv = 3

|May uv = 4

|Jun uv = 5

|Jul uv = 5

|Aug uv = 4

|Sep uv = 2

|Oct uv = 1

|Nov uv = 0

|Dec uv = 0

|year uv =

| source 1 = NOAA (relative humidity and dew point 1961–1990)

{{cite web

|url= https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=afc

|title= NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = November 1, 2019}}

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00025507&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

| title = U.S Climate Normals Quick Access (1991–2020)

| publisher = National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = September 11, 2022

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230509052800/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00025507&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

| archive-date = May 9, 2023}}(average snowfall/snow days 1981–2010)

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&stations=USW00025507&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access (1981–2010)

|access-date = September 11, 2022

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230509052744/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&stations=USW00025507&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|archive-date = May 9, 2023}}

{{cite web

| url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP1/70341.TXT

| title = WMO climate normals for HOMER/ARPT AK 1961−1990

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = August 30, 2020

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230509052308/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP1/70341.TXT

| archive-date = May 9, 2023}}

| source 2 = Weather Atlas (sun and uv)

{{cite web

|url=https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/alaska-usa/homer-climate

|title=Monthly weather forecast and climate - Homer, AK

|publisher=Weather Atlas

|access-date=March 28, 2020}}

}}

{{Graph:Weather monthly history

| table=Ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Homer.tab

| title=Homer monthly weather statistics

}}

;Notes:

{{notelist}}

File:Landing Fields - Alaska - Homer through Hot Springs - NARA - 68158840 (cropped).jpg

File:Coal Point Park.jpg

File:Homer City Hall August 17 2010.jpg

Image:Homer Alaska Salty Dawg Saloon 1850px.jpg]]

File:Homerbrew.jpg.]]

Image:Oldhomer.JPG

Tiller digs indicate that early Alutiiq people probably camped in the Homer area, although their villages were on the far side of Kachemak Bay.

Coal was discovered in the area in the 1890s. The Cook Inlet Coal Fields Company built a town, dock, coal mine, and railroad at Homer. Coal mining in the area continued until World War II. It is estimated that 400 million tons of coal deposits are still present in the area.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Homer was named for Homer Pennock, a goldmining company promoter, who arrived in 1896 on the Homer Spit and built living quarters for his crew of 50 men. However, goldmining was never profitable in the area.

Another earlier settlement, Miller's Landing, was named after a Charles Miller, who homesteaded in the area around 1915. According to local historian Janet Klein, he was an employee of the Alaska Railroad and had wintered company horses on the beach grasses on the Homer Spit. He built a landing site in a small bight in Kachemak Bay, where supply barges from Seldovia could land and offload their cargos.{{cite book |last=Klein |first=Janet |title=A History of Kachemak Bay |year=1981 |publisher=Homer Society of Natural History |location=Homer, Alaska}} Miller's landing was legally considered a census-designated place separate from Homer until it was annexed in 2002, but has always been locally considered part of Homer.

Halibut and salmon sport fishing, along with tourism and commercial fishing are the dominant industries. Homer co-hosted the 2006 Arctic Winter Games. The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve co-host a visitor center with interpretive displays known as the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center,{{Cite web|url=http://www.islandsandocean.org/|title=Islands and Oceans homepage|website=www.islandsandocean.org|accessdate=January 12, 2023|archive-date=October 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018031804/http://www.islandsandocean.org/|url-status=dead}} and a cultural and historical museum there is called the Pratt Museum.

{{US Census population

|align=none

|1940= 325

|1950= 307

|1960= 1247

|1970= 1083

|1980= 2209

|1990= 3660

|2000= 3946

|2010= 5003

|2020= 5522

| estyear=2022

| estimate=5876

| estref={{cite web|url= https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2022/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2022-POP-02.xlsx|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Alaska: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=April 11, 2024}}

|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]

}}

Homer first appeared on the 1940 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1964.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 5,003 people, 2,235 households, and 1,296 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|361.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,692 housing units at an average density of {{convert|194.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 89.3% White, 4.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% Asian, 0.4% African American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race were 2.1% of the population.{{cite web | title = U.S. Census website | publisher = United States Census Bureau | url = https://www.census.gov | access-date = October 16, 2012}}

There were 2,235 households, of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.0% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21, and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age in the city was 44.0 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.2% were from 25 to 44; 34.5% were from 45 to 64; and 14.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

The median income for a household was $52,057, and the median income for a family was $68,455. Males had a median income of $41,581 versus $37,679 for females. The per capita income for the city was $32,035. About 3.8% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.

Image:Kachcampus.jpg

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District provides primary and secondary education to the community of Homer. These schools are:

• Homer High School (9-12)
• Homer Flex High School (9-12)
• Homer Middle School (7-8)
• West Homer Elementary (3-6)
• Paul Banks Elementary (K-2)
• McNeil Canyon Elementary (K-6)
• Fireweed Academy (K-6)
• Connections Homeschool Program (K-12)

The Kachemak Bay Campus of Kenai Peninsula College provides post-secondary education, as well as ESL and GED training to the community of Homer.

The Homer Public Library has enthusiastic support from the Friends of the Homer Library, established in 1948, which raised funds and support for a new library building, opened on September 16, 2006.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Because of the city of Homer's location on the Kenai Peninsula and its abundance of natural resources and marine habitats, there are many public education programs focused on the environment. Some of these educational endeavors include the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center (also known as the Alaska Island and Ocean Center) and the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.{{Cite web|title=Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center {{!}} Homer Things To Do|url=https://www.alaska.org/detail/alaska-islands-and-ocean-visitor-center|access-date=April 13, 2021|website=ALASKA.ORG|language=en}} Both organizations encourage science education and sponsor many events aimed to teach people of all ages about the ecosystem and conservation. Some of these events include the Kachemak Crane Watch and the Kachemak Bay Science Conference, both sponsored by the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.{{Cite web|title=Explore. Connect. Protect - Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies {{!}} Homer, Alaska|url=https://www.akcoastalstudies.org/|access-date=April 13, 2021|website=www.akcoastalstudies.org}}

File:Sandhill Cranes with Colts.jpg

Homer hosts the Kachemak Bay Shorebird festival, which was established in 1993 by a group of Homer residents who wished to educate the public about shorebirds and the wetlands the birds inhabit.{{Cite web|title=About Us {{!}} Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival|url=https://kachemakshorebird.org/about-us/|access-date=March 29, 2021|website=kachemakshorebird.org}} Today, the festival is sponsored by Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and the Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges. The festival is held annually in early May when more than 13,000 shorebirds from 25 different species visit the Kachemak Bay area during spring migration.{{Cite web|last=Matz|first=George|date=|title=Kachemak Bay Shorebird Monitoring Project: 2014 Report|url=http://kachemakbaybirders.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/2014%20Kachemak%20Bay%20Shorebird%20Monitoring%20Project.pdf|website=Kachmak Bay Birders}} Tourists and Alaskans alike attend the festival and are encouraged to watch the shorebird migration through a variety of land and boat tours in collaboration with the festival.

Some birds seen during the spring migration and the festival include horned puffins, sandhill cranes, and arctic terns.{{Cite web|title=Birds Seen During the Festival {{!}} Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival|url=https://kachemakshorebird.org/birds-seen-during-the-festival/|access-date=April 7, 2021|website=kachemakshorebird.org}}{{Cite web|title=SPECIES TALLY LIST FOR KACHEMAK SHOREBIRD FESTIVAL MAY 9-12 2019|url=https://kachemakshorebird.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Kachemak-Bay-tally-2019.pdf|website=Kachemak Shorebird}} Arctic Terns are famous for flying the longest distance of any migrating bird.Fijn, R.C.; Hiemstra, D.; Phillips, R.A.; van der Winden, J. (2013). [http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502154/1/Ardea1637edited.doc "Arctic Terns Sterna paradisaea from the Netherlands migrate record distances across three oceans to Wilkes Land, East Antarctica".] Ardea. 101: 3–12. doi:10.5253/078.101.0102. S2CID [https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:84699518 84699518.] Many of the birds seen during the festival can be identified with the help of published guides that categorize distinguishable features such as, topography, silhouette, size, and color.{{Cite web|title=Shorebird Identification|url=http://migratoryshorebirdproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/PFSS_shorebird-ID-slides.pdf|website=Migratory Shorebird Project}} The festival also includes the Shorebirds Sing: Bird Call Contest, where contestants compete to mimic the calls of various bird species.{{Cite web|title=Bird Song Hero – Virtual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival|url=https://virtual.kachemakshorebird.org/index.php/portfolio/bird-song-hero/|access-date=April 7, 2021|language=en-US}}

In 2020, the festival was held entirely virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic and all presentations, speeches, and events were conducted online.{{Cite web|date=August 12, 2020|title=2020 Program of Events and Registration {{!}} Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival|url=https://kachemakshorebird.org/2020-program-of-events-and-registration/|access-date=March 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812131134/https://kachemakshorebird.org/2020-program-of-events-and-registration/|archive-date=August 12, 2020}} The 2021 festival was held both in person and virtually, with events taking place online and face-to-face.{{Cite web|title=2021 Program of Events {{!}} Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival|url=https://kachemakshorebird.org/2021-program-of-events-and-registration/|access-date=March 29, 2021|website=kachemakshorebird.org|archive-date=April 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414185522/https://kachemakshorebird.org/2021-program-of-events-and-registration/|url-status=dead}}

{{clear left}}

Image:Homer Alaska Welcome Sign.JPG

Homer has one newspaper, the Homer News, a weekly founded in 1964 and bought in 2000 by Morris Communications.

Homer has a number of radio stations including commercial stations KWVV-FM at 103.5 FM, KGTL at 620 AM, and public radio KBBI at 890 AM.

Homer receives 7 analog television stations:{{Cite web|url=http://www.kyes.com/antenna/aktvlist.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011151654/http://kyes.com/antenna/aktvlist.html|title=TV Station List|archive-date=October 11, 2007}} Because the stations are rebroadcast into Homer using repeaters, their channel numbers are not the same in Homer and they were not required to participate in the transition to digital television.

• KTUU-TV Channel 2 - NBC
• KTBY Channel 4 - Fox
• KAKM Channel 7 - PBS
• KAUU Channel 9 - MyNetworkTV
• KTVA Channel 11 - CBS
• KYUR Channel 13 - ABC

Image:Homerterminal.jpg

Homer is the southernmost town on the contiguous Alaska highway system. It is also part of the Alaska Marine Highway (the Alaskan ferry system). The Homer Airport lies near the coast as well, with local air taxis and regular scheduled commercial flights to Anchorage. Homer erected its first traffic light in 2005.{{Cite web |url=http://homernews.com/stories/120105/news_1201new003.shtml |title=Homer News Online - News |access-date=March 7, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927082047/http://homernews.com/stories/120105/news_1201new003.shtml |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=dead }}

The United States Coast Guard stations one Island Class cutter in Homer.

{{cite news

| url = http://homernews.com/homer-news/local-news/2015-06-04/coast-guard-cutter-forced-into-retirement

| title = Coast Guard cutter forced into retirement

| publisher = Homer News

| author = Michael Armstrong

| date = June 4, 2015

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150605075910/http://homernews.com/homer-news/local-news/2015-06-04/coast-guard-cutter-forced-into-retirement

| archive-date = June 5, 2015

| url-status = live

| quote = Homer won’t lose the 18 crewmembers and their families, however. An Island Class patrol boat, the 110-foot Roanoke Island will be replaced in Homer by a sister ship, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sapelo, now stationed in Sector San Juan, Puerto Rico.

}}

{{cite news

|url = http://alaska.coastguard.dodlive.mil/2012/10/cutter-crew-maintains-operational-readiness/

|title = Cutter crew maintains operational readiness

|publisher = Coast Guard Alaska

|author = David Mosely

|date = October 25, 2012

|access-date = June 5, 2015

|quote = The 110-foot Island-class patrol boat, homeported in Homer, Alaska, just completed a major, 135-day long, maintenance overhaul at the Coast Guard dry dock in Ketchikan. This overhaul updated the ships systems to ensure it can continue to meet its mission requirements until its scheduled replacement by one of the Coast Guard’s new fast response cutters.

|archive-date = January 29, 2016

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160129112257/http://alaska.coastguard.dodlive.mil/2012/10/cutter-crew-maintains-operational-readiness/

|url-status = dead

}} From 1992 to 2015, the cutter Roanoke Island was assigned to Homer, and was replaced by the cutter Sapelo. Sapelo is scheduled to be replaced by a more modern Sentinel-class cutter.{{when|date=September 2023}}

Homer uses a city council consisting of seven members. The current mayor is Rachel Lord.{{cite web|url=https://www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/citycouncil|title=City Council - City of Homer Alaska Official Website|website=City of Homer|access-date=April 5, 2020}}

File:Ealges on the spit in Homer.jpg

• Tom Bodett (born 1955), spokesperson, known for the Motel 6 "We'll leave the light on for you" advertisements; and writer, known for the whimsical book about Homer, As Far as You Can go Without a Passport
• Lincoln Brewster (born 1971), Christian worship musician
• Kristen Faulkner (born 1992), professional cyclist, and two-time gold medalist in the 2024 Paris Olympics
• Hazel P. Heath (1909–1998), businesswoman; mayor of Homer, 1968–1976
• Jewel (Jewel Kilcher) (born 1974), singer/songwriter
• Jean Keene (1923–2009), the "Eagle Lady" of Homer, known for her decades-long history of feeding bald eagles on Homer Spit
• Andre Marrou (born 1938), was a resident of Homer when he was elected as a Libertarian member to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1984
• Shannyn Moore (born 1970), political writer based in Alaska
• Tela O'Donnell (born 1982), Olympic wrestler
• Ambrose Olsen (1985–2010), male fashion model
• Dana Stabenow (born 1952 Anchorage Alaska), American author

• {{flagicon|Japan}} Teshio, Japan since 1984{{cite web |title=Sister City Program {{!}} City of Homer Alaska Official Website |url=https://www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/citymanager/sister-city-program |website=www.cityofhomer-ak.gov}}

File:Mainstmoose.JPG

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• Mile 17 fire
• Fritz Creek
• Diamond Ridge
• Kachemak City

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{{reflist}}

• {{Commons category-inline}}
• {{wikivoyage inline|Homer|Homer, Alaska}}
• {{Official website|http://www.ci.homer.ak.us}}
• [https://www.homeralaska.org/ Homer Chamber of Commerce Webpage]

{{Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska}}

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Category:Archaeological sites in Alaska

Category:Cities in Alaska

Category:Cities in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

Category:Mining communities in Alaska

Category:Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean