Newsletter: August 2022

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Here’s What You Missed at our Last Quarterly Meeting
The July MHC Quarterly meeting was packed with great presentations and updates from Council partners. These included the following:

• The Town of Truckee has been working with regional partners to address community questions and support residents of Coldstream Commons and Truckee Artist Lofts. Read more about how they are supporting these communities here.
• In its 2022 Homeless Action Plan, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors announced that homelessness is a top priority for the County. The plan indicates that spending more funds on prevention will be a key element.
  
• The co-founder of Shelter JH spoke to our partners about grassroots advocacy and lobbying efforts to address housing insecurity.

MHC Speaker Series Highlights:
Housing and Forestry Workers
Housing is a huge concern for the US Forest Service and affects its ability to recruit and retain workers at all levels, from temporary seasonal workers on hotshot crews, to full-time administrative staff.  Tahoe National Forest Acting Forest Supervisor Matt Jedra joined the MHC on 7/21 to provide more insight on this pressing issue. View the event recording here and the corresponding ABC Kolo News 8 report on “Housing crisis impacting forest workers in Tahoe Basin” here.

Vacancy Taxes
Partners engaged in a robust discussion on vacancy taxes with the City of Berkeley Vice Mayor Kae Harrison and Crested Butte Town Manager Dara MacDonald. View the event recording here.

HOUSING ACTION

Placer County Recent Efforts to Preserve and Expand Local Housing

• Recent changes to the Workforce Housing Preservation Program have made it easier for the local workforce to secure housing.  The program contributes 16% of the purchase price of a home (or up to $150,000) to the homebuyer to use as a down payment in exchange for the deed restriction.
• Housing-related code amendments took effect on July 14th.  Notable changes include allowing smaller lot sizes and tiny homes as well as tiny home communities.
• Lease to Locals program launched on August 1. Eligible North Lake Tahoe homeowners could earn up to $24,000 by offering their property as a long-term rental to local workers. The program is administered by Landing Locals who also administers the Town of Truckee’s program. Since Truckee’s program inception in October 2020, more than 75 homes have been leased, 140 local residents have been housed, and ⅔ of homes have continued leasing long-term after the first year.

Tahoe Living Working Group Brings Housing Workshop to the TRPA Governing Board
The Tahoe Living Working Group got input on its conceptual policy changes from the Governing Board at its meeting on July 27th. The Governing Board made recommendations to proposed density, coverage, and height housing amendments intended to concentrate development close to town centers, encourage workforce housing projects, and support transit services and encourage walkable communities. The next step is to complete the environmental analysis and develop code language over the fall and winter. Listen to the meeting recording and view the PowerPoint presentation here.

PROJECTS IN THE WORKS

The Village at Squaw Valley
The California’s Third District Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Sierra Watch and determined that the project’s environmental impact report underestimated the effects of increased traffic would have on evacuation procedures and lake pollution. This decision will halt the project which would have included employee housing as well as commercial development. Read the Sierra Watch blocks Squaw Valley development by the Sierra Sun for more information.
 
Hopkins Village
Hopkins Village is still accepting applications for homes. These 3 bedroom homes are deed restricted and are being offered at below market-rates to local workers within the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District. Learn more about what you will need to apply here.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

One of our partners, the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association (NLTRA), is seeking a qualified candidate for its Director of Destination Management.  The Director of Destination Management leads NLTRA’s Destination Management Division as the lead agency for planning, infrastructure, transportation, capital improvement, and workforce housing development projects for the North Lake Tahoe region.This position will have an impact on housing decisions and how money is spent in our community.