Newsletter: September 2021

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Sept 30: Next MHC’s Regional Housing Implementation Plan Community Meeting

The Plan is being presented in two community-wide virtual meetings: Meeting #1 was held on August 25th and provided a framework for our region’s overall housing needs. Meeting #2 will be held on September 30th, and will help to demonstrate how we can facilitate additional housing deliverables on development-ready residential sites by relying on very specific tools.

Oct 1: Ribbon Cutting Event – Celebrating 288 Units of New Housing

Join the Town of Truckee and Placer County for the unveiling of 288 workforce housing units within five new developments: Coldstream Commons, Frishman Hollow II, Truckee Artist Lofts, Meadow View Place, and Hopkins Village.

New Workforce Housing Ribbon Cutting
October 1, 2021
2:00 p.m. – Housing Bus Tours
3:00 p.m. – Ceremony and Reception
Donner Pass Road and Truckee Way, Truckee, CA

For a full project description of each site, visit our Projects in the Works page. There you can filter projects by different categories and find out how to apply for Coldstream Commons, Meadow View Place, and Frishman Hollow II.

HOUSING ACTION

Placer County Extends Short-Term Rental Urgency Ordinance

The Placer County Board of Supervisors recently voted to extend the moratorium on issuing new Short-Term Rental (STR) permits until March 31, 2022, pursuant to ordinance 6094-B, which initially established a 45-day moratorium on issuing new STR permits. The pause will allow staff to study the impact of STRs on the housing market and workforce housing, as well as make revisions to the ordinance.

Truckee Sewer District (TSD) Votes To Pursue Scalable Connection Fees

TSD recently visited the topic of charging flat rate connection fees, which have historically been flat rate fees charged in connection with connecting or installing a sewer line for new residences. This is important in that fees like these can affect the affordability of smaller homes and multifamily units in town, and can be adjusted by utility boards to better encourage certain types of smart development if they are scalable versus flat. You can learn more about impact development fees like these in general in MHC’s white paper here.

MHC has been in favor of the scalable rate methodology (such as square footage, per fixture, per bedroom, etc.), with a base rate modifier, in order to incentivize the building of smaller, more affordable units and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). On September 16, in response to comments from MHC and others, Truckee Sewer District voted to come back in October at 50% scalable, which strikes the right balance in terms of not overburdening smaller, entry level (starter) housing to the benefit of larger luxury homes, which is harmful to housing affordability. This is a diversion from their previous decision to instead pursue a different scalable – base rate setup. Thank you TSD for making the right choice to encourage smart housing development!

Governor Newsom Signs SB 9 & 10 Into Law

On September 16, Governor Newsom signed both California senate legislative bills 9 (SB 9) and 10 (SB 10) in law. Both are intended to help alleviate the affordable housing crisis by easing perceived land use and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) barriers to increase density and streamline the production of multi-family housing development statewide. Specifically, SB 9 streamlines the process for an owner to subdivide an existing single-family residential lot to create a duplex and/or allow for new infill construction, and SB 10 establishes enabling legislation for jurisdictions that want to opt in and upzone urbanized areas close to transit, allowing up to 10 units per parcel without any CEQA oversight. MHC’s Policy Working Group submitted a letter of support of SB 10 prior to Governor Newsom signing it into law.

UPCOMING PUBLIC MEETINGS

Town of Truckee’s Innovate Gateway 9/21, 10/14 & 10/26

The Town of Truckee is in the final stages of a process to study new housing, economic development strategies, and sustainable mobility opportunities within the Gateway Area. The goals for this project are to:

• Consider higher density and more affordable housing and mixed-use opportunities near job centers, transit, schools, and community services.
• Inspire economic development and reinvestment through incentives, economic tools, and compelling design concepts.
• Improve multi-modal transportation to reduce traffic and improve safe and convenient mobility for all users (building from the Envision DPR project).
• Enhance the quality of life for existing and future residents, workers, and visitors.

The Town of Truckee is providing an opportunity for the community to discuss the look, feel, character, and types of uses that are most desired and appropriate for the Gateway Area through a series of upcoming public meetings, all starting at 5pm:

• Today (Tuesday), September 21: The Planning Commission will provide a brief presentation regarding the Innovate process to-date, an overview of the soon-to-be-released draft Innovate Gateway Strategy, and an opportunity for public comment.
• Thursday, October 14: Planning Commission staff and the consultant team will provide a more comprehensive overview of the draft Innovate Gateway Strategy, as well as a question and answer segment and a public comment opportunity. Note that the Commission will compile these comments regarding the draft to forward to the Town Council for consideration.
• Tuesday, October 26: Truckee Town Council will provide a public hearing to review and consider adopting the draft Innovate Gateway Strategy. This will entail a presentation from Town staff and the consultant team regarding the draft Innovate Gateway Strategy. Council will also provide a question and answer segment, as well as additional opportunity for public comment on the draft. Council will also consider adopting the Innovate Gateway Strategy, including any recommended modifications, at this meeting.

You can find out more about Innovate Gateway and these opportunities here.

If you missed last month’s MHC Quarterly Meeting, the highlights can be found here.

Volunteer with the MHC

Take an active role in our housing crisis by joining a Mountain Housing Council Working Group to advocate for achievable housing solutions for all. Contact Kristina@ttcf.net to get involved.

Check Out MHC Partner Updates

We’ve created a new page on the MHC website where the 27 partners of the MHC can share their updates on progress made on various housing programs and policies. Check out the page and learn more about the new Truckee Tahoe Workforce Housing Agency too.