“The approval shows our county’s commitment to moving forward in our mission to address community housing needs,” said Placer County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Holmes. “This project will not only provide future housing opportunities for our residents but reaffirms our goal to help our local businesses hire and retain employees.”
The vote is in line with the recommendation from a review panel including county staff and community members assembled to review project proposals and follows a detailed evaluation and interview process. Related-Pacific is a hybrid team of development companies with experience in the Lake Tahoe Basin and Tahoe Truckee region.
The current project concept includes a mix of residential uses, including single-family homes with the ability to add additional dwellings to the property in order to help offset mortgage costs. Apartment units would also be allowed to ensure the site could serve a broad range of income levels. The project concept also includes stormwater treatment, a community building and a village green that would allow for a children’s playground area, picnic and community gathering area, a dog run, vegetable gardens and a connection to an existing trail system near the project site.
In community meetings about spending priorities for local transient occupancy tax revenues and in Mountain Housing Council workshops, residents have continually expressed their concern over a lack of achievable housing in the region. This feedback led to the Placer County Board of Supervisors approval of a $3.6 million purchase and sale agreement for the Dollar Hill property in August.
In September, Placer County initiated a search for a housing developer through a request for proposals process. Respondents detailed their experience and vision for a development project consistent with community goals and area plans. The county also hosted a community workshop Aug. 1 to receive input on the features residents would like to see included in the proposed project. That feedback was included in the RFP for developers to consider in their proposals.
Dollar Hill offers an ideal site for achievable housing, with easy access to TART bus routes, schools, North Lake Tahoe’s downtown centers of Tahoe City and Kings Beach and the Dollar Creek Trail.
