Achievable Housing in Action Lunch & Learn “A Deep Dive into Affordable Housing”
May 14, 2025 | Member Submitted
Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation’s Achievable Housing in Action Lunch & Learn “A Deep Dive into Affordable Housing”, was held last Friday, May 9th. Thank you especially to our featured speakers, Denisse Vega Zarate (Housing Coordinator for Sierra Community House) and Cathie Foley (Program Director for North Tahoe Truckee Homeless Services) for addressing the challenges facing families in need of affordable housing and the successes of folks placed in these homes. Slides shared during the Lunch & Learn are attached.
I also wanted to share out the resources that were mentioned by housing experts during the call together:
To access Sierra Community House housing services, please call their mainline at (530) 546-0952.
To access the Tahoe Truckee Workforce Housing Agency housing navigation services, visit their website or call their office at (530) 582-6593.
Town of Truckee housing programs include the Truckee Home Access Program, First Time Homebuyer Programs, Lease to Locals and Rooted Renters, Accessory Dwelling Unit Program, Token Program, and Deed Restriction for New Housing Development Program. To learn more, contact Lynn Baumgartner (Housing Program Analyst) at 530-582-2492 or housing@townoftruckee.gov
Rachel Vargas, Regional Manager for Coldstream Commons and Meadowview, can be contacted by email at rvargas@jsco.net or by calling (916) 561-0323 ext. 4084.
Check out this video regarding Brown Bear Studios to demonstrate North Tahoe Truckee Homeless Services and Brown Bear Studios’s work.
I also want to encourage folks to sign up for TTCF’s future Achievable Housing in Action Lunch & Learns! Our lineup includes:
THIS FRIDAY (May 16): Home Hardening, Insurance, & Wildfire Risk
Hosted in partnership with TTCF’s Forest Futures program, this Lunch & Learn will focus on “Home Hardening, Insurance, and Wildfire Risk Housing Solutions”. Join us over Zoom on 5/16 from 12:00 – 1:00PM to learn about these community wildfire mitigation strategies!
Housing experts from Ketchum, Idaho, Vail, Colorado, and Jackson, Wyoming will share what’s working in their towns and how it could help other places too. Join us over Zoom from 12:00 – 1:00PM to learn from these outside experts!
Last but not least, please take some time to complete the 2025 Housing Needs Assessment Survey, hosted by TTCF in partnership with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). This survey data is extremely important for local developers, public agencies, and other community partners. The survey closes May 30th; don’t wait!
Thank you! Maeve Donovan – Program Manager – Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation
The Local Lens – Special edition featuring Robert Graves
May 14, 2025 | Member Submitted
Robert Graves, Lake Tahoe School, Head of School
From time to time, I ask a community leader to write the Local Lens from their perspective. Today’s Local Lens is written by Robert Graves, Lake Tahoe School, Head of School. Lake Tahoe School is a pillar of our community and a Stakeholder member of IVCBA. Not only do they offer an outstanding education to 245 pre-k through 8th grade students, but they take an active role in community events and offer programs of interest. Their annual fundraiser is this Saturday at Bowl Incline’s Incline Event Center with the theme “Grease is the Word”. For tickets or to donate
Robert’s Lens, written on Children and Social Media is of interest to every parent and every grandparent of kids of all ages.
Thanks,
Linda Offerdahl
The Local Lens – Children and Social Media
Undoubtedly, computers and technology enhance our lives in significant ways. The horizons seem endless, from improved productivity and communication to access to seemingly unlimited information. However, without proper guidance, patience, and often a certain amount of maturity and life experience, technology’s use – particularly among younger children – and connections through social media can lead to negative consequences.
What used to be a few friends talking about other friends in person or on the phone now expands beyond any previously established limitations. Dozens of students now jump online through their phones or computers and share their thoughts, hopes, and fears with people they have never met. Worse yet, given the inherent immaturity and lack of guardrails on emotions that children often exhibit as they grow emotionally, such online experiences may veer easily into bullying sessions or other inappropriate experiences. The adage that “the internet is forever” regarding material posted online is often overlooked by children who are apt to overshare and speak their minds without filters.
Occasionally, off-campus or after-school online activities and messages also impact the school community. Words are shared on various sites, texts, or chat strings, and the students’ reactions are carried over into the school day. Negative or sarcastic messages shared online often translate into hurt feelings, altered relationships, and general bad feelings. Candid and negative opinions regarding physical appearances, family backgrounds, and other similar in nature have no place in our school community, whether online or in person.
As parents, we sometimes feel at a loss as to how to deal with our children and their forays into technology usage and social media. From TikTok to chatrooms, texting to Instagram, students of all ages are online in huge numbers and for hours at a time. However, as parents, we can take a few steps to limit and control the time and materials our children spend and share on the internet. Here are a few quick tips I have heard positive things from others about to consider using in your family:
First and foremost, help your child better understand your feelings about their use of technology and how their words’ power, breadth, and magnification in an online forum – or anywhere – can be an issue.
Resist the temptation to give in to “everyone else has one” regarding phones. Particularly with younger children, they will survive without phones until you deem them ready, and peer pressure is not a good reason to do much of anything.
Require your children to share their passwords with you. Though this seems harsh initially, you purchased and own the phone or computer your child uses. Access to their passwords and monitoring their activity is crucial to helping them use their online time properly.
Limit their time on the various devices. Much like TV time used to be doled out incrementally to children, consider the same for computer and phone access.
Establish “no phone zones” or times when phones are turned off or put away in your household. Some families put a basket in the kitchen to place all phones during meals. Many parents also collect their children’s phones and laptops every night at a particular time, thus limiting the temptation of some kids to use their devices late into the night or early morning.
The above are only a few examples of strategies parents use to help moderate their children’s technology and social media use. You and your family may have other methods that are just as effective. As important as communication on these topics is with your children, so, too, it is essential to discuss and compare notes with other parents.
Finally, as a Head of School, the partnership between school and home is never more important than when addressing student issues related to online activities. Schools appreciate your support in helping your students understand the importance of interacting with one another effectively – whether online or in person. Your sharing with your child’s teacher or school your concerns, questions, and sometimes evidence of questionable student relationship issues is key to helping all students mature and grow. As with most of life, communication is the key for all of us.
Celebrate Freedom & Community at the Local Heroes 4th of July Celebration in Incline Village!
May 14, 2025 | Julie Malkin-Manning
Summer in Lake Tahoe means sunshine, lake days, and one of our most cherished annual traditions: the Incline Village Local Heroes 4th of July Celebration in beautiful Incline Village! This beloved community event held July 2 – 4, brings together residents and visitors to honor our local heroes—first responders, veterans, educators, and volunteers—while celebrating the spirit of independence with small-town charm and patriotic pride.
July 3 – NLTFPD Pancake Breakfast, Parade & Community Fair on July 3
Mark your calendars! This year, the NLTFPS Pancake Breakfast, Local Heroes Parade, and Community Fair have been moved to Thursday, July 3, to allow for even more fun and flexibility over the holiday weekend.
Parade Time: 10:00 AM Enjoy floats, classic cars, community groups, music, and of course, plenty of red, white, and blue as the parade makes its way through the heart of Incline Village.
Community Fair: Immediately following the parade at Village Green Stick around for music, food, fun activities for kids, and booths hosted by local nonprofits and businesses.
July 4 – Festivities Continue
On Friday, July 4, the celebration continues with the annual IVCB Veteran’s Club Pancake Breakfast and fireworks over the Lake, presented by Incline Fireworks.
Registration Now Open for the Parade and Community Fair!
Want to be part of the action? Whether you’re marching in the parade, hosting a booth at the fair, or volunteering to help make it all happen—now’s the time to sign up!
May is Wildfire Preparedness Month at Lake Tahoe, and we’re highlighting the comprehensive, coordinated work happening year-round in the Tahoe Basin to improve forest health and protect communities from wildfire.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency helped form the Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team in 2008 after the Angora Fire to streamline planning and accelerate the pace and scale of forest fuel reduction projects. Since then, partner agencies have reduced hazardous fuels on more than 77,000 acres in and around Tahoe Basin communities. Below are just a few of the projects within the team’s four strategic priorities that were recently completed or are currently underway.
Image: The Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team includes 21 federal, tribal, state, and local conservation, land management, and fire agencies.
Looking for fun, educational, and creative ways to connect with your community? The Incline Village Library offers a vibrant lineup of events for all ages — from weekly story times and writing workshops to hands-on STEAM adventures and interactive performances. Many events require registration, which can be done at washoecountylibrary.us/events. You can also find the full, up-to-date calendar of Incline Village Library happenings on the IVCBA Community Calendar — your local source for what’s happening in Incline Village and Crystal Bay.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, 10:30 am: Family Story Time
Every Friday in April and May, 3-5 pm: Cold Case Escape room. Reservations are required at least 24hrs in advance.
Every 1st Tuesday of the month, 6pm: P.J. Story Time – a family story time with a bedtime theme. Come in your pj’s!
Every 2nd and 4th Mondays, 2-4 pm: Write Your Life – a memoir writing workshop
Every 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 3:30 pm: Wind-Down Wednesdays for Adults. Join us for a variety of events that allow you to connect and relax. Registration required.
Every 2nd and 4th Thursdays, 3-5 pm: Never Felt Better – a casual drop-in wool felting program. All skill levels welcome
Every 3rd Tuesday, 10:30 am: Inclined to Read Book Group – refreshments served!
Every 3rd Saturday, 1pm: Family BINGO with prizes to be won!
Every 4th Saturday, 10:30 am: Paws 2 Read – read to a friendly dog. Registration required.
Wednesdays, May 14, 21, 28, 4 pm: Spring STEAM with NDOW – Join us for an engaging wildlife adventure every Wednesday in collaboration with the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW)! Explore a unique facet of Nevada’s diverse wildlife through interactive, hands-on presentations. Week 1: Hides and Skulls. Week 2: Bats. Week 3: Reptiles and Herps.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, June 3, 4, 5, 3-5 pm: Adult Sewing Class – Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, join us for a fun, hands-on session where you’ll learn new techniques and create your own masterpiece. The library will supply thread, fabric, and scissors. Registration is required.
Saturday, June 7, 11am – 2pm: Incline Village Block Party and Summer Reading Challenge Kickoff! Join the fun at the 3rd Annual Library Block Party. There will be games, art demonstration, Double Dutch, information booths, DJ, rocket launches, free hot dogs, chips and drink, cake celebrating the library’s 20th Anniversary, and a lot more!
Tuesday, Wednesday, June 24, 25, 2-3:30 pm: Camp STEAM – Join us for a two-day camp of STEAM filled fun! STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art, and math. We’ll be exploring each of these five topics through engaging experiments over the course of two days. Recommended for ages 6 to 11. Registration is required.
Tuesday, July 15, 5-6pm: Reno Phil: Discover Music Concert – Experience the magic of live music with Discover Music, the Reno Phil’s exciting and interactive educational performance series! Enjoy interactive concerts by small ensembles (1-5 Reno Phil musicians) as they share their music, showcase their instruments, and inspire a love for music. Perfect for all ages, these free summer performances bring the joy of symphonic music right to your local library!
Thursday, Friday, July 17, 18, 24, 25, 1-4 pm: Area 51: Escape Room – Solve fun puzzles as you try to stop aliens from draining Earth of all color. You’ll uncover clues in an Area 51 research center, decipher an alien language, and try to save the planet in under 45 minutes. Registration required.
Wednesday, July 30, 4-5pm: Young Shakespeare Presents “Twelfth Night” – Young Shakespeare, a D.G. Menchetti Education Program, features an interactive, hour-long adaptation of their mainstage production created with the young audience member in mind. This summer their team will be presenting an adaptation of Twelfth Night, a hilarious and twisty play about Viola, who’s shipwrecked and disguises herself as a boy to survive. She helps Duke Orsino, who’s in love with Countess Olivia, but Olivia ends up falling for Viola’s disguise instead! There’s plenty of mistaken identity, pranks, and witty characters, including a trickster who causes chaos. In this interactive, family-friendly performance, you’ll get involved and experience the wild mix-ups firsthand. It’s a story about love, identity, and having fun with the unexpected — and with surprises in store. You never know what will happen next!
Thursday, July 30, 3-4:30pm: Pokémon GO at the Library – End your Summer Reading Challenge by tackling several adventures catching Pokémon at our Pokémon party! Come meet other Pokémon trainers and raid, trade, and battle at our very own Incline Village Library PokéStop and nearby gyms. Trainers can use the meeting room for exchanging Pokémon, battling, or just catching up. Lures will be placed at nearby PokéStops so plenty of Pokémon will be around. Participate in fun Pokémon-themed games and win prizes (while supplies last).
In The News – Sierra Community House chats services in TTCF’s latest Lunch and Learn
May 13, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in the Sierra Sun, 05/13/2025, Written by Eli Ramos
The Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF) hosted their latest Lunch and Learn on affordable housing on Friday, giving Sierra Community House’s housing coordinator a platform to speak about the services they offer and their importance to the North Tahoe and Truckee community.
Denisse Vega Zarate has served as the housing coordinator for Sierra Community House for two years, helping provide much-needed services to people looking for housing in the area, especially those who are under the 80% area median income (AMI).
Recently, California’s Housing and Community Development department (HCD) released their numbers for state income limits determining who qualifies for certain housing programs. For a four-person household, the income limits for Placer County are $120,800 and for Nevada County are $124,600. TTCF program director Kristina Kind said it was the first time she’d seen that Nevada County’s limit was higher than Placer County’s.
In The News – SR28 Corridor open house puts new parking lot plans on display
May 12, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 05/12/2025, Written by Leah Carter
The Tahoe Transportation District and several related agencies held a self-guided open house on April 30 at the Incline Village Library to learn about upcoming improvements along State Route 28 (SR28).
Each year, SR28, primarily a two-lane highway, sees an increase in traffic due to tourism and returning second-home owners. Parking has been one of the biggest points of development and discussion within the community, and the open house offered the opportunity to view plans to improve accessibility along the route.
According to the TTD, SR28 sees more than a million visitors annually. The updates to the route are meant to collectively improve public safety and reduce congestion and offer additional public transit choices, which will in turn improve environmental impacts and streamline the visitor experience, as well as day to day commuting.
Inclined Burgers & Brew to be Featured on America’s Best Restaurants
May 10, 2025 | Member Submitted
Local restaurant Inclined Burgers & Brew will be hosting a visit from America’s Best Restaurants (ABR) in mid-May 2025.
America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focusing on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants, will bring its ABR Roadshow to the restaurant on May 21st. Popular dishes will be highlighted, along with an extensive on-camera interview with owner Mitch Penning about the restaurant’s special place in the community. The episode will be aired extensively on social media channels at a later date.
A satisfying meal in a laid-back atmosphere, Inclined Burgers & Brews has become a go-to place for lovers of quality burgers. An experience beyond the ordinary, Inclined Burgers & Brews has become synonymous with quality and a haven where locals and tourists come together over great food.
While the burgers may look simple, looks can be deceiving. Owner Mitch Penning, and his partner Scotty Beck, share a passion for great burgers. The duo, who have been friends for more than 30 years, wanted to go into the restaurant business together.
The Incline Burger is the most famous offering of the restaurant, with the juicy patty and flavorful house sauce between two fluffy buns combining for an experience nothing short of extraordinary. Each patty is hand formed from chuck, sirloin and short rib sourced directly from Sierra Meat Company. The burgers are then smashed on the grill and topped with raw onions to carmelize and add flavor. Add on a fried egg, avocado or bacon to enhance the experience and don’t forget to order the Inclined Fries-which are covered in bacon, onions and cheese sauce.
Beyond burgers, Inclined Burgers & Brews offers an outstanding Fried Chicken Sandwich, Mixed Green Salads and a unique Veggie Basket. Wash your food down with an outstanding selection of bottled and draft beer, wines and canned craft cocktails.
A selection of local artwork and carefully-chosen decor paying tribute to the charm of North Lake Tahoe creates pockets for friendly chatter and intimate corners for couples, or larger tables for friends and family. The weathered wood exterior and signage beckon patrons to come in and enjoy a leisurely meal.
America’s Best Restaurants will be filming on location on Wednesday May 21st from 9 am to noon (PST). The press is invited to attend. The restaurant’s finished episode premiere date will be announced on their Facebook page and will be featured on America’s Best Restaurants’ website.
Restaurants featured on the ABR Roadshow are selected based on their customer reviews, menu items, social media presence, and level of involvement with their community. They are found through customer nominations, internal vetting or by a restaurant applying to be featured at www.americasbestrestaurants.com.
About Inclined Burgers & Brew: Open daily, Inclined Burgers & Brew is located at 901 Tahoe Blvd., Incline Village NV 89451. Telephone is (808) 283-5254. For more information visit https://inclinedburgersandbrew.com/
About ABR: Headquartered in Florence, KY, America’s Best Restaurants is a national media and restaurant marketing company that travels the country telling the stories and highlighting the unique food of locally owned independent restaurants as part of their ABR Roadshow. Restaurants are featured not only on ABR’s Restaurant Network of social media channels and website, but also each individual establishment’s Facebook page. With over 2000 episodes filmed, America’s Best Restaurants is the premier marketing agency for restaurant owners and operators to have their story broadcast coast-to-coast. VisitAmericasBestRestaurants.com to learn more and to view the episodes and profiles of hundreds of America’s Best Restaurants!
The goal of the Fire Adapted Nevada Neighborhood Ambassador Program is to help local neighborhood residents serving as ambassadors to provide information to their neighbors and help them prepare for wildfire. Fire Adapted Nevada is a multi-agency initiative that works with neighbors and agency partners to create fire adapted communities.
“Our vision is that our ambassadors will be part of a statewide network of passionate individuals working to connect neighbors with trusted wildfire education, expert partners and resources for mitigation projects,” said Megan Kay, a coordinator for Extension’s Living With Fire Program. “The ambassadors will also serve as key contacts for local firefighting agencies and community preparedness efforts, helping to build stronger, fire-ready neighborhoods.”
An online informational session will be held at noon, May 7. Those interested in attending just need to register online to be provided with the link for the meeting. Kay said ambassadors will help lead community outreach efforts, access potential funding for larger wildfire mitigation projects, receive support from Fire Adapted Nevada staff to update or create a community wildfire protection plan, and join other ambassadors at workshops and trainings.
“By stepping up to be a neighborhood ambassador, people can make a real difference in wildfire preparedness,” Kay said. “Its great when individual homeowners take action, but when a neighborhood works together, it really improves the chances of the neighborhood surviving a wildfire threat.”
Extension, in collaboration with firefighting agencies and other partners, has developed a myriad of information and resources since the Living With Fire Program’s inception over 25 years ago.
Extension and its partners are encouraging residents to take action to be “Battle Born Wildfire Ready” as part of the collaborative Nevada Wildfire Awareness Campaign this month.
For more information, contact Kay at kaym@unr.edu or 775-336-0231.
– @UNRExtension –
Photo Cutline: The Davis Fire threatened neighborhoods in northern Nevada in September 2024. Photo by Adam Mayberry.
Extension is a unit of the University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources engaged in Nevada communities, presenting research-based knowledge to address critical community needs. It is a county-state-federal partnership providing practical education to people, businesses and communities. For more information on its programs, visit extension.unr.edu.
The University of Nevada, Reno, is a public research university that is committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. As a Nevada land-grant university founded in 1874, the University serves 21,000 students. The University is a comprehensive, doctoral university, classified as an R1 institution with very high research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Additionally, it has attained the prestigious “Carnegie Engaged” classification, reflecting its student and institutional impact on civic engagement and service, fostered by extensive community and statewide collaborations. More than $800 million in advanced labs, residence halls and facilities has been invested on campus since 2009. It is home to the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Wolf Pack Athletics, maintains a statewide outreach mission and presence through programs such as the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Small Business Development Center, Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Through a commitment to world-improving research, student success and outreach benefiting the communities and businesses of Nevada, the University has impact across the state and around the world. For more information, visit www.unr.edu.
Contact: Claudene Wharton Senior Marketing & Communications Specialist College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources University of Nevada, Reno / MS 0405 Reno, Nevada 89557-0404 775-784-7072 whartonc@unr.edu
