Achievable Housing in Action Lunch & Learn “A Deep Dive into Affordable Housing”

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. 
• All local affordable housing projects can be found on the Mountain Housing Council of Tahoe Truckee’s resource page. 
• 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 
• Find information on East Placer County housing resources here on affordable housing, home ownership programs, and information for developing workforce housing. Folks can also reach out directly to housing@placer.ca.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! 
  • You can register here directly or through the QR code on the flyer attached. 
• June 13: Lessons from Other Mountain Communities 
  • 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! 
  • Register here! 

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