Host: Town of Truckee
Region: Northern California
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Affordable Housing, Climate Mitigation, Energy Efficiency, Urban Planning
Skills Needed: Project Management, Research, Data Analysis, Stakeholder Engagement, Critical Thinking, Flexibility/Adaptability

Service Needs & Plans

The Truckee region faces the dual challenges of high cost of living and scarcity of available housing units, resulting in part from our popularity as a vacation home market. As a of these factors, the region faces a growing workforce housing challenge—meaning many critical local employees cannot afford housing in the region. Additionally, there is a gap between those who qualify for traditional income-restricted affordable housing projects and those who can afford to rent or purchase market rate homes.

The Town of Truckee strives to be a leader in the region for developing innovative approaches to housing. Truckee Town Council has consistently prioritized workforce housing and the local community supports this as well. The Town of Truckee Housing Division, housed within the Town Manager’s office, was formed in 2020. Since that time, the Town has passed a new tax measure providing long-term local funding for housing, developed four new housing programs, and supported the opening of nearly two hundred additional units of income-restricted affordable housing. Within the Housing Division, the Fellow will help develop new, innovative housing programs, as well as assessing, improving, and implementing existing programs.

Solving housing challenges requires an interdisciplinary approach. The CivicSpark fellow will have the opportunity to work on projects in both the Housing and Planning Divisions, and will work collaboratively with other divisions including Building, Sustainability, Finance, and Community Engagement.

After a robust public process, the Town of Truckee will be adopting a new General Plan, in spring 2023. The General Plan represents the community’s vision for the future as it relates to a variety of issues, including housing, and expresses the community’s development goals. The General Plan also contains the goals and policies upon which the Town Council, Planning Commission, and Town staff will base their land use decisions. The Fellow will work with the Planning Division to help implement the General Plan, including assessing the Housing Element, which was adopted in 2019.

Project Description

Project 1: Housing Program Development

The Fellow will work in collaboration with Town staff to develop recommendations for new programs tailored to the needs and conditions within the Town of Truckee and support development of program structure and guidelines.

The Fellow will conduct research on housing programs, program structure and outcomes in other jurisdictions and summarize and present research findings.

Anticipated program development topics during 2023-24 include an energy efficiency incentive program that address both greenhouse gas emissions goals and housing affordability for renters, accessory dwelling unit incentives, and a program to preserve below market rate long-term rentals.

The Fellow will research local housing policies and implementation approaches in other jurisdictions. Anticipated policy topics include multi-family housing, accessory dwelling units, mobile homes and vacancy tax.

Project 2: General Plan Housing Policy Implementation

The Fellow will assist planning staff in implementing Truckee 2040, the new General Plan, which will be adopted in Spring 2023.

The Fellow will review the Housing Element adopted in 2019 and analyze progress towards housing goals outlined in the element.

The Fellow will participate and provide support for community outreach and engagement efforts for General Plan updates and develop materials related to land use and housing for use in community meetings, social media, events, and other outreach activities.

The Fellow will track and analyze relevant new housing laws, reports, policies, plans, codes, ordinances, design standards and other background materials.

The Fellow will assist with other housing policy and development projects. Anticipated Planning topics include Truckee-specific density bonus overlay, housing receiver sites, and amendments to the development code.

Project 3: Housing Program Analysis & Outreach

The Fellow will analyze the Town’s existing housing programs, and present findings to help assess the functionality and identify growth areas, including integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles throughout existing housing programs. Existing housing programs include Lease to Locals, Truckee Home Access Program, Accessory Dwelling Unit Program, and Short-Term Rental Workforce Housing Token Program.

The Fellow will support the development of marketing and outreach materials for all housing programs, including printed materials and website and social media content.

The Fellow will design surveys, conduct in person and on-line surveys and summarize findings to staff.

Desired Skills

Desired skills include strong writing, problem solving, and analytical skills. Experience conducting community engagement or outreach in diverse communities, and interest in affordable housing, planning, or community development is desired. Ability to speak Spanish is helpful.

Organization & Community Highlights

Located in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Lake Tahoe, Truckee is recognized for its year-round outdoor recreation and its extraordinary natural environment. Truckee maintains a “small town” character and engaged community, while it is also a popular visitor destination. Surrounded by lakes, world-class ski areas, hiking and mountain biking trails, and only 30 minutes from the city of Reno, NV and 3 hours from the Bay Area, Truckee is a fantastic place to live, work and play!

At the Town of Truckee, you will work with a lively team of professionals who value a “work hard, play hard” work ethic. Fellows will have an opportunity to develop professional project management, research, and outreach skills while making an impact on significant community priorities. We value that our work contributes to the betterment of the community. Our elected Town Council has identified Workforce Housing, Greenhouse Gas Reduction, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as three of its top priorities and the Town’s CivicSpark fellows will work directly to support these focus areas. Because we are a small town (population: 17,000) with a relatively small and flat Town government organization, your work will have a measurable and meaningful community impact. Our past CivicSpark fellows have had opportunities to meet regularly with Town leadership, present their work at city council meetings, and to represent the Town with external stakeholders and community events.

Town of Truckee staff and decision-makers embrace a set of operating principles known colloquially as “The Truckee Way,” which means that we will approach issues with creativity, innovation, and encourage the free exchange of ideas and information through open and honest communication with the community. Over the past two years, the Town has embraced a Council priority of “community cohesion,” and our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion directly supports this goal. Demonstrating this commitment, in 2022 the Town of Truckee was one of the first communities our size to hire a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Program Manager. In 2023 we will be developing our first DEI action plan. Equity work has always been at the core of our sustainability and housing programs. The DEI program manager is working closely with community partners, particularly with Latinx leaders, to ensure the Town has meaningful engagement with our historically underserved populations.

Remote or On-Site Placement

On-site