Host: Town of Truckee
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Affordable Housing, Climate Adaptation (e.g.,sea level rise planning, environmental justice, climate migration planning), Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI)
Skills Needed: Community Engagement, Research, Environmental Justice, Technical Writing,

Remote or On-Site Placement

On-site

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 result 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. This gap is especially pronounced among underserved communities, like Truckee’s Latinx/Hispanic population, low-income, and senior citizens.

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 was formed in 2020. Since that time, the Town has passed a new tax measure providing long-term local funding for housing, developed five 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, and the Town of Truckee’s Housing Programs interact with Town divisions from planning to building to sustainability to finance to community engagement.

The CivicSpark fellow will have the opportunity to work on projects in partnership with the Town’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Program Manager. The Town of Truckee is currently developing its first DEI Action Plan, which will address both internally and externally how to make Truckee a more diverse, equitable and inclusive place for all to work, live, and thrive. The action plan is scheduled to be completed in the early fall, and will outline future programs and policies to implement. Staff anticipate the Fellow to help provide capacity in the implementation of the DEI action plan.

Project Description

Project 1: Housing Equity Framework Development and Program Analysis

-The Fellow will work in collaboration with Town staff to develop and enhance housing programs to meet workforce housing needs. The main project for 2024-25 will be to develop and implement a Housing Equity Action Plan that will help to ensure all housing programs are designed and operated to meet the needs of all community members, especially those who are underserved.

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

-The fellow will 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 analyze existing housing programs, and present findings to help assess the functionality and identify growth areas. Special focus will be on developing an equity focused analysis framework to help ensure housing programs are addressing housing needs for all community members.

-Anticipated program analysis topics during 2024-25 include long term rental preservation, home buyer assistance programs, deed restrictions, and accessory dwelling units.

-Existing housing programs include Lease to Locals, Truckee Home Access Program, Accessory Dwelling Unit Program, Long Term Rental Preservation Program, and Short-Term Rental Workforce Housing Token Program.

-Anticipated policy topics include multi-family housing, accessory dwelling units, mobile homes, vacancy tax, area median income, density bonus, and new housing legislation that may be proposed or adopted during the term of service.

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

Project 2: Equitable Community Engagement under the DEI Program

-The Fellow will conduct outreach in the community to better understand the needs and shape future programs, which may include hosting, tabling at, or participating in community events (ie. Farmers markets, Mexican Heritage Festival, Town workshops). Subject matter may be related to housing programs, emergency preparedness, construction of new Town projects, sustainability, or other emerging community priorities as identified.

-This outreach will include focus on the Truckee’s Spanish speaking community, residents of existing affordable housing, unhoused residents, seniors and other target audiences.

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

-The Fellow will work with local and regional housing partners to optimize Truckee’s housing programs, ensuring equitable access and impactful outcomes. Community partners include the Truckee Tahoe Workforce Housing Agency, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, Sierra Community House, North Tahoe Truckee Homeless Services, Placer County, Nevada County, Sierra Community House, and The Martis Fund.

-The Fellow will work to develop the framework of a youth council in Truckee to better engage our youth community and understand the needs and concerns of our youngest Truckee residents.

Desired Skills

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 result 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. This gap is especially pronounced among underserved communities, like Truckee’s Latinx/Hispanic population, low-income, and senior citizens.

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 was formed in 2020. Since that time, the Town has passed a new tax measure providing long-term local funding for housing, developed five 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, and the Town of Truckee’s Housing Programs interact with Town divisions from planning to building to sustainability to finance to community engagement.

The CivicSpark fellow will have the opportunity to work on projects in partnership with the Town’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Program Manager. The Town of Truckee is currently developing its first DEI Action Plan, which will address both internally and externally how to make Truckee a more diverse, equitable and inclusive place for all to work, live, and thrive. The action plan is scheduled to be completed in the early fall, and will outline future programs and policies to implement. Staff anticipate the Fellow to help provide capacity in the implementation of the DEI action plan.

Organization & Workplace Highlights

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 Town Council meetings, and to represent the Town with external stakeholders and community events.

Since incorporation, the Town of Truckee staff and decision-makers have embraced 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. The Town has embraced a Council priority of “community cohesion,” and our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion directly supports this goal. Equity work has always been at the core of our sustainability and housing programs. Building on those efforts, 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. The Fellow will also be part of ensuring that DEI principles are integrated into all housing programs.

Community Highlights

Located in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Lake Tahoe, Truckee is widely recognized for its year-round outdoor recreation and its extraordinary natural environment. Truckee maintains a “small town” character and highly 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 San Francisco Bay Area, Truckee is a fantastic place to live, work and play!