Public meetings on five-year housing plan for South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The City of South Lake Tahoe will be holding the first of two workshops next week on the Draft Housing Element on Monday, February 7 at 5:30 p.m. The second workshop will be held during the Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, February 10 at 3:00 p.m.

Since 1969, California has required that all local governments (cities and counties) adequately plan to meet the housing needs of the community. Every five years a new plan is required and the one currently being discussed is for 2022-27 and is due by June 30.

Multiple state laws over the past eight years have altered the regulatory environment with respect to accessory dwelling units, density bonuses, streamlined approval for housing projects, supportive housing, low-barrier navigation centers, and more. The City's new Housing Element must include all of the new regulations. They have been gathering input for the new plan from the public through workshops and surveys.

The Monday meeting is a virtual one and registration is recommended. Spanish translation will be available. To sign up, go to: .

The Thursday meeting will be held both in person in the Council Chambers at the airport and virtually. Meetings are live-streamed on Channel 21, City website at www.cityofslt.us, on the City Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CityofSLT/ and via ZOOM at this link https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84796902957.

Feedback from the public is important and it will assist the City in completing its effort to develop a housing policy framework for the next five years.

A Draft of the updated Housing Element is available for public review and comment through February 18, 2022 (View Here). Written comments can be provided by email to housing@cityofslt.us or by mail to Zach Thomas, Housing Manager, 1052 Tata Lane, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150.

Each local government in California is required to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the city or county. The housing element is one of the seven mandated elements of the local general plan. Housing element law requires that local governments adequately plan to meet the existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of the community. In order for the private market to adequately address housing needs and demand, local governments must adopt land use plans and regulatory systems which provide opportunities for, and do not unduly constrain, housing development. Housing element law also requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to review local housing elements for compliance with State law and to report its written findings to the local government.