Housing

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in our community, the Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation is hosting its annual Taste of Gold fundraiser as a virtual event this year through July 18. Funds raised from this event support the Lake Tahoe College Promise program that provides up to three years of tuition-free college for eligible students of all ages, a free textbook lending library, and the Lake Tahoe Community College Food Pantry, which provides crucial nutrition and personal hygiene products to LTCC’s neediest students.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Tahoe Home Connection (TaHoCo) is a community-based organization working to generate new rentals in South Lake Tahoe by working with second home owners. They have launched a new website to help local workers easily find housing on the South Shore.

It is estimated that 58 percent of homes in South Lake Tahoe are owned by second homeowners and 78 percent of these sit vacant for much of the year. Many of the second homeowners rent out their homes on both long-term and short-term basis, or leave for their own personal use.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH) had settled into their new winter home on 3rd Street in South Lake Tahoe when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing them to look for a larger space to get more people off the streets.

The City of South Lake Tahoe opened its recreation center to the nonprofit as it was already closed due to the pandemic, allowing TCH to add more beds and services and become a 24/7 facility.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Saint Joseph Community Land Trust (SJCLT) has announced a new program that seeks to preserve existing housing stock for permanently affordable, full-time homes for Tahoe Basin employees and residents. It is called the TAHOE (Tahoe Affordable Home Ownership Enabling) program.

TAHOE has been created to do three things:

1. Provide assistance to income-qualified households searching for a home in the Tahoe Basin;
2. Enable SJCLT to purchase available homes to be made available to income-qualified Tahoe Basin employees or full-time residents;

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - As of the City Council's special meeting Wednesday morning, the new South Lake Tahoe City Manager was on the job for 48 hours after being sworn in during a digital event that started off the week.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There has been a huge outpouring of support for Tahoe Magic during the COVID-19 crisis. With that support is a growing need in the South Lake Tahoe community.

In just five weeks, the South Lake Tahoe non-profit has given away over $110,000 to more than local 785 families in need. In a normal year they give out about $30,000 to deserving families.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe is having a special puppy adoption day on May 5 to coincide with the annual Giving Tuesday fundraising day.

"Little Rays of Sunshine" is bringing two litters with a total of 11 puppies, along with one of the moms, to the public for adoption.

Pictured here is the mom Sunshine with one her puppies, Hope.

The 2020 Census is underway and while more households across America are responding every day, there are still many that have not been heard from. Over 70 million households have responded to date, representing over 48 percent of all households in America.

The California response rate is a bit higher at 49.2 percent and 48.3 perfect of Nevadans have replied.

South Lake Tahoe is lower than most, with 20.9 percent of the population replying so far.

Other area results:
44.3 percent El Dorado County
47.9 percent Douglas County
51 percent City of Reno

In the coming days and weeks, you will see a recall petition circulating for me. I voted my conscience on an item before the city council and certain members of the public disagreed with that vote.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The City Council will hold their regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 14 starting at 9:00 a.m. with a closed session at 8:45 a.m.

This will be an online meeting that can be followed on Charter Channel 21 or via the City's website, https://cityofslt.us/. Remote public participation is allowed by email or phone (instructions below).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Owners of vacation rentals or second homes located in South Lake Tahoe may not use them as long as the Governor's "Stay at Home" order is in place unless are doing so under allowable circumstances.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) once again has three fire stations operating in the city limits. Their Station #2 on Lake Tahoe Boulevard in the Al Tahoe neighborhood reopened at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

In 2015 the City had let Cal Tahoe JPA move the ambulance service into the station when SLTFR restructured and moved all ambulance duties over to the JPA. In return they gave up their fire station for five years.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Hotels, motels, vacation rentals, and campgrounds are to be used only to house homeless, COVID-19 emergency workers or continue to house residents according to an El Dorado County directive issued on Tuesday. Staying in one of these types of temporary housing is not considered "essential" by Governor Newsom's March 18th "Stay at Home" order.

The vacation home rental (VHR) industry stands with our neighbors, community, and City Leadership in South Lake Tahoe to discourage visitors to our town at this time. South Shore of Tahoe VHR industry companies have blocked calendars to prevent reservations, issued full refunds for cancelations, and offered incentives encouraging visitors to postpone travel to later dates.

We all need to do our part to eliminate the spread of COVID-19 with social distancing, limiting exposure to our friends, family, and neighbors, and make every attempt to flatten the curve.

The California State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health have ordered all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence, except as needed to maintain continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors.

Some people may be confused and hear different messages and wonder exactly what are "essential services". To list what the State order covered they have come out with a guideline to help navigate these unchartered waters.

What does this mean?

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. Vail Resorts announced Saturday that they are suspending the operations of all of their North American mountain resorts, retail stores and corporate offices beginning tomorrow, March 15, 2020, for at least one week (through March 22) to assess the rest of the season.

This includes Heavenly Mountain Resort, Kirkwood Resort and Northstar in the Lake Tahoe area.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The old Super 8 motel on Lake Tahoe Boulevard and adjacent Lotus Pho restaurant in South Lake Tahoe are currently closed as pre-construction activities have begun on a four-story 120-unit Hampton Inn and Suites.

The asbestos abatement has been completed as have the pre-demolition permits and the current two-story building is set for demolition soon. Once that happens, crews will be waiting for the May 1 grading date to get started on what is promised to be a "facelift to the area."

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The Local Government and Housing Committee of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) will be holding a public meeting on Wednesday, February 12 to discuss Accessory Dwelling Unit policy in the Lake Tahoe Basin. They will be meeting at 1:00 p.m., at TRPA office, 128 Market Street, Stateline, Nev.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - To celebrate the 5th year of The Tahoe Women’s Community Fund (TWCF), a record $125,000 will be granted to the South Shore Community this spring.

The 212 members of TWCF contributed to the fund and Lisa Maloff made another generous donation. The $125k they will be giving to the community through grants is 49 percent higher than last year.

Members vote where the grants will be focused and they've added a new category this year, the Inspiration Grant.

Categories

$40,000 Inspiration Grant
- Accepting grant requests up to $40,000.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Two parcels owned by the California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) appear to be on their way to becoming home to affordable housing projects in South Lake Tahoe.

To address the shortage of housing for Californians, Governor Newsom ordered the Department of General Services (DGS) and the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to identify and prioritize excess state-owned property and aggressively pursue sustainable, innovative, cost-effective housing projects.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In Lake Tahoe, only 21 percent of the residents can afford the median home price and 3,290 new homes are needed by in the next six years to meet local demand for housing, according to a study funded by the Tahoe Prosperity Center.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A we say goodbye to 2019, 2020 is on the horizon with hopes, dreams and a list of wishes for the new year.

Instead of taking a look back at 2019 let's take a look forward to 2020 in South Lake Tahoe. What does this year have in store for us?

The year was 1969. And what a year it was. On July 20, 1969—the Viet Nam War was raging—American Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the surface of the moon. For much of the decade, America and indeed the world had been mesmerized by the space race.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless has announced the hiring of a new executive director for their nonprofit.

Cheyenne Purrington will be taking over on January 2, 2020 Dr, Marissa Muscat who announced earlier this year she would be stepping down.