Housing

It’s time for the residents of South Lake Tahoe to employ one of their greatest characteristics with regard to affordable housing – creativity. Creativity is a prerequisite to thriving and sustaining in this town, it always has been. How many times has someone off the hill asked how you can make a living being here? We do it by willing it with creative, even experimental ideas, and now we need to do that together to put a halt to a terrible trend with housing.

The Board of Directors of Saint Joseph Community Land Trust wishes to thank Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra for their generous donation of $1,000 to our Motel to Housing Loan Program.

It was an overflowing crowd at the Tahoe Beach Retreat on Wednesday evening at the housing forum hosted by the Tahoe Regional Young Professionals. A well informed panel of experts in the field of affordable housing answered a slew of questions from both the in-house crowd, and those able to ask from home via a live-stream telecast.

What was evident after two hours of discussion is that there is no one single answer to the issue of affordable housing and it will take much more than a wave of a magic wand to bring about a solution.

I am running as a candidate for Lake Tahoe Community College Trustee in District 4 because I believe a good education is one of the most important services a community can provide to its citizens.

Lake Tahoe Community College is in an extraordinary and unprecedented position with the passing of Measure F two years ago. I am committed to the prospect of offering students an affordable four-year degree program, upgrading our current facilities, building the University center and exploring the possibility of on campus housing for students.

Unless a new source of funding comes through, the Tahoe Transportation District Board is going to cut the 21x bus line from the South Shore to Carson City starting October 2.

Dear Henry,
I am a business owner can you please explain the situation with “Service Dogs,” what is considered a service dog and what do I have to allow in my place of business which is a restaurant. I don’t want to get in trouble with ADA or the Health Department.

Thank you, Bob

Great question Bob!
This is an issue we get calls on all the time. I am going to be answering this question with information directly from the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, and Disability Rights Section.

The Douglas County School District has found a buyer for the old Kingsbury Middle School which had been on the market since 2012. The school board voted to accept a $3.15 million offer on the property from Lake Parkway LLC, a corporation listed in Zephyr Cove, Nev.

DCSD closed Kingsbury Middle School on 1900 Echo Drive in Stateline in the 2008-2009 school year due to low enrollment at the schools at the lake. The school site had an original price tag of $4 million.

"This is wonderful news," said DCSD Board President Ross Chichester.

A proposed redevelopment plan for Squaw Valley would include affordable employee housing, new infrastructure including roads and fire safety, as well as environmental improvements according to Squaw Valley Ski Holdings, LLC. They have kicked off and effort to communicate with the public and gain support through "Squaw Tomorrow" for what is being called the Village at Squaw Valley redevelopment project.

5:30 p.m. update 6/27: A call went into South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue at 6:47 a.m. Monday, June 27 of a home on fire on Kubel Avenue. When personnel arrived, they saw flames from the roof and shed at the rear of the property.

You've spent your life savings on the dream, to buy a home in South Lake Tahoe. Better yet, you've found the perfect property where you can find a way to live in Tahoe and own a home that brings in some income.

There are current 56 different parcels in the City limits that are multi-family units that are also licensed vacation rentals and the City of South Lake Tahoe wants to prevent them from being rented, thus stopping the home owners from earning the needed income to keep their home.

Just as it is when the topic of vacation rentals is on the South Lake Tahoe City Council agenda, a large, and at times, angry, crowd gathered.

The task at hand Tuesday was to review changes to the current Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Ordinance which included 11 changes which will take effect 30 days after the June 7 Council meeting if approved.

In a representative democracy, the system the United States supposedly has, the policy making is controlled by the representatives elected by the people. The idea behind representative democracy is that people will elect representatives that will serve their best interest. However, in the United States the funding for election campaigns is provided by large corporations, banks, and a handful of wealthy individuals that results in the election of representatives who serve the best interests of the large corporations, banks, and wealthy individuals.

Four people were cited for selling alcohol to minors on April 29 during a compliance sting by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department.

During the operation, minors under the direct supervision of officers, attempted to purchase alcohol from ten retail licensees in the city limits.

40 percent of those businesses sold alcohol to the teen decoys. Clerks at Safeway Gas, Chevron Gas, Whiskey Dicks and Chevy's Restaurant were all cited and face a minimum fine of $250, and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation.

When people visit Tahoe for the first time, they marvel at the extraordinary natural landscape and fresh, clean air. At the same time, some are shocked at the dilapidated condition of the built environment: rundown buildings, crumbling infrastructure, and tired-looking development. The paradox is compelling. Despite TRPA’s mandate to harmonize the natural and human-made landscapes so that they blend together, outdated development that preceded environmental standards now serves as blight in our community.

The 170 women that make up the Tahoe Women's Community Fund recently voted to give away $22,000 to four local groups that met the criteria in four different categories.

Focus Grant Recipient for $10,000 in the category of Children and Youth: Bread and Broth for Kids

Impact Grant Recipient for $4000 in the category of Education and Literacy: Sierra House School, Tahoe Valley School, and Bijou School (LTUSD)…Books for School Libraries and Classrooms

Last week, March 15th and 16th, an estimated 75 volunteers participated in the South Shore Business Walk coordinated by the Tahoe Chamber, Tahoe Prosperity Center, El Dorado County, and the Lake Tahoe Adult Education Consortium to collect workforce data from local businesses.

The South Shore of Lake Tahoe is divided by lines. These state, county, and city lines work well on a map, but they do not define the day-to-day reality of the people who live and work in this community. In the last decade we have seen definitive projects reshape South Shore – Heavenly Village, Lakeview Commons, Harrison Avenue Streetscape. We have seen new bike trails and the opening of a bi-state park.

El Dorado County and its Board of Supervisors have been in full stride throughout the last year solving critical issues, making important changes to protect tax dollars and providing expanded services to the public.

In today's Mountain Resort Television segment, reporter Austyn Harrington covers the winner of a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, how to identify vacation rental/housing scams, and your Weekly Wag with Strawberry Fields Animal Rescue.

The public has been on a long journey with the Tahoe Transportation District over the US50/South Shore Community Revitalization project, one that has followed twisted roads and endured roadblocks and detours.

Now it appears the project, also known as the Loop Road, is on the back straightaway, approaching the final turn and homestretch.

On behalf of Tahoe Coaltion for the Homeless, I would like to thank our community for a successful opening of the South Lake Tahoe Warm Room.

Peggy Eichorn and Kelly Pelcher from Coldwell Banker McKinney were instrumental in the search for a location for the Warm Room, and have been an unwavering partner in the project. We thank them for their support. Also, the Coalition is grateful to Star Lake Investments for use of their facilities.

Galt City Council members on Dec. 15 were expected to name an experienced administrator in smaller jurisdictions as Galt’s next city manager.

Eugene Palazzo, who started his career in 1989 as a planning technician in Nevada County, has served as Crescent City’s city manager since 2011.

The council vote was not known at press time.

Galt city staff wrote in the council report that Palazzo has more than 27 years of experience in local government.

Not having a place to call home in a community where winter temperatures often drop below freezing could be hazardous to the increasing number of homeless men, women and families in South Lake Tahoe.

Recognizing the need, a group of concerned community members formed the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless. Their goal was to create a warming room, a place for those on the streets to come in from the elements to keep warm.

Another key part of the continuing revitalization of South Lake Tahoe was unveiled to the local community Tuesday evening during an open house presented by the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD). What was once known as the "Loop Road" project has evolved into what is being called the "Community Revitalization Plan."