TAHOE CITY, CA (MPG) - Placer County continues to make strides in helping local workers find and maintain housing in the North Lake Tahoe region. The Placer County Board of Supervisors recently updated guidelines and amended policy governing the Workforce Housing Preservation Program to expand eligibility opportunities. The updates expand participant eligibility to include local businesses that operate at a location within the Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District’s geographical boundaries. This also includes businesses whose principal coverage area is within the TTUSD geographical boundary. The program also expands eligibility to multi-family properties greater than four units. Previously, only properties with one to four units were eligible. “Preserving attainable workforce housing remains one of the county’s highest priorities in North Lake Tahoe,” said District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson. “These updates help strengthen the program, provide greater clarity for homeowners and future buyers and ensure the program continues supporting the local workforce for years to come.” WHPP provides incentives to qualified homebuyers who meet local employment requirements in exchange for a recorded deed restriction that ensures those homes remain occupied by eligible local workers. The program is designed to preserve housing opportunities for the local workforce, creating a secondary housing market to support long-term homeownership opportunities in eastern Placer County. Since the program’s inception, WHPP has secured 17 deed-restricted properties with a total investment of $1,852,400. The properties encompass two condominiums, two duplexes and 14 single-family homes. Original sale prices for these properties have ranged from $340,000 to $980,000, with an average deed restriction disbursement of approximately $108,965 per property. Over the past year, the county secured three additional deed restrictions through the program, totaling $329,600 in funding. Those properties included one duplex and two single-family homes, with sale prices ranging from $575,000 to $750,000 and an average deed restriction disbursement of approximately $109,867 per property. As of the county’s 2024 annual monitoring cycle, all 17 participating properties remain owner-occupied and in full compliance with program requirements. None of the properties have been sold or listed for sale since entering the program. WHPP has received a total allocation of $4.1 million and currently has approximately $2,247,500 in remaining available funds to support future workforce housing opportunities. The program continues to accept applications. In addition to the WHPP updates, Placer County is seeking community input to help guide future revisions to its Launchpad Program, which provides funding to incentivize construction of affordable housing. The county has launched a public survey to gather feedback on how Launchpad funding should be awarded and which types of housing projects should be prioritized. Community members, developers and others involved in housing development are encouraged to participate. Feedback from the survey, along with input received through previous community engagement and from program applicants, will help inform program modifications that county staff intends to propose for adoption by the Board of Supervisors. All survey questions are optional, and some questions may be more relevant to developers, community members or others involved in developing new housing. The county appreciates all feedback as it works to ensure the Launchpad Program continues to respond to local housing needs. Take the survey here: https://placer.surveymonkey.com/r/26GW5NF. Learn more about the Workforce Housing Preservation Program at https://www.placer.ca.gov/whpp. Learn more about the Launchpad program at https://www.placer.ca.gov/10115/Launchpad. | 
