Oct 15, 2025
By Julie Regan
A cheerful crowd of community members, state and local leaders, and affordable housing advocates gathered on the campus of Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) earlier this month to commemorate the opening of a truly remarkable student housing project. As the Tahoe sky did its Fall dance, flashing from hot sun to gray drizzle and back again, we marveled at the new 100-bed dormitory and listened to a moving speech by a student leader that reminded us how important access to safe, affordable housing is in the Tahoe Basin. On behalf of Team Tahoe, congratulations to LTCC for bringing a game-changing affordable housing project to the Tahoe Basin.
The speaker was Hudson Conners, one of the first full-time students to move into the facility. “With scarce housing and high rent, housing became a difficult barrier that had to be overcome,” Conners said. Like many students, some of whom are local high school graduates and hospitality workers, housing became a serious barrier not just to his education, but to the course of life.
The dedication ceremony came less than two building seasons from the start of construction, a speed record of sorts for a major project in the Tahoe Basin and a record-setting completion date for the State of California community college affordable housing initiative. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) played an important role in the permitting process, similar to the 248-unit Sugar Pine Village affordable housing project in South Lake Tahoe where 68 units are already occupied and the next 60 units are under construction.
Team Tahoe came together for both projects, showing we can protect Lake Tahoe and deliver quality affordable housing at the same time. However, much more needs to be done. In addition to the human toll of housing insecurity, today more than half of Lake Tahoe’s workers live outside the basin, which adds to traffic and vehicle emissions that harm air and water quality. We need to be able to scale these successes up in ways that will protect Lake Tahoe’s environment and meet the region’s housing needs.
Enter Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin. Over the next year, TRPA is leading a public process to advance new policies that maintain environmental protections and current growth limits while creating incentives and lowering costs for many types of affordable housing throughout the region. Earlier phases of this work have made it easier to add accessory dwelling units, created a monitoring and compliance program to protect existing deed-restricted housing, and set new policies for building design that will reduce the cost to create multi-family homes and apartments as long as they are deed-restricted for local workers or certain income levels.
The new LTCC student housing building overlooks the Trout Creek meadow and is steps away from the mobility hub and miles of bike path. Credit: Hall Creations
LTCC student and resident assistant Hudson Conners addresses a gathering of community members at the dedication event October 2, 2025. Credit: Hall Creations
In this phase, TRPA is looking into the effect that the long-standing development rights system may have on housing affordability. Key policies that protect the lake, such as water quality requirements and growth limits, must stay in place, but how we apply them to different projects could lower housing costs substantially and open more opportunities for affordable and workforce housing projects of many types and sizes.
To draft the most effective policy recommendations possible, TRPA has been building upon meaningful, two-way engagement with community members, including historically underrepresented groups. Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin has included mini-grants to support the engagement of community-based organizations, scholarships to help individuals learn and get engaged, and a working group of local governments, housing experts, and environmental and community-based non-profits.
TRPA is holding an informational briefing on the draft policy recommendations at its meeting Wednesday, Oct. 22 and a workshop for a deeper dive into the process on Nov. 19. There will be additional public input opportunities over the next several months, including during preparation of a full environmental impact statement.
Recent progress on affordable and workforce housing is just the beginning for Team Tahoe. Improving housing options will help protect the lake, grow our sense of community, and improve the lives of those who can’t find affordable housing in the Tahoe Basin. The chance to become a member of the Tahoe community and enjoy all that Lake Tahoe has to offer should be open and accessible to anyone. Learn more about this important work and get involved at TahoeLiving.org.
Julie Regan is Executive Director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Sep 24, 2025
Image: Sandra Rentas provides Spanish translation to workshop attendees in Incline Village, Nev. during the second round of affordable housing learning and feedback sessions in July, 2025.
Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is hosting a third round of public workshops in October to share and discuss recommended policy changes to encourage more affordable and workforce housing in the Tahoe Basin, while maintaining strict environmental protections. These recommendations have taken shape over this year through community input and technical advisory groups, the agency said today.
Two hands-on workshops are scheduled for October 6 in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. and October 7 in Kings Beach, Calif. The series of workshops are part of the multi-year Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin project and will review and take feedback on how TRPA has used previous input to shape specific recommendations. Small group discussions will help show participants how different policies could result in on-the-ground changes. TRPA staff will present the recommendations to the TRPA Governing Board this year for further consideration.
Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin will modernize the regional growth management system and regional building regulations to help deliver a greater variety of housing types in the Tahoe Basin.
“We are grateful for the time and energy so many have devoted to helping us and our partners shape the future of housing in the Tahoe Basin,” TRPA Long Range Planning Manager Karen Fink said. “We invite everyone to join us to provide feedback on how we’ve translated your ideas into housing recommendations and stay involved in this process over the coming year.”
The agency will begin an environmental impact statement early next year to examine the proposed policies. The process will include additional opportunities for public review and feedback.
Upcoming Community Workshops:
South Shore
October 6
5-8 p.m.
Mountainhouse Church
3580 Blackwood Rd.
South Lake Tahoe |
North Shore
October 7
5-8 p.m.
North Tahoe Event Center
8318 N Lake Blvd.
Kings Beach |
Workshop attendees are encouraged to attend the entire meeting to get the most out of the content and enjoy a light dinner, but participants may also drop in or leave early if they wish. A kids table and Spanish translation will also be provided.
Register and review the workshop materials at www.tahoeliving.org/get-involved.
###
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278, or jcowen@trpa.gov.
Feb 26, 2025
Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is accepting applications for a new scholarship program that supports Lake Tahoe community members to engage in the planning process as part of the Tahoe Living initiative to update affordable and workforce housing policies, the agency announced today.
Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin is a multi-year project to modernize land use policies and the regional growth management system to make housing more accessible while maintaining and improving environmental protections. A core focus of the program is to establish long-term, two-way engagement between communities and agencies, with a particular focus on underrepresented groups, according to TRPA.
“We want to ensure that many voices help shape solutions to affordable housing that improve safety and continue to protect Lake Tahoe,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “These scholarships and new training opportunities can help community members most affected by housing challenges gain the knowledge and skills needed to engage in decision-making.”
Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin scholarships will award up to $25,000 to help individual community members participate in training courses that provide background knowledge on subjects like planning, environmental regulations, growth management, public safety, and zoning. Most awards will be up to up to $1,600, with one $3,000 scholarship to assist an individual in attending a conference. The scholarships are a companion to TRPA’s Community Academy webinar series and allow for education, discussion, and hands-on learning experiences, according to the agency.
Participants will also be asked to provide feedback on how the agency can improve the training program. The Community Academy webinar series is open to the public and recordings can be viewed at www.tahoeliving.org.
Anyone who is a full-time resident of the Tahoe Basin or works in the Basin is welcome to apply. Scholarship recipients should represent a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences, interests, and communities. Applications and more information on eligibility are available at www.tahoeliving.org/engagement-approach.
Funding for the scholarships is provided through a grant from the State of California grant. TRPA has also provided mini-grant assistance to community-based organizations.
###
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278, or jcowen@trpa.gov.
Feb 6, 2025
Image: Trail, transit, and parking improvements continue along Nevada State Route 28 on the East Shore of Lake Tahoe. Local, state, and federal funding are essential to complete the Hwy 28 Corridor Management Plan. Credit: Drone Promotions
Carson City, Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) participated in Transportation Day at the Nevada Legislature this week and addressed the State Senate and Assembly Growth and Infrastructure Committees in support of environmental and transportation improvements in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The 83rd session of the Nevada Legislature is convening on the 55th anniversary of the Bi-State Tahoe Regional Planning Compact between Nevada and California that unified Lake Tahoe planning and environmental programs under the Regional Plan, TRPA said today.
As the lead agency for the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program, TRPA submitted legislation requests on behalf of partner agencies for consideration this year, including bills to streamline forest health projects, improve parking enforcement along Nevada roadways at the lake, and improve boating safety, according to the agency. Other legislation would allow $19 million in bond sales for Nevada EIP projects and self-assessed business improvement districts to fund improvements to transportation, housing, and tourism management.
During the 2024 interim session, TRPA and other Lake Tahoe agencies worked with the Nevada Legislative Oversight Committee for TRPA and the Marlette Lake Water System to provide in-depth information on environmental issues and programs, which helped elected officials introduce various bill requests. After six committee meetings last year, TRPA satisfied all requests from the committee.
“We appreciate the time and resources state legislators and our partners at the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources have invested to help improve public safety, transportation, and recreation in the Lake Tahoe Region,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “We’re proud of the progress we have seen in the Tahoe Basin since Nevada and California created this unique bi-state agency more than 50 years ago. Yet new challenges and historic impacts still threaten the basin. We will continue working with both states to honor and strengthen that partnership in the protection of Lake Tahoe.”
More information on the 83rd Session of the Nevada Legislature is available at www.leg.state.nv.us.
###
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278, or jcowen@trpa.gov.
Jan 23, 2025
Lake Tahoe, Nev./Calif. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board yesterday approved amendments to the Homewood Mountain Resort Master Plan that allows reinvestment in the historic Lake Tahoe ski resort while ensuring Homewood will continue to be open to the public. Hundreds of in-person and online attendees participated in the meeting, reflecting the importance of Homewood to the Tahoe Basin community.
Previously approved projects to add accommodations and commercial uses at the base areas were reduced in size with updated architecture. The Governing Board also approved a permit for Homewood to begin construction of a new gondola to replace the main chairlift at the resort’s North Base to improve skier access. The ski area will also work with fire officials to expand services and assist with wildfire evacuation.
“The Homewood Master Plan approval today includes enforceable standards that will ensure the beloved West Shore resort can be revitalized while remaining open to the public,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “Reinvestment in Lake Tahoe’s communities brings critical environmental improvements and community benefits, and this underscores that it can also support sustainable and accessible public recreation.”
In addition to public meetings in September and December of last year, the agency and Governing Board received more than 1,500 individual comments overall.
“TRPA worked diligently throughout this process to ensure all voices were heard and the result is an updated recreation master plan that reflects the central importance of Homewood Mountain Resort as a key gathering place for the West Shore.”
Homewood will also continue its 250-acre forest fuel reduction project this year and is finalizing an agreement with the North Tahoe Fire Protection District to expand fire services and assist with emergency response and wildfire evacuation. More information on the Homewood Master Plan is available at trpa.gov/major-projects/homewood-mountain-resort-master-plan/.
###
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278 or jcowen@trpa.gov.
Jan 17, 2025
By Hayley Williamson
TRPA Governing Board Chair Hayley Williamson
As an avid hiker and Lake Tahoe resident, one of my favorite views of the lake is from the top of Mount Tallac. From this vantage, Lake Tahoe impressively expands below granite ledges and alpine forests cradle the cobalt-blue waters that spread into the horizon.
I never tire of explaining to my kids and friends that Lake Tahoe is so deep its waters extend well below the elevation of the Carson Valley floor—a vertical marvel of more than 1,600 feet. My commitment to protecting this unique region runs just as deep, and it’s an honor to serve as the new chair of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board.
TRPA has been at the forefront of preserving Lake Tahoe’s iconic beauty and vibrant communities for more than five decades. By maintaining overall caps on new development and leading restoration through the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), TRPA has catalyzed more than 800 projects that protect Lake Tahoe by restoring meadows and streams, building bike paths, and reducing stormwater pollution. Without these efforts, the views from Mount Tallac might look starkly different today.
Imagine if the Tahoe Rim Trail had instead been built as the multi-lane freeway originally planned to encircle the lake. Or if Lake Tahoe’s shores were now home to a city the size of San Francisco with a population of 750,000. Lake clarity and ecological health would have been compromised long ago.
The founding of TRPA in 1969 was a visionary act of collaboration. California and Nevada came together to establish a Bi-State Compact ratified by Congress with a singular purpose: protecting Lake Tahoe while supporting its communities. Lawmakers ensured this mission would endure by creating a 15-member Governing Board that reflects the diverse jurisdictions and stakeholders of the Tahoe Basin. As unpaid volunteers, we bring dedication and thoughtful discussion to every policy decision, working alongside TRPA’s experienced staff to preserve Lake Tahoe for this and future generations.
Looking Ahead to 2025
One of TRPA’s biggest priorities for the coming year is to advance the housing and sustainability goals of the Lake Tahoe Regional Plan. TRPA launched the Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin project to make housing more accessible while improving environmental protections. The agency is bringing community members and partners together in a multi-year project to incentivize the type of housing our communities need while incorporating vital environmental improvements. The Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin project is an opportunity to build the region’s capacity to deliver more affordable and workforce housing and to create lasting connections between community members and agencies.
Our board also has several critical decisions on the horizon. Next week, we will consider the much-anticipated application to amend the 2011 Homewood Master Plan. Homewood Mountain Resort holds deep cultural significance for the Lake Tahoe community, and TRPA staff has engaged extensively with all stakeholders to ensure transparency to amend the plan originally approved 14 years ago.
Transparency is also central to TRPA’s ongoing evaluation of whether we’re meeting Tahoe’s environmental goals, known as thresholds. Every four years, TRPA conducts a comprehensive review of the region’s environmental conditions. In 2019, 79 percent of these thresholds—covering areas such as air quality, water quality, and soil health—were in attainment. Since then, TRPA has strengthened protections, such as raising standards for rehabilitating sensitive stream environment zones, to further safeguard the lake. This year, staff will present updates from the latest Threshold Evaluation, offering a science-driven roadmap for continued progress.
Additionally, the agency is updating the Regional Transportation Plan this year. The plan is a visionary blueprint for improving Tahoe’s transportation system through 2050 that aims to increase safety, reduce congestion, and preserve Tahoe’s environment while creating a more connected, sustainable future for residents and visitors alike.
At the same time, TRPA remains committed to confronting ongoing challenges accelerated by climate change. Extreme droughts and storms continue to impact the transportation network and visitation patterns. Warming lake waters are increasingly susceptible to algae growth, aquatic invasive species, and reduced lake clarity. And longer catastrophic wildfire seasons are a threat this region knows all too well.
TRPA and partners are continuing to increase our region’s resilience to these impacts. Last year, the agency facilitated a $1.7-million federal PROTECT grant to help fire and emergency management agencies coordinate evacuation planning and address wildfire and extreme weather vulnerabilities in our transportation and communication infrastructure.
Collaboration is Key
From the summit of Mount Tallac, you can’t see the state and jurisdictional boundaries that crisscross the Tahoe Basin. That view reinforces what five years on the TRPA Governing Board has taught me: working together is essential—just as it was when TRPA was founded. As chair, I commit to respectfully facilitating discussions that allow us to collectively advance the restoration and protection of this incredible place.
Lake Tahoe’s future depends on our ability to collaborate, and I’m confident we can meet the challenges ahead.
-Hayley Williamson is TRPA Governing Board Chair and Nevada At-Large Board Member.
