Housing

In Lake Tahoe and mountain towns across the nation, a deepening housing crisis is impacting the environment and the fabric of our communities. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is leading the Tahoe Living program to tackle this crisis and to add to many solutions coming forward throughout the region.

Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is bringing forward the most effective actions within its reach to support affordable and workforce housing in the Lake Tahoe Region. As the bi-state environmental planning agency for the Tahoe Basin, the agency’s land-use policies must protect the lake and achieve other environmental goals while enhancing communities. TRPA has embarked on a multi-year project to make housing more accessible while maintaining and improving environmental protections. The current phase of policy review and capacity building is called Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin, and we encourage you to get involved to help ensure everyone at Lake Tahoe has access to affordable, sustainable housing in a thriving, protected environment.

Get Involved at TahoeLiving.org

Cultivating Community will plan for equitable and sustainable housing and improved climate resilience by modernizing land use policies and the regional growth management system that directs the “how, what, and where” of new building and redevelopment in the basin. The program will also establish long-term, two-way engagement between communities and agencies, with a particular focus on underrepresented groups.

“When you look at this breathtaking lake and then recognize what is happening to people and businesses in our communities, it’s heartbreaking. People who share our passion for the lake deserve the opportunity to connect to it as well.”

–TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan

Affordable and Workforce Housing in the Tahoe Region

The disparity between housing cost and affordability for local workers impacts Lake Tahoe’s environment and the fabric of our communities. Displaced workers commuting into the basin increase vehicle miles travelled, or VMT, which leads to more congestion and runoff into the lake. Without housing that is affordable to local workers and families, communities within the Tahoe Basin may continue to lose the workforce and services that help them thrive, including teachers, nurses, firefighters, retail clerks, and waiters and the many services they help bring to life.

There are many factors in Tahoe and in mountain towns across the nation that are driving the housing crisis. TRPA recognizes there isn’t a single solution. The agency formed the Tahoe Living Working Group to help guide updates to regional policies, create incentives for deed-restricted housing projects, and look for ways to bring funding to the basin to build capacity for affordable and workforce housing at Lake Tahoe. Earlier phases addressed accessory dwelling units and zoning incentives.

Visit tahoeliving.org to receive updates and announcements on upcoming meetings, hearings, and workshops so you can get involved and help secure a more equitable and sustainable future for the Lake Tahoe Region.

The Housing Challenge

Many factors have contributed to the current housing crisis affecting the Tahoe Region. Demand for second homes, high cost of construction, permitting regulations, and TRPA’s growth limits are among them, but similar challenges exist in most communities today.

A 2021 report by the Tahoe Prosperity Center found that only 28 percent of Tahoe residents could afford the median priced home.

The same report determined just 35 percent of Lake Tahoe residents earn enough to cover housing and common living expenses for a family of four.

The most recent regional housing needs assessments identified a housing shortage of approximately 5,800 units in the basin. A unit isn’t just one bedroom. It could be one side of a duplex, a two-bedroom apartment, or an accessory dwelling unit on a residential property.

The 2019 South Shore Regional Housing Needs Assessment showed the need for renters as:

Studio or 1-bedroom: approximately 30% of renters.
2-bedroom: approximately 44% of renters.
3-bedroom: approximately 25% of renters.

The 2021 North Tahoe-Truckee Regional Housing Plan showed the overall need in the Tahoe area of Eastern Placer County as:

Studio or 1-bedroom: 66% of the need.
2-bedroom: 31% of the need.
3-bedroom: 3% of the need.

New Policies

Market Solutions to Encourage Affordable and Workforce Housing Development

Tahoe Living Phase 2

In 2021, TRPA began work to identify how zoning and development standards (i.e. coverage, height, number of units per parcel via density, and parking) contributed to the high cost to build housing in the region and have made large single-family homes and luxury residences the most profitable option for developers in the region. While some market forces such as construction costs cannot be influenced locally, consultant analyses found that allowing more flexibility with development standards for multi-family housing could significantly reduce the for-sale or rent price, in some cases, by up to 40%.

Following two years of work with the Tahoe Living Working Group, stakeholders, and the public, TRPA passed the Phase 2 Housing Amendments in 2023 to make deed-restricted, multi-family projects more financially viable. The Phase 2 Amendments allow flexibility in some development standards for deed-restricted development when environmental standards can be met. Only projects in town centers and areas already zoned for multi-family development can apply, as shown in the map below.

The incentives encourage both neighborhood-scale and larger mixed-use developments with shops on the ground floor and workforce housing above. In exchange for this added flexibility with development standards, each development is required to contribute to the region’s stormwater treatment system, bringing us closer to our water quality goals, and provide transportation options for its residents. The developments also must be made to be permanently affordable for low, moderate, or above moderate (achievable) working households through a deed-restriction. See the Deed Restrictions section of this page for more information.

Some local governments may need to amend their plans to be consistent with the new policies. Through their plan and code amendment process, local jurisdictions may choose to opt out of the Phase 2 changes and propose alternative standards. To do so, they are required to demonstrate that their alternative standards, possibly in combination with other programs, will result in an equal or greater cost reduction for workforce housing units as the Phase 2 Housing Amendments do on their own.

Project applicants in centers and areas that already allow for multi-family housing can apply for the following development standards:

Where do the Phase 2 Housing Amendments Apply?

See the map below to see where centers and areas zoned for multi-family are located. Click here to view the Housing map with layers you can toggle on and off.

TRPA’s Phase 2 Housing Amendments are targeted at town centers and multi-family zones close to transit to encourage projects like apartment buildings in a range of sizes, duplexes, triplexes, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The changes allow these units to be designed with more height, land coverage, and number of units per parcel (i.e. density) than is allowed now, as long as they are made permanently affordable for low-, moderate- or workforce housing through a deed-restriction. Open the Deed Restrictions section for more information.

The areas adjacent to town centers allow for multi-family buildings and are where much of Tahoe’s existing multi-family units exist. The policy changes are tailored to encourage builders to construct duplexes, triplexes and small scale multi-family homes in areas already zoned for multi-family housing.

Tahoe Living Phase 1

The first set of policy recommendations came forward earlier in 2021. TRPA approved new incentives for accessory dwelling units on residential properties that have completed water quality best management practices, and are close to transit and services. Phase 1 policies also helps motel and hotel tourist accommodations to be converted to residential units. For more information on adding an ADU to a residential property, visit the Accessory Dwelling Units page.

Deed Restrictions

One strategy TRPA uses to help create and protect long-term workforce housing is called deed restricting. An income or employment based housing deed restriction is something a property owner records with the grant deed or title of their property with terms that specify things like sales and rental restrictions, limits on the income levels of households that live in the properties, or local employment requirements. Once the deed restriction is recorded with the appropriate assessor’s office, it becomes permanent, enforceable, and legally binding.

Deed restrictions can add new housing or preserve existing housing stock at several rates, including affordable, moderate, or achievable, each of which can help local residents and workers remain in the community. While housing studies have estimated how much additional workforce housing is needed in the Tahoe Basin, TRPA is also working to protect existing deed-restricted affordable housing units that have been secured in the past.

How Deed Restrictions Help

Subsidized housing

Issuing deed-restricted residential development rights to large projects allows local housing partners to successfully access state and federal grants and land donations for deed-restricted affordable and moderate income housing. This kind of support has helped affordable housing developers, local jurisdictions, and the Saint Joseph Community Land Trust to complete subsidized housing projects of various sizes and types. It also helped Lake Tahoe Community College secure funding for a 100-bed on-campus living facility for low-income students that broke ground in 2023.

Architectural rendering of the Lake Tahoe Community College student housing project.

Incentive-based housing

To build a home, condo, or multi-family unit in Tahoe, a residential development right (also known as a residential unit of use), is needed; however, to achieve and maintain environmental quality in the region, TRPA has capped growth and manages the limited amount of new development through an annual allocation process. Because these development rights are limited and sometimes costly, the agency created a Bonus Unit Incentive Pool that helps property owners who create deed-restricted affordable housing avoid delays, limitations, and additional costs of using standard development rights.

Developers or homeowners who build apartments or accessory dwelling units and who deed restrict the unit for use by local workers, or households in the affordable or moderate income categories can receive residential development rights from the Bonus Unit pool, plus additional incentives, such as fee waivers. New allowances such as additional building height, land coverage, and lower parking requirements are also under consideration for these deed-restricted units.

In 2018, following guidance from local housing advocates and the Tahoe Living Working Group, TRPA created an additional deed restriction category called achievable housing. This was intended to incentivize the construction of housing for the “missing middle” – those workers who make too much to qualify for subsidized housing and not enough to purchase a home.

Mitigation for the loss of existing affordable and moderate income housing

TRPA ordinances protect existing workforce housing by prohibiting subdivision of de-facto affordable and moderate income housing units into condominiums, unless the loss of those units is mitigated. De-facto affordable housing units are affordable because of the way they have been historically managed or sold, such as mobile home parks, duplexes, and older apartment buildings. Since the 2000s, TRPA has required many projects to dedicate deed-restricted units as part of a project that replaced affordable housing.

There are approximately 250 of these early deed-restricted units in the Tahoe Basin, most of them in large rental apartment buildings.

Compliance with Deed Restrictions

TRPA monitors, tracks, and enforces compliance with deed restrictions in several ways:

Beginning in 2018, TRPA established a requirement for new deed-restricted units to submit an annual compliance form. There are financial penalties for failure to submit the form, and higher penalties for failure to comply with the requirements of the deed restrictions. Instructions on how to access and complete the online Deed-Restriction Compliance Form can be found here.
There are approximately 250 deed-restricted properties basin-wide including those restricted under early efforts to protect existing workforce housing. TRPA is working to bring these deed restrictions into the annual compliance program by issuing letters ensuring that owners understand the terms of their deed restriction by requesting documentation showing that the homes are in compliance, and by working with a third-party consultant to determine next steps for homes that are out of compliance.
For violations of TRPA’s Code of Ordinances, including deed restriction violations, enforcement actions can include penalties of up to $5,000 per day. Actions carried out by the TRPA code enforcement team generally result in compliance. In other cases, the agency can file a civil complaint seeking penalties and an injunction. The agency’s primary goal would be to reinstate deed-restricted affordable housing and cover enforcement costs however a financial judgement or settlement could result.

Understanding Deed-Restricted Properties

Information about individual properties may be found on TRPA’s Lake Tahoe Info Parcel Tracker. The parcel summary will show if a deed restriction is on record for a property. If one is recorded, the parcel tracker lists a summary of the terms of the deed restriction, as well as a copy of the deed restriction itself. It also shows a record of communication with the homeowner, if any, and enforcement cases.

While information on individual parcels is openly available on Lake Tahoe Info, TRPA policies do not allow the release of lists or personal addresses of property owners who participate in TRPA programs such as deed-restrictions.

In September 2023, TRPA entered into a contract with a third-party consultant, HousingInc., to conduct the annual compliance and monitoring of deed restrictions for 2023 and 2024, and to produce an annual report on the compliance status of all deed-restricted units which will be available to the Governing Board and the public. The consultant has also been asked to make recommendations for improvements to the process as a whole. The agency annually reports the status of all deed restrictions as part of its Performance Measures Report.

In 2023, TRPA staff completed a Deed-Restriction Status Report that addresses the on-going improvement efforts to the deed-restriction program. The report found that the large majority of earlier deed restrictions are effective and in compliance. It also outlined actions taken to bring non-compliant properties into compliance, monitoring and auditing that began in 2018, and made recommendations for new tools to integrate into the deed-restriction process.

2023 Deed Restriction Status Report

2024 Deed Restriction Annual Monitoring and Audit Status Report

Levels of Housing Affordability

Definitions related to affordable, moderate, and achievable housing can differ slightly between agencies. Consistent with federal and state housing subsidy programs, TRPA recognizes and provides incentives to affordable and moderate income levels. Innovations in housing policy continue to come forward nationally and throughout the Tahoe Region. Following guidance from local housing advocates and the Tahoe Living Working Group, TRPA created an additional deed restriction category called achievable housing. This was intended to incentivize the construction of housing for the “missing middle” – those workers who make too much to qualify for subsidized housing and not enough to purchase a home. TRPA recognizes the following housing categories:

There are many examples of households that are priced out of market-rate housing but which make up an important part of our communities. A teacher and a firefighter, a restaurant worker and a contractor are examples of two-income households that could be excluded from housing incentives if traditional income limits are used.

Residential Bonus Unit Program

TRPA capped all potential development in the Tahoe Basin through a unique growth management system. The Lake Tahoe Regional Plan created development rights to fulfill its mandate to provide for the orderly growth and development of the region consistent with environmental goals called thresholds.

To construct a home in the basin, a property owner or builder must acquire a residential unit of use. A residential unit of use is comprised of both a potential residential unit of use and a residential allocation. For market-rate multi-family projects, potential residential units of use must be purchased on the open market or from a local land bank. Allocations are distributed by the local jurisdictions, and there is sometimes a waiting list. When allocations are not available, full residential units of use may also searched for on the open market. More information on development rights transactions can be found here.

To incentivize local workforce housing, TRPA awards bonus units through an income or employment based eligibility program. A bonus unit takes the place of a residential unit of use and is awarded at no cost to the applicant if the home or homes meet the following criteria:

Tenants or the owner of the home meets the income or employment based eligibility standards for affordable, moderate income, or achievable housing.
The home must be located within ½ mile of a transit stop, ½ mile of a town center, or in an area that allows allows multi-family housing. The eligibility area is shown in green in the map below.
The home cannot be used as a vacation rental.
The affordable, moderate, or achievable income-based requirements and the restriction on use as a vacation rental are memorialized through a deed restriction as part of the TRPA permitting process.

Compliance Requirements

In order to ensure homes that receive bonus units remain affordable, units are subject to the following compliance measures:

Real Estate Disclosure Form : This form is required to be submitted to TRPA when any units that have received residential bonus units transfer ownership.
Compliance Form : Compliance forms are required to be submitted annually for any units that have received bonus units. It is the responsibility of the property owner or their representative to submit the compliance report with specified income verification information to TRPA.
Deed Restriction : A deed restriction recorded against the property is required for any unit that receives TRPA bonus units. The purpose of the deed restriction is to clearly articulate the intent of the residential bonus unit program, limitations, and restrictions on the use of the property. The deed restriction will be provided by TRPA for the property owner to record against the property and is a condition of approval.

See the Deed Restriction section of this page for more information.

Income Limits

TRPA set the criteria for affordable, moderate, and achievable units by county, which can be found in the Residential Bonus Unit Factsheet. Affordable and moderate income limits are updated annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and California Department of Housing and Community Development. Achievable units can be restricted either by income or employment. For those opting to use income, percentages are determined by TRPA and are subject to change based on the median home price by county. Because real estate and financial markets are in constant flux and so is the household buying power, TRPA adjusts achievable percentages on an annual basis.

To meet with a planner regarding the program, set up a pre-application meeting.

Accessory Dwelling Units - ADUs

Photo Credit: Kelley Kelso

Commonly referred to as secondary dwelling, mother-in-law, or granny units, ADUs are smaller units that share the same lot of a larger, primary residence. Examples include a detached guesthouse or a garage with a rented apartment above. ADUs have many benefits: they are an affordable type of home to construct because they are built on land that is already owned. They can also provide an income source to homeowners, are typically less costly to construct than new multi-family homes, and provide a flexible living option for individuals, family members, couples, or seniors. Because of these benefits, TRPA has adopted policies that streamline and incentivize ADUs throughout the Tahoe Basin.

Visit the Accessory Dwelling Units page for information on permitting and incentives.

Tahoe Living Working Group

In 2020, the TRPA Governing Board approved a new strategic initiative entitled Tahoe Living: Housing and Community Revitalization. The agency was tasked with adding or changing Regional Plan policies to help meet the housing needs of the Lake Tahoe Region while satisfying state requirements and supporting many local affordable and workforce housing programs that have been coming forward. Additionally, the Lake Tahoe Regional Plan identifies the lack of affordable housing in the basin as a barrier to community revitalization and environmental improvements.

The Tahoe Living Working Group was convened to identify and prioritize specific, quantifiable local and regional actions that leverage environmental redevelopment and water quality improvements to achieve the housing goals of the region. The group has provided TRPA with policy recommendations that the agency has been able to analyze, vet, adapt, and implement to modernize land use policies and address long-standing inequities in the housing market.

A record of working group meetings and a roster of its members are on the Tahoe Living Working Group page.

Vivienda asequible para la fuerza laboral en Lake Tahoe

Soluciones de Mercado para Formentar el Desarrollo de Vivendas Asequibles y para la Fuerza Laboral

La disparidad entre el costo de la vivienda y la asequibilidad para los trabajadores locales afecta el medio ambiente de Lake Tahoe y el tejido de nuestras comunidades. La Agencia de Planificación Regional de Tahoe (TRPA, por sus siglas en inglés) reconoce que no hay una solución única. La agencia está actualizando las políticas, creando incentivos, apoyando proyectos de vivienda asequible a gran y pequeña escala, con escrituras restringidas, y está trayendo más fondos a la cuenca para desarrollar la capacidad a largo plazo para viviendas asequibles en la región.

Hay muchos factores en Tahoe y en pueblos de montaña en todo el país que están impulsando la crisis de vivienda La Agencia de Planificación Regional de Tahoe (TRPA) reconoce que no hay una solución única En 2020, la agencia formó el Grupo de Trabajo de Vivienda en Tahoe, encargado de guiar al personal para actualizar políticas, crear incentivos para proyectos de vivienda con restricciones de escritura, así como traer financiamiento a Tahoe, para construir capacidad a largo plazo para viviendas asequibles en la región

Aquí puede encontrar más información.

Comunidades Cultivadoras, Conservando el medio ambiente

Desde 2020, el programa Tahoe Living de TRPA se esfuerza por concentrarse en las acciones más efectivas dentro de su autoridad para apoyar la vivienda asequible y para la fuerza laboral. El trabajo anterior abordó las unidades de vivienda accesorias (ADU) y los incentivos de zonificación (más información a continuación). A continuación, el Grupo de Trabajo de Tahoe Living identificó que el sistema de derechos de desarrollo de TRPA necesita mejoras para abordar mejor el acceso a la vivienda. A la luz de esto, TRPA se ha embarcado en un proyecto de varios años para hacer que la vivienda sea más accesible mientras se mantienen y mejoran las protecciones ambientales. La próxima fase de la iniciativa Tahoe Living, “Cultivando Comunidades, Conservando la Cuenca”, planificará la construcción de viviendas equitativas y sostenibles y mejorará la resiliencia climática a través de la actualización de nuestro sistema de derechos de desarrollo y el desarrollo de capacidades para una participación comunitaria significativa. Juntos, podemos asegurarnos de que todos en Lake Tahoe tengan acceso a viviendas asequibles y sostenibles en un entorno próspero y protegido.

TRPA lanzará un sitio web actualizado en las próximas semanas, así que vuelva pronto para obtener más información.

Get Involved

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Community Based Organization Mini Grant:
Apply by December 2, 2024

Community Based Organization Mini Grant Application Packet – ENGLISH

Paquete de Solicitud de Mini Subvención de CBO – ESPAÑOL

Public Comment: The agency appreciates your engagement, ideas, and opinions. Send your comments on any topic or upcoming meeting agendas to publiccomment@trpa.gov.

Tools and Resources

TRPA Resources

Housing Data

Lake Tahoe Demographics at a Glance

Lake Tahoe Basin Census Trends Report

Access to Housing data on the Climate Dashboard

Demographics and Workforce data on the Climate Dashboard