Originally published in the TRPA ENews Housing update

Efforts to address housing affordability in the Tahoe Basin are entering an important new stage, and we want you to be part of what comes next. 

This month, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is kicking off Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) scoping for the Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin project. This process will take a close look at how proposed housing policy changes can protect the natural environment while continuing to support local residents that are the fabric of our community.

Read on to learn how you can share your input, stay informed, and follow along as this work moves forward. Your voice matters, please stay engaged and help spread the word.

–Long Range Planning Department

Upcoming Opportunities for Input

TRPA has initiated an environmental impact statement for proposed policies to improve housing affordability, water quality, and environmental conditions in the Tahoe Basin.

A public scoping period is now open for the public to provide input on any impacts that should be considered in the environmental analysis. The public scoping period for the EIS will remain open through March 16, 2026. Please submit written comments to housing@trpa.gov or provide spoken comment at the February 11 Advisory Planning Commission meeting.

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News | Feb 10, 2026 – by Katelyn Welsh  – kwelsh@tahoedailytribune.com

In solving challenges surrounding short-term rentals, Placer County staff and an advisory group will continue to refine proposed solutions after the Board of Supervisors offered feedback on draft amendments to the county’s STR program and related ordinance amendments. The supervisors provided the input at the board’s meeting at Granlibakken Tahoe on Tuesday, Feb. 3.

To start, county staff offered an update on the county’s Short Term Rental (STR) Advisory Group which has investigated a variety of topics related to STRs in a data-driven approach since its first meeting in February 2024.

The group was formed to include a variety of stakeholders such as property owners, managers, residents and others to ensure the STR program considers economic, community, and environmental concerns.

Over the course of meetings, the group found that property owners not acquiring a permit is the biggest non-compliance with the county’s STR program.

Another insight is finding that only a small percentage of the STRs are suitable for workforce housing and that in most cases, STR owners are people who want to use their home and would not make them available for the workforce.

Overall, the group felt that increasing the quality of the STR operator through education and enforcement, rather than increasing regulations or rules, was a better approach.

County staff have utilized the group’s research and conversations to propose STR program changes and draft ordinance modifications presented to the board for feedback.

There were four main proposals outlined and described in further detail below that came from the STR advisory group’s input:

• 180-day waiting period
• owner education requirements
• two-tier permit structure
• permit exchange program

The proposed 180-day waiting period would apply to new property owners who must wait the six month period before applying and receiving an STR permit. The waiting period is intended to ensure that the new owners are informed of ordinances and responsibilities, obtain defensible space inspections, and address other considerations.

In staff’s proposal, educational requirements would be a parameter for property owners to obtain a new STR permit.

A two-tier permit structure was proposed to align with the Tahoe Basin Area Plan which seeks to focus lodging in town centers or resort areas. The idea is to divide permits between tier-1 units (two bedrooms and under) and tier-2 units (three bedrooms and above). As new hotels are developed, STR permits would retire, starting with tier-1 units at a one-to-one ratio with new hotel units.

The staff’s proposed STR permit exchange program would act similarly and as an extension to the Least to Locals program, incentivizing tier-1 property owners to permanently retire their STR permit and rent the unit long-term to local workers.

While supervisors were open to the permit exchange program and viewed educational requirements as a good idea, remaining items would need more fine-tuning before receiving full support, particularly the waiting period. There was concern that the period could be too long or unfair to properties that have a well-informed property manager or a history as an STR.

On the two-tier permit structure, Supervisor Cindy Gustafson said the intention made sense, but cautioned that with many different types of condos in the area (some located in resort areas and others not), they need to be careful with how the tiers are applied. Supervisor Bonnie Gore also addressed the two-tier program and said it needs more research.

Following feedback from the board, Deputy County Executive Officer Stephanie Holloway and Senior Management Analyst Nicholas Martin said they will assess refining the waiting period to consider the type of applicant, the applicant’s STR experience and the property’s history.

In response to other feedback, staff said they would incorporate the educational component and ensure the property’s local contact is also in the loop, not just the owner.

Per other inquiries from the board, staff will bring the discussion to the advisory group centered around STR economics. The two-tiered permit structure will also return to staff and the advisory group for more refinement and consideration.

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The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) has initiated an environmental impact statement for proposed policies to improve housing affordability, water quality, and environmental conditions in the Tahoe Basin. The agency is seeking feedback during a six-week public comment period on what environmental issues should be analyzed in the document.

TRPA developed proposed policy changes through a year-long public engagement process with community members, housing experts, and decision makers as part of the Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin project. The housing initiative focuses on aligning land-use regulations to better support housing needs at Lake Tahoe while protecting the environment.

Opportunities for Input

Find out more on and get involved at TahoeLiving.org/environmental-impact-statement.

This public scoping period will remain open through March 16, 2026. Please submit written comments to housing@trpa.gov on the scope of the environmental analysis including any impacts that should be considered in the study.

The housing affordability challenge doesn’t just affect people, it affects the environment too. For TRPA, environmental protection shapes every major decision. The agency’s environmental review provides a transparent process for the public and decision makers to understand potential impacts of the proposed policies.

Originally published in Washoe Life, 1/28/2026, Written by Bethany Drysdale

Washoe County and the Nevada Division of Insurance are hosting a community meeting for residents concerned about changes to homeowners insurance as it relates to wildfire. 

During the 2025 Nevada Legislative Session, laws were enacted that impact how insurance companies may assess wildfire risk, potentially affecting insurance availability, coverage, and premium rates for some homeowners. 

Nevada Insurance Commissioner Ned Gaines will present an overview of the new law and how it pertains to homeowners in fire-prone areas of Washoe County, as well as how insurers may implement the provisions, and what resources are available to homeowners. 

Following the presentation, representatives from Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and Washoe County Emergency Management will be available to discuss wildfire preparedness and risk-reduction efforts.  

“Wildfire happens frequently in our area, and every resident should understand the threat and how they can help protect themselves and their family,” Emergency Manager Kelly Echeverria said. “We are proud to partner with the State of Nevada to provide this important forum for education and dialogue with residents.”   

The event will be held at 5:30 p.m. on February 24 at the Washoe County Administration Complex at 1001 E. 9th Street, Building A, in the Commission Chambers. Homeowners are invited to bring their questions and meet with state and local experts on wildfire prevention, suppression, and insurance issues.  

Bethany Drysdale

Communications Manager
775-313-8582
bdrysdale@washoecounty.gov

Originally published in Tahoe Living Newsletter, 1/22/2026

Addressing housing affordability in the Tahoe Basin is a key priority for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) as we begin 2026. Through the Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin project, TRPA has spent the past year and a half working with the public, partners, and stakeholders to develop a housing policy proposal grounded in environmental protection.

The project is now entering the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) phase, which will study how proposed housing policies can meet community housing needs while continuing to protect the Tahoe Basin.

Stay engaged and help spread the word.

Note: The Long Range Planning Team has recently been reformulated into the Long Range Planning Department. Stay tuned for future updates from us on this department’s role in the agency and in environmental planning at Lake Tahoe.

–Long Range Planning Department

Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 1/9/2026, Written by Eli Ramos

Winter is usually the time when people in the basin think about homelessness—it’s when the risks are highest for those who are unhoused and when operations like warming centers are the most critical. But year-round, organizations like Sierra Community House and the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless as well as others provide critical services to those in most need.

Part 1 of this feature covered what homelessness looks like in the Tahoe Basin and how homelessness services collect data. Now, we’ll cover what services are available to unhoused people and what changes are on the horizon for them.

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Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, Written by Maria Palma KUNR, 12/24/2025

Housing affordability has long been a challenge in the Lake Tahoe region, and a new survey is now putting hard numbers behind what many residents experience every day.

Earlier this year, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), in partnership with the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, surveyed people who live and work in the Greater Lake Tahoe region. The goal was to better understand how housing and transportation challenges are affecting daily life in the basin.

The survey included more than 40 questions and was offered in both English and Spanish. Organizers also worked with local nonprofit organizations to reach people who are often underrepresented or left out of traditional surveys.

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Originally published in the TRPA newsletter 12/19/2025

The Van Sickle Bi-State Park on Lake Tahoe’s South Shore is getting park ranger housing, and accessory dwelling units are now allowed on more properties following Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board approvals this Wednesday.

“Throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin, momentum on affordable housing is continuing to build as organizations and individuals work to ensure Lake Tahoe’s environment and communities can thrive together,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. 

The Board approved a project by Nevada Division of State Parks at the Van Sickle property to construct a maintenance shop plus two deed-restricted housing units for park staff. Van Sickle Bi-State Park is a 725-acre, day-use park co-managed by the California Tahoe Conservancy that offers hiking trails, scenic views, picnic areas, and historic ranch buildings steps away from the busy state line area of Tahoe’s South Shore. Having affordable housing on site will help park rangers and reduce vehicle miles traveled.

The Governing Board also adopted amendments to the Washoe Tahoe Area Plan for Incline Village and Crystal Bay, Nevada to allow accessory dwelling units on properties less than one acre in size. The housing incentives incorporated into the plan, originally approved in 2023, encourage more affordable units near transit and services to help reduce traffic and support water quality improvements through environmental redevelopment.

The Board’s action on accessory dwelling units brings consistency to both sides of the lake and allows all local governments in the basin to consider allowing them on residential parcels smaller than one acre. Resort communities across the country are incentivizing these types of granny flats or backyard cottages as a strategy to address housing affordability, according to TRPA.

Caption: An illustration of the Nevada Division of State Parks employee duplex approved for Van Sickle Bi-State Park.
Credit: Nevada Division of State Parks

Published on YouTube – TRPA Channel

Summary — TRPA Housing Presentation (Advisory Planning Commission, Dec 10, 2025)

Context & Initiative

• The presentation was part of TRPA’s ongoing housing policy work under the initiative “Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin.” SnowBrains
• This is a multi-year regional planning effort to address the Lake Tahoe housing crisis while protecting environmental goals like water quality and growth limits. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

Key Goals of the Housing Policy Discussion

The staff presentation to the Advisory Planning Commission likely covered:

1. Housing Challenges in the Tahoe Basin
   • Local workers and families are increasingly priced out of housing.
   • Many workers commute into the region, increasing traffic, emissions, and environmental impacts. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
2. Overview of the “Cultivating Community” Policy Process
   • The initiative explores updating land-use policy and the growth management system to promote affordable and workforce housing without weakening environmental protections. SnowBrains
   • It builds on previous phases like accessory dwelling unit (ADU) incentives and deed-restriction monitoring programs. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
3. Draft Policy Directions (Likely Covered in Presentation)
   While I can’t view the exact slides, TRPA’s published draft policy ideas include: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency• Development Rights Reform
   • Options to scale required development rights based on unit size/impact, so large homes cost more rights and smaller, workforce housing costs fewer.
   • Alternatives could reduce or internalize rights for small ADUs or multi-family units.
   • Fees & Mitigation Costs
   • Exploring scaled mitigation fees based on environmental impact, potentially lowering fees for small workforce units and raising them for large homes.
   • Land Coverage & Standards
   • Looking at coverage requirement tweaks to make it easier to build smaller, multi-unit housing while maintaining water-quality protections.
   • Missing Middle Housing
   • Options to allow duplexes, triplexes, or fourplexes in more neighborhoods as part of broader regional plan updates.
   • Local Government Flexibility
   • Increasing local adoption of incentives and standards that support multi-family and workforce housing.
4. Public Engagement & Next Steps
   • The Dec 10 advisory commission presentation was one step in gathering feedback before the Jan 28, 2026 Governing Board hearing to initiate the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for these housing policy recommendations. SnowBrains
5. How Environmental Protection Fits In
   • TRPA emphasizes maintaining current growth limits and water quality protections while finding ways to support housing — a principal theme of “Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin.” Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

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