Business and Economy

Squeezed Out: Reno-Tahoe's Affordable Housing Shortage

The Reno-Tahoe area is facing a severe shortage of affordable housing, impacting everyone from families to employers to even the police force. Over the next several months, KUNR will explore the housing crunch from the perspective of tenants, landlords, homeowners, businesses, realtors and economic experts, looking at the challenges and possible solutions.

Study Proves Tahoe Housing Crisis Is Real

KUNR Public Radio | By Amy Westervelt

Published August 28, 2016 at 11:11 PM PDT

A study of housing in Truckee and north Tahoe released this week reveals some troubling realities about the region.

The results of the Truckee-North Tahoe regional housing study, commissioned by the Truckee-Tahoe Community Foundation, are unsurprising to locals: A third of Tahoe residents spend more than half their income on housing, and close to 65 percent of houses in the region are vacation homes.

After adjusting for inflation, the study found that since 1999 north Tahoe communities have experienced a decline in household purchasing power as incomes have decreased while housing costs rise. Read the complete study here.

The culmination of an initiative that began in 2014, the Truckee-North Tahoe regional housing study is meant to inform policy discussions around workforce housing solutions for the region.