TRUCKEE, Calif. – It was standing room only at a community meeting hosted on Thursday, Feb. 6 by Nevada County to discuss a permanent supportive housing unit that the county may potentially buy in the Amstrong Tract of Truckee. 

Chatter started on the “Hope Ridge House” after a flier was posted in the neighborhood, claiming a homeless shelter was opening on February 1. While it was wrong to call this home a homeless shelter, it was the first time residents in the area had heard the county was doing work in the neighborhood to address the unhoused. The county had signed a lease on the property.

Thursday’s meeting was meant to set the record straight on what the county’s plan for the house is and answer questions from the community. 

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On January 31, the application process opened to apply for Prop 1 funds, which are funds used for the reform and expansion of behavioral services. The application process is open for two to three months and funds are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis, leading the county to act quickly to try to secure those funds. 

In order to apply for the grant, the county would need to already have a site secured, which is why they signed a lease for the Hope Ridge House. The lease is for six months, so the county won’t be stuck with the house long-term if they don’t receive the grants. 

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If the county receives the funds and are able to purchase the home, it would be used for permanent supportive housing. 

Permanent supportive housing is long-term housing that comes with monitoring and services. Residents would need to be homeless or at risk of homelessness, have mental health or substance abuse needs, live in Truckee, and be willing to adhere to behavioral expectations. 

They would pay 30% of their income for rent, meaning if they don’t have income, they won’t pay rent and the county would cover the remaining costs using county funds–not grant funds. 

There would be treatment services and supportive services–for example, help with getting identification, and an overnight house manager. The property would be managed by AMI Housing, which operates similar housing projects in western Nevada County and in King’s Beach. AMI Housing has an office in Truckee, allowing for quick response time. 

While residents at the home would not need to be drug-tested or sober, they would have to follow strict behavior guidelines. An example given by Ryan Gruver, Nevada County Health and Human Services Agency Director is that residents could enjoy a beer while watching TV, but they could not get belligerently drunk and cause a fight. 

Many of the concerns raised at the meeting were around safety, especially because of the home’s proximity to a school. 

Phebe Bell, Behavioral Health Director for Nevada County said there is a vetting system that will be in place. Residents can not be sex offenders, have no significant history of violence and no history of arson. They can also be removed from the property if they don’t abide by the behavioral expectations. Bell pointed out that there are more safeguards around people living in this home than a normal neighborhood.

A sour taste was left in many people’s mouths from the apparent secretiveness from the county. There were no discussions or public meetings before the lease on the property was signed.  

Supervisor Hardy Bullock apologized for the lack of transparency and vowed to do better, but also reiterated the timeliness required in getting a lease secured, so they were able to apply for the grant. He also noted that the house has not been purchased and the project is not set in stone. 

One point made again and again by the presenters was that there are no homeless services in Truckee, no warming shelters, and no supportive housing. 

According to the last point-in-time count, there are about 22 people in Truckee who need a bed. 

“We have neglected the unhoused. Supportive housing is one way to change that,” said Truckee Mayor Jan Zabriskie. 

So, even if this house is purchased, it would not completely solve the unhoused crisis in Truckee. It would just be a tool in the tool belt. 

While there were a lot of concerns and frustrations shared at the meeting, there was also a lot of support for the homeless community and support for the project, both from Truckee residents not living in the Armstrong Tract and for neighbors of the could-be supportive house. 

To learn more or view the meeting in its entirety, visit https://nevadacountyca.gov/4076/Hope-Ridge-House. 

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