TRUCKEE, Calif. — The Truckee Town Council discussed another affordable housing incentive program during their Tuesday meeting. 

The Short-Term Rental Workforce Housing Token Pilot Program would encourage the private sector to create workforce housing in exchange for a limited pool of STR registration certificates which are referred to as tokens. 

The token program would place deed-restrictions on new or newly renovated affordable housing projects, similar to the Truckee Home Access Program. 

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“However, the Token Program framework proposes to offer in-kind payment for deed restrictions in the form of STR “Tokens” rather than cash,” the staff report stated. 

Staff recommended several deed restrictions which would require the residences to be long-term rentals and primary residents. The rent would be capped at 150% of average median income and 50% of the adults living in the house must work within the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District boundaries. 

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Staff introduced the program during the council meeting but the item was for discussion only, not approval. 

Councilmember Anna Klovstad expressed concerns about the program, stating it would be a lot of staff time to get back an unknown return on investment. She was also concerned that the success of the program could encourage more short-term rentals, a sentiment that was shared by Councilmember Courtney Henderson. 

Staff will bring back the item in February for further discussion. 

The meeting began with several presentations, including an update on the Chief’s Advisory Committee. The committee is meant to allow members of the community to learn about and weigh-in on policing strategies. Police Chief Danny Renfrow said the committee is looking for new members for 2023. 

The council also received a presentation from NZero, an organization that will provide greenhouse gas emissions tracking for the Town. NZero representatives showed the council what the tracking platform looks like and initial town data. 

They will be coming back to the council with more data and recommendations to reduce emissions. 

Finally, new employees, Carissa Binkley, Economic Development Program Analyst II, and Erin Brewster, Sustainability Program Manager were introduced.