TRUCKEE, Calif. The Town Council met on Tuesday, September 26, during which they heard a recap on the popular Fourth of July event at Donner Lake.

The meeting began with new Town Clerk, Kelly Carpenter, being sworn in. Various town staff introduced more than a dozen new employees and interns.

The Town Manager reported that the Halloween Costume Swap is open from September 18-30. Get a “new to you” costume. You can drop off costumes to four different locations: 1) Community Rec Center at 10981 Truckee Way 2) Truckee Town Hall at 10183 Truckee Airport Rd. 3) Truckee Library at 10031 Levone Ave. and, 4) KidZone Museum at 11711 Donner Pass Rd. The official Costume Swap Day will be on Saturday, October 7th from 10 am – 2 pm at the Community Rec Center. 

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Council heard a report on the Fourth of July fireworks event which drew significant interest, with an estimated attendance of 20,500, split evenly between residents and spectators. Around 2,500 vehicles came to the west end of Donner Lake. The event was supported by over 20 police officers, two battalion chiefs, three engine crews, and 11 personnel, and lasted for 22 minutes, incurring costs of approximately $50,000 for the Town.

The Coldstream roundabout proved successful in traffic management, with most cleared within an hour, something Councilmember Anna Klovstad said she was happy to hear. Parking remains a concern, as some park in bike lanes or next to guardrails.

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Communication efforts were effective, utilizing various platforms and multilingual materials. Transit carried 2,919 passengers, prompting council interest in expanding services. Utilizing the state park as an evacuation route is under consideration, with ongoing efforts to clear access, though challenges exist due to its wetland location.

The council then received an update from the Public Art Commission of Truckee.

Key questions concerning art funding sustainability, strategic directions, and public art placement were raised. It was unanimously agreed that a sustainable funding strategy is paramount for long-term public art preservation. The council emphasized the urgency of establishing such a strategy.

A central consideration is how to synergize public and private funding to enhance public art endeavors. Notably, Truckee’s cultural district designation by the California Arts Council, one of only 14 in the state, highlights the town’s abundant historical, artistic, and cultural treasures.

And lastly, some important updates from The Truckee Home Access Program were discussed and a budget amendment was passed. The Truckee Home Access Program aims to achieve three key goals: firstly, to secure 10% of housing with deed restrictions in the town’s inventory; secondly, to extend these restrictions to encompass higher income levels (up to 245% of the Area Median Income) to cater to various income brackets and market conditions; and thirdly, to widen the deed restriction program to include more options for sale.

The town’s median household income stands at $110,300. The affordable home purchase price, as designated by the Mountain Council Needs Assessment, is $418,500, yet only 34 homes have been sold below this price in the past year. Affording the current median home price of $1,152,500 requires a household to earn 293% of the Area Median Income.

In 2023, 29% of homes (96 units) were sold for less than $937,500. Currently, Truckee has 4,259 households facing inadequate housing conditions, covering both under housed and overcrowded situations. The primary challenges faced by the Truckee community are the difficulty in finding affordable homes and insufficient funds for down payments or closing costs. A key long-term objective for THAP is to establish a secondary market for affordably priced, deed-restricted homes tailored to the local workforce.

Since 2022, THAP has acquired six houses, providing homes for 14 individuals, at an average selling price of $607,800. The average AMI of buyers falls at 161%, ranging from 116% to 220%. THAP has allocated a budget of $700,000 for the fiscal year 2023/24. Currently, $425,760 has been utilized, leaving a remaining balance of $274,240.

Applications for houses seven and eight have already been received. THAP proposed a budget amendment of $500,000 for the 2023/24 C104, bringing the total to $1,749,250, with unanimous approval from all council members. Council member Courtney Henderson emphasized, “This is a pathway to home ownership for people in our community.”

The next council meeting will be on Tuesday, October 10.