Unlocking Potential: Recent ADU Research and Its Impact on Policy and Development

Tags: housing, people, workfroce

Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation is hosting a Housing Lunch and Learns series starting September 13, 2024. These virtual conversations will feature community leaders and housing experts as we discuss topics concerning housing in North Tahoe Truckee and the Mountain West. All are encouraged to join.

Housing Lunch and Learn Series Topic 1: Unlocking Potential: Recent ADU Research and Its Impact on Policy and Development

“How can we maintain the character of the town, the area, the region that we all love while promoting sustainable development? ADUs can use resources far more efficiently than building new subdivisions. They can impact both low- and middle-income families, professionals, and help people stay in their homes. Research from AARP shows that ADUs even allow people to age in place.”

 Dr. Thomas J. Powell, Senior Advisor for Brehon Strategies

At September’s Lunch and Learn event, “Unlocking Potential: Recent ADU Research & Its Impact on Policy and Development,” local leaders and community members gathered to address a pressing challenge for the Tahoe Truckee region: creating housing options that are accessible to individuals and families across all income levels.

With rising construction costs and little state support for middle-income housing, finding sustainable solutions is crucial. One promising approach is Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)—small homes built on existing properties. ADUs provide flexible options for family housing, rental income, and better land use without large-scale development. Recent policy changes have made it easier for homeowners to build ADUs, offering pre-approved plans and potential cost-offset programs.

Speakers Erin Casey (President/CEO of Tahoe Housing Hub) and Dr. Thomas J. Powell (Senior Advisor for Brehon Strategies) engaged in an informative discussion based on their research and emphasized the need for better financing options and scaled incentives to make ADUs more attainable.

As we move forward, there’s a real opportunity to expand these efforts and address our region’s housing needs in a thoughtful, community-focused way.

If you missed the live lunch and learn, you can watch the recording by click here. Please feel free to share it widely!

Additional Resources

Save the Date for Upcoming Housing Lunch and Learns

• Friday, October 11, 2024: Updates from the Field (Learn More, or Register Here)
• Friday, November 8, 2024
• Friday, February 14, 2025
• Friday, March 14, 2025
• Friday, April 11, 2025
• Friday, May 9, 2025
• Friday, June 13, 2025

Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation and Housing

Since 2013, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation has been at the forefront of identifying and developing housing solutions for our region. Elevate Tahoe, produced in collaboration with Moonshine Ink, was a three-part series that brought to the surface the emerging housing crisis. In 2016, TTCF facilitated the first-ever regional workforce housing needs assessment. In 2017, TTCF launched the Mountain Housing Council of Tahoe Truckee to bring together 29 diverse stakeholders from across sectors and the region to address the local achievable housing crisis.