How are two of Placer County’s Tahoe housing programs doing?

By Katelyn Welsh – Sierra Sun, May 15, 2026

KINGS BEACH, Calif. – On Monday, the Placer County Board of Supervisors received annual updates on two programs tackling housing needs for local workers in the Tahoe region of Placer County.

Lease to Locals Program

Lease to Locals is a program launched in 2022, initially as a pilot, that has continued to incentivize homeowners to lease their properties to local workers. In exchange for renting their home that previously was not a full-time rental, homeowners can receive up to $4,500 per qualified tenant (max of four for 12-month lease).

Between July of last year and this April, the program has secured 24 properties, reflecting 56 bedrooms and housing 62 people. Of those, 48 are local workers, and 14 are children. Average rent per property was $2,725 and $1,168 per bedroom. The county committed $194,000 on incentives, averaging $8,083 per property.

Since the program’s start, 147 properties have participated, providing 335 bedrooms. It has housed 357 people, including 286 local workers and 55 children. Over that time, the average rent per property was $2,617 and $1,148 per bedroom. The average income of adults housed has been $64,631. In the four years, the county has committed $1.39 million in incentives. According to Placemate, Inc., the program facilitator, 77% of properties that have graduated the program continue to rent long-term, indicating a positive long-term impact on unlocking housing for local workers.

Launchpad Program

In April of last year, the board approved the Launchpad program to support the creation of new housing through either new construction or the renovation of previously nonresidential or non-code-compliant spaces.

Upon the completion of the project and recording of a deed restriction, applicants receive their previously reserved monetary incentive. The deed restriction requires the property to be occupied by a household with at least one member of the local workforce.

Funding is reserved for projects during development through the program’s Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) process.

A pilot $1 million NOFA was issued last year and received eight applications. Four were deemed eligible. Of the four, two ADU projects declined due to the deed restriction requirements.

The following funding reservations were made for the other two:

• $600,000 for Steelhead Cottage Court, a project in Kings Beach replacing an uninhabitable unit with three tiny homes (completion expected late 2026)
• $125,000 for an ADA-Accessible ADU on Brook Avenue in Kings Beach that will offer a wheelchair-accessible unit above a garage (completion expected summer 2027)

In February, the board approved $3 million for the next NOFA round. The county received 12 applicants and expects to use a lottery system following eligibility checks.