The Shasta County Board of Supervisors made significant strides in housing assistance during their special meeting on July 21, 2025, approving key modifications to funding aimed at increasing homeownership opportunities for local residents.

In a move to address the lack of applications for owner-occupied rehabilitation funds, the board voted unanimously to redirect these resources towards down payment assistance for workforce-eligible residents. Supervisor Long highlighted the need for this shift, noting that the previous funding structure had not attracted sufficient interest from developers focused on multifamily projects. "By applying these funds to homeowner assistance for down payment, we're hoping to get more workforce eligible residents into housing," he stated.

The board's decision is expected to enhance access to housing for low-income families, allowing them to secure homes more easily. Supervisor Plummer made the motion to approve the new funding strategy, which was seconded by Supervisor Kaelstrom, and the motion passed with a 5-0 vote.

Additionally, the board convened as the Shasta County Housing Authority to approve the annual and five-year plans for the Housing Choice Voucher program, which provides rental assistance to low-income tenants. These plans are crucial for maintaining funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, with approximately 1,016 vouchers currently in use across the service area, which includes Shasta, Modoc, Siskiyou, and Trinity Counties, excluding the city of Redding.

The board emphasized the importance of these approvals, warning that failure to adopt the plans could jeopardize the county's participation in the voucher program, potentially leading to a loss of funding and negatively impacting households reliant on this assistance.

With these actions, Shasta County is taking proactive steps to improve housing accessibility and support for its residents, aiming to foster a more inclusive community.