Truckee residents press council for public process on scattered-site supportive housing

Several Truckee residents urged the Town Council on April 1 to require public notice, council review and explicit program details before any agency acquires private homes in Truckee for scattered-site supportive housing.

At the start of the meeting, resident Mike Lavock told the council he had copied Mayor Zabriskie and a county supervisor on a February 14 request that "any proposal to conduct homeless treatment or housing in residential neighborhoods should be brought to the town council for public discussion, deliberation and a vote by the council." Lavock said he and others remain concerned that Nevada County might acquire private homes for supportive housing for people with mental-health and substance-use disorders “in residential neighborhoods without notice and without public process.”

Why this matters: The council is slated to consider elements of a Tahoe Truckee Homeless Action Plan developed with county participation. Residents said they want advance public notice on site selection, program elements, accessibility and which agencies will provide building inspection and ADA compliance oversight.

Other residents reinforced the request and urged broader community engagement. A speaker identified as “JD” pointed council members to a private property for sale that he said could host behavioral-health services and supportive housing in a more private location and encouraged turnout at a community workshop on the homeless action plan scheduled for 5:30–7:30 p.m. April 3 at the Steve Bridal Recreation Center. The town manager confirmed the session and said it will include a short presentation and interactive tabling; staff plans a follow-up survey for people who cannot attend.

Voices from the public: Lavock said he had participated in a Feb. 24 dialogue that produced the action plan released Jan. 22 and that several participants’ detailed questions had been deferred for “offline” follow-up that he said never occurred. He recounted personal experience with homelessness and said that his concern over scattered-site placement of people with "drug and alcohol dependencies and mental illness" adjacent to single-family homes does not equal a lack of compassion for people experiencing homelessness.

JD said business owners and community members have expressed concern about public perception after media coverage and urged residents to attend the April 3 community meeting. Council members and staff said they would publicize the event and that follow-up communications, including a survey, will be provided for those who cannot attend.

Ending: Town staff said council members will receive the community input gathered at the workshop ahead of any future council agenda item on the Homeless Action Plan. No formal council policy or vote on scattered-site supportive housing occurred at the April 1 meeting.