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Almanor Foundation outlines countywide housing council and first build‑to‑sell pilot for Plumas County
Summary
The Almanor Foundation and contractor O'MetalKey Design presented a countywide housing council model focused on workforce/attainable housing (80–120% AMI), a build‑to‑sell starter home targeted under $275,000, and other programs including down payment assistance and lease‑to‑locals.
The Almanor Foundation and O'MetalKey Design presented the Housing Council’s two‑year work to the Plumas County Board of Supervisors on March 4, pitching a countywide coordinating body to align nonprofit, philanthropic, for‑profit, and government partners around a range of housing needs.
Tyler Pugh, founding principal with O’MetalKey Design, said the council’s initial target is workforce‑attainable housing — units affordable to people earning roughly 80%–120% of area median income — while still accounting for both lower‑income subsidized housing and market‑rate stock that supports economic viability. The council has identified three early program tracks: a build‑to‑rent model, “housing messaging” (marketing/availability mapping), and lease‑to‑locals to bring vacant units into long‑term local rental pools.
Early wins and next steps: Pugh said the council has a replicable build‑to‑sell prototype — the first such model county‑wide since 2008 — and expects the first unit to be ready for sale in roughly four to six months with a target price below $275,000; net proceeds would be reinvested in the next house. The group is coordinating a countywide housing assessment (with Planning Director Tracy Ferguson) using existing grant funds and is exploring aligning local philanthropic dollars, surplus county property, and state programs such as Golden State down payment assistance.
Why it matters: Supervisors praised the collaborative approach and said the housing council’s alignment of projects and funding could inform priorities for settlement dollars and mid‑year budget allocations. Board members urged the council to return with more specific, actionable requests (potential staff time, funding roles, or surplus property proposals) within 3–4 months.
Quotes: “We were initially tasked with targeting what is called workforce attainable housing,” Tyler Pugh said. “We want to build momentum for existing and in‑development programs and see homes built.” Planning Director Tracy Ferguson and several supervisors said they regard the housing council as an asset for coordinating scarce resources and identifying projects likely to succeed.
Next steps: The housing council will continue monthly meetings, complete the countywide housing assessment with planning staff support, and return to the board with more specific asks and alignment recommendations.
