Discussing the beauty and challenges of health services in North Lake Tahoe, paid parking updates in this North Lake Tahoe newsletter

Greetings from Kings Beach,

Housing stability is another critical factor in health, and some of our programs like housing vouchers can help families with lower incomes keep a roof over their heads. While the majority (97%) of Placer County’s homeless population is in Mid and South Placer, the needs of the smaller Tahoe homeless population are no less severe. While many of our permanent supportive housing programs are to the west, the county’s first project through Homekey (a competitive state grant program) was to convert the 7 Pines Motel in Kings Beach into permanent supportive housing. Renovations at what will be called ‘Brown Bear Studios’ (pictured above) are almost complete, and we expect clients to begin moving in towards the end of this month and into September. As part of this program they’ll continue to receive supportive case management to keep them on track, and pay a portion of their income (whether from employment or disability) towards rent.

Given the smaller overall population in North Tahoe, healthcare workforce challenges and the difficulty of scaling services, our partnerships with other governmental agencies along with nonprofits and other service providers are key to maintaining a robust network of support in the region. We work closely with Nevada County and the Town of Truckee, even sharing key staff positions with Nevada.

We also work hand in hand with nonprofits like Sierra Community House, whose community health workers or promotores are boots on the ground to help make connections. And Western Sierra Medical Clinic, a non-profit medical clinic that serves all residents regardless of health insurance status or ability to pay, runs the former Placer County Medical Clinic in Kings Beach and has recommitted to expanding services (including bringing back dental) and access to care.   
 

Despite ongoing challenges, together our network of social service partners in North Lake Tahoe are making strides towards ensuring everyone in this region has access to the tools they need for health and well-being.

211 is a great resource to connect with resources – whether resources we provide directly from the county or those from our nonprofits and partners. Our 211 provider, Connecting Point, serves the entire Tahoe-Truckee region in both Placer and Nevada counties. Give them a call if you or a loved one finds themselves in need – and if you have the means, consider supporting our Tahoe nonprofit service providers who do amazing and difficult work every day.

Be Well,  

Community meeting scheduled for Aug. 15

Placer County is hosting a virtual community meeting Thursday, Aug. 15 regarding the Village at Palisades Tahoe Specific Plan to present project information pertaining to transportation and transit, fire and emergency evacuation and water supply. Participants will be able to submit questions on these topics through an online chat managed by county staff. That meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. and be held via Zoom. LEARN MORE

Special joint Olympic Valley MAC and North Tahoe RAC meeting scheduled for Aug. 17

The Village at Palisades Tahoe Specific Plan will also be discussed at a special joint meeting of the Olympic Valley Municipal Advisory Council and the North Tahoe Regional Advisory Council on Aug. 17. The meeting will be held in the Palisades Tahoe Ballroom at 1750 Village East Road in Olympic Valley. It will begin at 10 a.m. and will be streamed virtually via Zoom. Seating may be limited. LEARN MORE

Join Placer County's Tahoe Workforce 

Our Tahoe offices are looking to add the right people to our team! There are positions open with our Community Development Resource Agency, Department of Public Works, Engineering and more. These salaried positions include a Tahoe branch assignment premium of up to an additional $1,000 per month. APPLY HERE

Join us this Wednesday, Aug.14 at Round Hill Pines Beach Resort in Zephyr Cove, NV for the 28th annual Lake Tahoe Summit. Placer County will be sharing our transportation goals and initiatives throughout the morning as the theme of this year’s event is “Connecting Tahoe: Investing in Transit, Trails, and Technology for the Future.”

The keynote speaker is U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. This event will be live-streamed for those who cannot make it. LEARN MORE

Placer County's paid parking demonstration at its Christmas Tree lot in Kings Beach is now up and running. The new Flowbird pay station has been installed and is now accepting cash and credit card payments for parking. The Christmas Tree Public Parking Lot is located on the south side of state Route 28 at 8676 North Lake Boulevard (between Raccoon Street and Fox Street). 

Paid parking shall operate seven days a week through Sept. 30 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and with the following rates:

• All-day flat rate between peak operating hours of 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.: $10
• Evening flat rate for operating hours of 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.: $5
• Peak pricing for holidays and holiday weekends (Labor Day and Labor Day weekend): $20

The demonstration will be conducted for one season and until Sept. 30. County staff shall provide an update to the Board of Supervisors in the first quarter of the 2025 calendar year with recommendations regarding whether paid parking at this parking lot should be concluded, re-established for additional monitoring and learning purposes, or approved as permanent with a future parking ordinance update.

Community engagement about the parking management program has been ongoing since Spring 2023, including six community meetings in 2024 between January and March. Stakeholder meetings are ongoing with partner agencies and community groups to engage collaborative discussions regarding program goals, elements, financing, technology and enforcement. 

A key goal of the program is improved parking enforcement to improve parking turnover and compliance in Kings Beach. Since July 1, the county's enforcement team has issued more than 700 parking citations. While the majority (over 70%) of these citations have been issued for parking in a restricted area, this effort will ultimately help local businesses by creating available parking within their business proximity. A total of 3% of these citations were issued for exceeding the posted parking time limits. The county is also reminding people not to park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or on any portion of a public sidewalk, as those are also fairly common parking violations.

Revenue generated from the parking program will first be used to fund parking equipment costs and enforcement operations, while surplus proceeds will be spent locally on Kings Beach’s mobility and transportation infrastructure, such as new bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and expansion of transit services. Placer County is committed to working with the Kings Beach community and surrounding areas to ensure that the new parking management initiatives are successful. An email has been established for North Tahoe parking enforcement comments and concerns: NTParking@Placer.ca.gov. 

The Placer County Board of Supervisors will hold a pair of meetings in the North Lake Tahoe region later this month. The board will host a workshop from the eastern Placer housing team on Aug. 26 and host a full meeting on Aug. 27 at the North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach. Find full meeting agendas and more on the board's website. If you have any questions, contact the board’s office at 530-889-4010 or via email at boardclerk@placer.ca.gov. LEARN MORE