Housing is on everyone's mind, and the topic of local daily news. What are we doing to make sure people in Reno and Sparks have an affordable and safe place to live?
The Community Foundation, the City of Reno, Volunteers of America, and private housing developers are creating the Dorms on Sage Street, a shared housing opportunity for people with very limited incomes. We need your help to bring housing for 200 to our community.
We will move former modular temporary worker housing from eastern Wyoming to sage Street in Reno. These units are used successfully by construction and mining companies as well as FEMA all over the world in a variety of climates.
The City of Reno confirmed in a vote on June 6, to give the lot on Sage Street to the Community Foundation Housing Land Trust to be used for workforce and affordable housing. Volunteers of America agreed to operate the project. Private construction companies, developers, and contractors have spent countless hours working on plans and organizing the site and facility construction once the modulars arrive. We have been encouraged by the number of private entities that have agreed to donate construction labor and supplies.
We think shared housing - Dorm style, with private locking rooms, bathrooms down the hall, shared laundry, common rooms, a commercial kitchen and nice landscaping, even a dog park, sounds like a welcome option for people working full-time and earning minimum wage. Bridge housing that is truly affordable enables people to achieve goals and save money.
Rents will be about $400 a month, utilities included.
This equates to the widely stated goal that housing costs should not exceed 30% of one's income. Minimum wage is about $1,300 a month with 30% being the $400 we are charging.
The City of Reno, including the City Council and City Manager's office, has been tremendous to work with; they want this project to happen not just to help 200 working poor, but also to serve a model for future donations of unused government land combined with vast community support to have housing that is affordable come to fruition for many more working poor.
