The Housing Element of the 2016 Master Plan Update is scheduled to go before the Douglas County Board on Dec. 4, at 9 a.m.
For those unable to attend the scheduled meeting, residents are encouraged to submit written comment to the Board members or the Douglas County Manager’s Office.
According to persons who participated in the 2016 Master Plan Survey, the Housing Element was rated as one of the top three master plan elements needing improvement, after growth management and land use. Several survey respondents expressed concern with the lack of diverse housing stock and the expensive housing market in Douglas County. According to the draft Housing Element, cost burden remains the most significant housing problem for low-income renter and owner households in Douglas County.
Included in the Housing Element is a section on Affordable Housing. In other words, housing is affordable if it does not require a significant percentage of household income. The standard rule of thumb is that housing costs, including utilities, should not exceed 30 percent of household income. Cost burden is defined as housing costs that exceed 30 percent of income while severe cost burden is defined as housing costs that exceed 50 percent of household income.
In July 2017, the County entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nevada Rural Housing Authority, which included the creation of Douglas County’s Affordable Housing Task Force. The Task Force held its first meeting on Nov. 6, and will continue to meet to discuss housing concerns in Douglas County.
The draft Housing Element can be viewed at: https://www.douglascountynv.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6986.
