RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – The city of Reno is not alone in the battle to create affordable housing. “Prices have gone up. Rents have gone up. As a city, we look holistically at what we can do to help address the crisis from many different angles.” Cities across the nation are facing similar obstacles.
Reno’s Housing Manager Elaine Wiseman says rental assistance is aiding the most vulnerable population in Reno.
“Just in the past couple of years, we’ve spent over $13 million in rental assistance, which has helped thousands, almost 4,000 households stay in their existing housing,” said Wiseman. Last year alone, the city provided $2.3 million in rental assistance, assisting over 1,200 families.
Reno is one of the first cities in Nevada to implement a reduction in building or sewer fees. The Reno City Council approved over $10.5 million in reduced fees, which is creating over 1,933 affordable units. “Sometimes up to 85%. Sometimes 100%, in order to help them build affordable housing. This translates to lower development costs, which then trickles down to the renter in the form of lower rents,” added the Housing Manager.
A recent example is the new Line Drive apartments near the Nevada Care’s Campus. “It’s 50 units of affordable housing for the most vulnerable,” said Wiseman. “Those are people who are making 30% below the AMI, which is about $21,000 a year. Their rent will be about $550 a month. It’s also going to serve veterans coming out of homelessness.”
Although homeless services fall under Washoe County’s control, the City of Reno is focused on aiding veterans and people transitioning out of poverty. On September 25th, the Reno City Council approved the sale of two properties on Record Street at a fair market value of $3.3 million.
“We are selling it to a great developer. They are agreeing to develop 136 units of affordable housing. Again, it is another public-private partnership, where we have land, we can sell it and get something in return for the public like affordable housing,” said Wiseman.
Another notable project is the apartments on Marvel Way. The facility is dedicated to people recovering from substance abuse. Phase 1 is complete and filled. Phase 2 is still under construction, but will add 46 units to the complex.
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