Live Work Thrive Nevada County

29/10/2022

It's election time and Election Day is around the corner. A particularly hot topic that's on my radar is Measure W in Nevada City. As someone who has been working to address the housing crisis in our community I urge you to vote No on W.

Here's an op-ed I submitted to the Union. https://www.theunion.com/.../jonathan-collier-measure-w.../

If you live in Nevada City or know someone who does please share. If any one has questions or concerns please visit the website: https://www.votenoonw.com. Also, I'd be more than happy to answer them.

To build or not to build? For Nevada City, this question has fueled a feud for decades between those who fight change and those who accept it. This election season the drama and ensuing stories…

08/09/2021

Imagine an ad that read:

Small Homes Available For Rent and/or For Sale in Nevada City*. 500 to 1,000 square foot units in the form of cottages, small duplexes/triplexes/, micro-apartmments and condos. For rent between $750-$1500 or for sale between $225k-$375k depending on square footage. Desirable locations in Nevada City within walking and biking distance to historic downtown or 7 Hills District. Close to markets, shops and dining with easy access to Deer Creek trails and parks. High speed internet available with the potential to tap into fiber. Some mixed use with retail on the bottom and the potential for live work spaces.

The Nevada City Planning Commission stalled out a new innovative policy (the Cottage Dwelling Development Ordinance) that would help create more small homes on multi-family zoned lots. Apparently, they have met their quota for low and very low income housing and moderate income housing. No further development is needed.

If you disagree and would like to see small homes available for rent and/or for sale please speak up today during Nevada City City’s Council public comment at 6:30 pm. Let them know that more homes are still needed. That we need innovative housing policies like the Cottage Dwelling Ordinance.

If you’re struggling with housing let them know your situation, they need to hear from real people in real situations. If you have housing, but know friends and family who are struggling to find stable and affordable housing voice your support.

The meeting will be by zoom today, Wednesday Sept. 8th and public begins at 6:30 pm. Participate from the comfort of your own home (if you have one).

Please click the link below to join the webinar and use the “RAISE HAND” feature at the
bottom of your screen: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89009138474
Webinar ID: 890 0913 8474

For more information check the wall on the Live Work Thrive Nevada County FB wall .

06/09/2021

REAL HOMES FOR REAL PEOPLE

A rally to address the local housing crisis.

Our community needs more homes, period. The housing crisis is self-evident. During these incredibly trying times it’s a travesty for those who own homes to deny housing to those who do not. The people need housing urgently and we’ve made little progress to provide solutions. Meanwhile, young families are leaving our community and our houseless population continues to grow. This trend needs to change.

Help make sure your single mother friend, your elderly neighbor, the smiling face behind the counter, the recovering veteran, and the eccentric artist at the street fair all have homes and can continue to be part of our community.

For too long we’ve neglected to care for those who serve our meals, stock our shelves, as well as students and artists who struggle to put a roof over their heads. We need more homes to help keep a diverse population

The lack of suitable rental housing is impacting the ability of local employers to recruit and retain workforce housing. Many downtown and 7 Hills restaurants, coffee shops, retailers and even nonprofits have expressed difficulty with keeping a consistent workforce.

New studies are showing the design of cities is playing as much a role in sustainability as technology. Walkable cities are proving to have less environmental impact, while improving health, and increasing economical contributions to their local communities. The 7 Hills District provides the walkability element, as it includes or is in close proximity to schools, the grocery store, restaurants, and shopping. We should promote mixed-use residential in this area and incentivize more housing be built above retail and commercial shops, just like our historic downtown district.

Please share your voice and support for an increase in housing at the:

Nevada City - City Council Meeting
September 8th - 6:30 PM
Public Comment

- Support an increase in Small Unit and Workforce Housing Developments

- Less talk, more action. Our community needs more homes now.

- Increase Mixed Use Residential in Commercial Zones.

Below are instructions on how to tune in and provide public comment live during the meeting, as well as provide an email of support:

To watch City Council Meetings live you have the follow options:

1. Public Television Channel 17

2. City’s website: https://nevadacityca.gov/pview.aspx?id=20797&catid=563

3. Nevada City Public Meetings, YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXSQwrXtey12YIl3IbyGMYQ

4. Granicus: http://nevco.granicus.com/player/camera/2?publish_id=7&redirect=true

If you wish to comment during Public Comment time or on any item on the agenda, you have the following options:

Please click the link below to join the webinar and use the “RAISE HAND” feature at the bottom of your screen:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89009138474

Webinar ID: 890 0913 8474

Email your comments to [email protected]

Comments will be accepted until 7pm on the Monday prior to the meeting date. Comments will not be read during the City Council meeting (due to virtual participation option above), but will be forwarded to all Council Members prior to the City Council Meeting, so they have time to read them before the meeting time. When sending an email it is extremely helpful to include the following:

- Full Name

- Address (specific or general, ie: resident in unincorporated Nevada City)

- The item number that you are commenting on.

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

04/09/2021

The biggest challenge with the housing crisis is that the vast majority of people who have homes don’t care about those that don’t.

Or more accurately, they care but not enough to do anything about it. It’s too easy to ignore the housing crisis from the comfort of a warm home.

But it’s an entirely different thing when you’re a family of four and the house you’ve been renting is now on the market and there’s nowhere to go.

Or you're living half on friends’ couches and half out of your car, and you have a job and can pay rent but there’s nowhere to go.

Or you’re a teenager and it’s not safe to be home, and you’re trying to make it on your own and there’s nowhere to go.

People are struggling. All sorts of people, not just those who’ve made poor decisions or fallen upon hard circumstances. There’s PhD’s and nurses that have nowhere to go. The housing crisis isn’t new, the homeless crisis isn’t new, it’s been terrible and it’s only getting worse. The pandemic, the fires and pall of smoke, it’s all changing but we refuse to change too.

How long will we cling to the status quo? We need radical solutions. We need you. Step up tell your story if you’re struggling to find a home. Step up demand change from those in charge even though you have a home.

Pointing at a bare piece of dirt and saying to a single mom, “see we’ve done our part, it meets our housing element numbers,”– does not address the housing crisis. Telling the young cashier who works downtown and is driving from the county next door that she’s got a place in a housing project that’s been approved but hasn’t broken ground in six years– does not address the housing crisis.

It’s a simple equation. Too many people without homes and not enough homes. Too much demand and not enough supply. We either get rid of people or we build new homes.
We’ve been choosing to get rid of people. It’s not right and it’s not working.

“What do you mean? I’m not getting rid of anyone.”

By choosing not to build homes, or only allowing homes a fraction of the people can afford, we’re passively and politely forcing them out. If they have nowhere to go, then maybe they’ll go somewhere else.

By choosing exclusionary zoning and favoring single family residences when a large part of the workforce population doesn’t live in a single family situation, keeps people from having homes.

By choosing to stall out innovative housing policy like the Cottage Dwelling Development Ordinance, we stop new solutions from being implemented and keep people from having homes.

There’s a large part of our community that’s sheltered from the struggle and they need to hear from those who live it and are tired of it. We have solutions, let’s implement them. It’s time to rally.

Let our city leaders know what it’s like trying to find housing, or even to provide housing. Let them know the status quo is not working. Ask them what they’re doing to solve the problem.

Come speak at the next Nevada City City Council meeting this Wednesday at 6:30 pm. Public comment by zoom: please click the link below to join the webinar and use the “RAISE HAND” feature at the bottom of your screen: (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89009138474).

Please share with friends who are struggling with housing now and need their voices heard.

Follow Live Work Thrive Nevada County on our FB page as we continue talk housing solutions.

17/08/2021

If you have a strong desire to help those who need housing most, then now is the time to act!!

Nevada City has put it’s Cottage Dwelling Development Ordinance on the agenda for this Thursdays 1:30 Planning Commission meeting. This leaves us only several days to submit comments.

The Cottage Dwelling Development Ordinance (CDDO) incentivizes and supports the construction of smaller, more affordable housing units. It allows construction of 2 or 3 smaller “cottage” units to be built in the same footprint of one standard single family home. This “equivalent dwelling unit” approach is a proven, effective tool to support critically needed affordable, workforce housing.

Help make sure your single mother friend, your elderly neighbor, the smiling face behind the counter, the rallying veteran, the eccentric artist at the street fair, all have homes and can continue to be a part of our community.

Here are the Key Talking Points:

Our community needs more homes, period. The housing crisis is self-evident. Those who need homes should not be denied the opportunity by those who own homes.

The proposed Cottage Dwelling Development Ordinance encourages and supports the construction of smaller, affordable housing rather than larger, more expensive units.

According to Nevada City’s current “Housing Element” (table 3.00-21) from 2010 to 2018 only 5 new housing units were built in Nevada City.

The CDDO would greatly benefit our marginalized populations, including but not limited to students, minimum wage workforce, seniors, veterans, underrepresented communities, people with disabilities and co-occurring illnesses, and chronically unhoused individuals.

The lack of housing is impacting the ability of local businesses in a variety of sectors to recruit, hire and retain an adequate workforce.

The Cottage Dwelling Development Ordinance units are also required to meet higher eco-friendly, energy efficient building standards.

The CDDO supports people with disabilities, requiring a minimum of 25% of the total Cottage Dwelling units to be compliant with Adaptable Accessibility Standards.

Please help us build a better community by liking and sharing this post. More importantly, by reaching out to the Nevada City Planning Commission and requesting the following:

“Support the Draft Cottage Dwelling Development Ordinance as written with a broadened scope of CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) that includes the Office Professional (OP), Local Business (LB), General Business (GB), and Service Lodging (SL) zoning designations.”

Include the talking points that feel most relevant to you. Then please submit them either by email or by Zoom. We only have a couple of days to act!!

You can your send comments and support to: [email protected]

Comments will be accepted until 2 pm on the Wednesday prior to the meeting date. Comments will not be read during the Planning Commission meeting, but will be forwarded to all Commissioners prior to the Meeting, so they have time to read them before to the meeting time.

It is helpful to include the following:
a. Full Name
b. Address (specific or general, ie: resident in unincorporated Nevada City)
c. The item number and title that you are commenting on,
– Item #7, the Cottage Dwelling Development Ordinance

Also, keep in mind that public comments are limited to 3 minutes during the meeting, so it shouldn’t take longer than 3 minutes to read your comments.

Or you can show up virtually and speak the during the meeting:

To join in the Regular Planning Commission Meeting (Zoom Webinar) as an attendee, go to this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_V6qglKnvQUKVBVXwfpd1Jw

You will be asked to enter an email address to be allowed into the meeting. The City does not collect or monitor these email addresses, it is a process that Zoom requires.

Directions will be given during the meeting to assist you on how to make your comments, but here are some things to know in advance:

You will not be able to change your name once you join the meeting, so be sure to set that prior to signing onto the meeting.

When you want to speak on an item, you will need to “raise your hand”. So look for that at the bottom of the screen and be sure you know how to do that prior to the time that you actually want to speak.

When you are given permission to address the Commission, you have 3 minutes to speak (unless the Chair informs us otherwise during the meeting). Your video will not be turned on, the Commission will only be able to hear your voice.

For more information here is a link to the Planning Commission Packet. It is listed on page 111-126.https://nevadacity.municipalcms.com/files/documents/PlanningCommissionAgenda08-19-21041418081321PM1324.pdf

If you'd like more talking points or more information please private message us.

17/06/2021

A good read on the benefits of buying local, supporting local, and creating resiliency in our community.

29/05/2021

Open for Business!!

As our community begins to open it's nice to see new faces on the street, including those of businesses that have been much anticipated. Here's a well written article on the National Exchange Hotel and it's new restaurant and bar.

Have you been? How was your experience?

The National Exchange Hotel reopens in its new, luxurious form.

16/04/2021

The Grass Valley Farmers Market kicks off today!!

GRASS VALLEY FARMERS MARKET

02/04/2021

"We must begin thinking like a river if we are to leave a legacy of beauty and life for future generations." - David Bower

The Yuba is the jewel of the county. We all love it, so let's all take care of it.

Please donate to help print and distribute this beautiful and creative booklet, whether it's $5 or $500 the Yuba deserves it. Just think about all the joy it's brought you.

Also, big thanks and shout out to Chula Gemignani and Meredith Heller the artists that created this!! What a wonderful display of art in action.

… Chula Gemignani needs your support for RiverWays: A River Goers' Guide To River Etiquette

17/12/2020

Struggling to find housing in Nevada City or know a friend or family member who is?

Today at 1:30pm the Nevada City Planning Commission is reviewing a Cottage Ordinance that would would incentivize developers to build more small homes that would appeal to service workers, single mothers and at risk elders.

However, there is a small but influential group of entitled residents who believe that Nevada City has reached its population cap and are determined to close the gates on any type of growth in the city.

If you’d like to see more equitable opportunities to house a diversity of our local residents here’s your chance to speak up.

Write or phone in a public comment today!! Here's the link Nevada City's public meetings: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXSQwrXtey12YIl3IbyGMYQ. Comments can be sent via email to "[email protected]." Meeting begins at 1:30pm Thursday December 17, 2020.

In a simple paragraph or two ask that the planning commission these following requests (our letter is posted in the comments below as an example):

- Expand the scope of CEQA review for the Cottage Ordinance to include all zoning that allows for residential use.

- Amend the Cottage Ordinance to include all zoning districts with residential use including: Local Business, Office and Professional, General Business, and Service Lodging.

-Also, let them know why you believe more equitable housing is important.

If we don’t act now Nevada City will continue to become more exclusive and homogenized, housing only those who already bought homes decades ago, or those rich enough to buy in today's limited market.