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| Highlights from Q2 (April through June 2023) include:
- Property and Transfer Taxes
- Property tax revenues continue to grow in the current Fiscal Year.
- However, transfer taxes have historically been indicative of future trends in property tax revenues.
- Transfer taxes have been softening over the last couple of years.
- This is in part due to an unprecedented increase in transfer activities in FY 20-21, presumably a result primarily of COVID-19 pandemic driven market activity, which was anomalous and unlikely to continue.
- FY 22-23 transfer taxes YTD have outperformed FY 19-20 (pre-pandemic spike) and previous years, but are still less than the previous two Fiscal Years. FY 22-23 is on track to end at approximately 60% of the 20-21 peak.
- Sales Tax
- Some significant tax payments have not yet been received and will ultimately be accrued to the year-end total.
- That being said, projections indicate that Sales tax revenues have softened as compared to FY 21-22.
- However, FY 21-22 was somewhat anomalous as compared to the previous several fiscal years. FY 22-23 is likely to end in alignment with the years preceding FY 21-22.
- Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT)
- TOT revenues continue to be healthy
- Business Activity
- Building fees performed slightly better than FY 21-22, and exceeded budget.
- Recording fees are down as compared to previous years and on track to underperform as compared to adopted budget.
- Similar to transfer taxes, these fees experienced an unprecedented increase coincident with the COVID-19 pandemic.
- However, the revenue projections indicate reduced activity even as compared to pre-pandemic years.
- Gas Tax
- Gas tax revenues are relatively strong in the current FY and on track to exceed previous years.
| Plans for Q3 (July through September 2023) include:
- Continue to monitor key revenue streams.
- Develop response plans if/when necessary.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April through June 2023) include:
- As part of the FY23-24 budget development process, departments prepared estimates for FY 22-23.
- In general, those estimates reflect stability.
| Plans for Q3 (July through September 2023) include:
- Finalize Fiscal Year End results as the accrual period wraps up.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April through June 2023) include:
- FY 23-24 Budget adopted on June 27, 2023
| Plans for Q3 (July through September 2023) include:
- In the first quarter of FY 23-24, formally adopt the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) expenditure plan as presented at the January 2023 Board Workshop
- Leverage 5-year plan to facilitate the implementation of identified projects
- Implement projects identified in the 2021-2026 Capital Facilities Master Plan
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| Highlights from Q2 (April through June 2023) include:
- Fiscal Year 23-24 County Budget adopted in June 2023
| Plans for Q3 (July through September 2023) include:
- Prepare for September Senior Executive Workshop where priority development for FY 24-25 budget adoption will begin.
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| This quarter, the County Road Division completed 18.558 lane miles of vegetation management and 443 lane miles of weed abatement spraying. The Road Division’s goal is to complete 22 miles of vegetation management for calendar year 2023. | Roads is still waiting for authorization to start the CDBG grant work for 2023. |
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- In partnership with Fire Safe Council of Nevada County, continued work on the South County Shaded Fuel Break Project, a 339-acre, 150-foot-wide roadway shaded fuel break funded by CAL FIRE; as of May treatment had been implemented on 39 properties within the project area.
- Submitted the Lower Deer Creek Penn Valley Hazardous Fuels reduction Project to the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program NOI that was issued due to a Disaster Relief number (DR#) being assigned to the Winter Storm of 2023; was approved to submit a $5M proposal to this program.
- Wrote a $750,000 grant to the United States Forest Services to allow the funds awarded for the FY23 Congressionally Directed Spending Request for the Ponderosa West Grass Valley Defense Zone Phase 1 Maintenance Project to be administered.
- Submitted and was awarded a $950,000 direct funding proposal to CAL FIRE for the Winter Storm Hazardous Vegetation Clean-Up Project.
- Contracted with qualified consultants to lead three strategic planning efforts: the Nevada County Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update (funded by CWDG), the Evacuation Study (funded by CAL FIRE), and the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (funded by FEMA)
- Purchased Nevada County Sheriff's Search and Rescue 4 EBikes and 100 Climbing Helmets from the Emergency Management ARPA grant ($60K in total). This grant also funded 6 new workstations for the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services.
| Plans for Q3 (July-September 2023) include:
- Release RFP for the environmental and cultural planning required for the Woodpecker Ravine Shaded Fuel Break Project.
- Release RFP for the environmental and cultural planning required for the Ponderosa Phase 2 Shaded Fuel Break Project.
- Contract with Sierra Nevada Conservancy for the South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project.
- Work with USFS Tahoe National Forest to develop a Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) agreement that will allow OES to partner with USFS for projects on federal land adjacent to priority communities.
- Work with local Law, Fire and Public Health leadership to spend Homeland Security Grant dollars on local first responder training and equipment needs.
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 RecoveryOffice of Emergency Services 2022 | Highlights from Q2 (April-June 2023) include:
- Staff worked with CAL OES and FEMA to complete the River Fire Public Assistance Reimbursement claim and expecting county reimbursement in the next quarter.
- OES worked with CAL OES Recovery staff to move projects along from the January 2022 Winter Storm.
- Staff were able to advocate for the Nevada County Operational Area and gain inclusion into the FEMA Federal Presidential Declaration (DR-4699) for public costs stemming from the February/March 2023 Winter Storms.
- Staff took CAL OES, the Small Business Association and FEMA representatives out to tour damaged homes across both Easter and Western Nevada County. This tour along with OES advocacy resulted in Nevada County residents becoming qualified for the Federal Presidential FEMA Individual Assistance Programming
| Plans for Q3 (July-September 2023) include:
- Staff will move forward the January Winter Storm CDAA Recovery Claim as well as the CDAA & FEMA February/March Winter Storm Recovery Claim.
- Staff will work on an evergreen recovery website that residents can reference all year long for disaster recovery information.
- Staff will stand up two Local Assistance Centers in both Eastern and Western Nevada County to support resident recovery and access to state and federal programming as it relates to the February/March winter storms.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April - June 2023) included:
Tourism:
As an economic driver for the county, tourism focus was on activities to help stimulate tax revenue, create jobs, contribute to local business success, and brand Nevada County while encouraging safe and responsible care at recreation and cultural sites. Activities included:
- Building out the gonevadacounty.com website focusing on increasing SEO acquisition (Google Search opportunity), adding new sections to support business such as the shopping section, and looking at how to increase utilization on the calendar to direct visitors and guests to cultural and recreational events.
- To increase traffic to the gonevadacounty.com website, an ad with a QR code can be found on the back page of the visitor guide.
Agriculture:
- The Ag Commission co-hosted the highly attended Nevada County Ag Tour in May. Key staff from BOS, CDA, CEO, OES, as well as staff members from both federal and state legislative representatives attended.
- The Ag Commission engaged with and supported four additional certified farmer's markets, making it a total of six markets in operation for Nevada County (Eastern and Western).
Cannabis:
- The Economic Development Office and the Cannabis Compliance Division were awarded a $275,000 Department of Cannabis Control, Retail Access grant. This award identified $200,000 for the development of an ordinance to allow retail-store front and mobile-sales in commercial and industrial zoning districts with the remaining amount for Equity.
- In addition, Cannabis Compliance was awarded a GO-BIZ Equity grant for $755,895.55.
| Plans for Q3 (July - September) includes:
Tourism:
Tourism continues to be one of the fastest-growing industries. As the number of tourists has grown, so has the economic significance of tourism. A priority will continue to be on driving traffic to the gonevadacounty.com site. In addition, this quarter attention will be given to collaborating more closely with businesses and partners to leverage joint marketing opportunities. Additional activities will include:
- Engaging with and supporting Nevada County's vibrant Arts and Culture sector and the newly launched Art in Public Spaces program.
- Collaborate with hospitality establishments to identify joint marketing opportunities to encourage visits to the area during the fall and winter.
- Participate with Visit California on their strategic planning process for the gold country.
Agriculture:
- The Ag Commission will collaborate with Resource Conservation District on a Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation grant application.
Cannabis:
- The Planning Department and Code and Cannabis Compliance Division will work on an amendment to the Cannabis Ordinance, based on direction which was provided to staff at the January 2023 Board Workshop.
- Cannabis Compliance staff and Sierra Business Council will announce and distribute Cannabis Compliance Equity Grant program information and notification to current cannabis applicants and those interested in commercial cannabis cultivation.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April - June 2023) included:
- Integrated Communication Strategies (IGS) was hired as consultant for the first Nevada County Economic Development two-year Action Plan.
- Community Choice Aggregation actions included:
- Pursuant to Board direction, staff completed extensive research on California Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs and their potential benefits to member organizations.
- Launched a comprehensive community outreach and education plan, including presentations at District Town Halls and content development for newsletters.
- Built a webpage for public access to program information, FAQ’s, contact information, and process next steps.
- Partnered with Pioneer Community Energy to complete an Impact Assessment Study which will identify the overall energy needs of Nevada County constituents and the anticipated fiscal impacts to Pioneer Community Energy to expand service into unincorporated Nevada County.
- There is continued dialogue with Valley Vision about the Community Economic Resiliency Fund (CERF). They recently hired a communications company and awarded the subregional convener's contract for our region to Tahoe Prosperity and the Nevada County Economic Resource Council.
| Plans for Q3 (July - September 2023) include:
- The Economic Development Action Plan work will launch and includes:
- Conducting interviews and survey questionnaires.
- Accessing and supplying data with analysis.
- Development of communications products in support of the action plan process.
- Community Choice Aggregation upcoming work includes:
- Present staff research to the Board of Supervisors on August 8, 2023, for informational purposes.
- Continue community outreach and education through presentations at Town Halls, municipal advisory committees, neighborhood associations, and coordinated roundtable events.
- Results from Impact Assessment Study expected to be released in late August. Pioneer Community Energy will use the results to evaluate its ability to source sufficient energy to meet total customer demand.
- Incorporate findings from Impact Assessment Study as well as public feedback and concerns into staff research process to improve analysis of potential CCA benefits and impacts to Nevada County constituents.
- Staff will continue to engage both regionally and locally in the Community Economic Resiliency Fund (CERF) process. Our partners are advocating that Nevada County have a seat on the governance/ leadership committee which Valley Vision plans to convene in September.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April - June 2023) includes:
- As a mechanism to improve customer satisfaction and look at process improvements, CDA successfully piloted its first preliminary consultation process for new business projects.
- Through the efforts of CDAs Outstanding Public Service (OPS) Team, a customer satisfaction survey for finished projects was designed that included online options, phone contact, and in-person meetings.
- The North San Juan Fire Suppression Project secured a public utility easement for the water storage tank, pushed the environmental studies closer to completion, completed the geotechnical survey, and decided to wait until 2024 to apply for Community Development Block Grant funding.
- Construction of the 20,000 square foot storage facility began June 1st which when complete will free up the building space adjacent to the airport.
| Plans for Q3 (July - September 2023) include:
- The North San Juan Fire Suppression Project will:
- Update project costs based on the findings of the geotechnical survey.
- Meet with United States Department of Agriculture staff to report on project status, secure remaining easements in the project layout.
- Finalize the environmental studies, initiate the establishment of a new County Service Area with the Local Area Formation Commission.
- Lay the groundwork for the Proposition 218 process to establish annual funding for the project.
- The county is finalizing the property purchase for 21.48 acres at 12270 La Barr Meadows Road as a proposed green waste processing location.
- Economic Development staff will continue to provide assistance on community projects (e.g., Donner Summit Visitor Center, InConcert Sierra, Penn Valley Community Center).
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| Highlights from Q2 (April - June 2023) included:
- Nevada County staff and Supervisors attended the Economic Resource Council's "Tour of Nevada County" which showcased amazing local businesses and offered an opportunity for business networking.
- There was a great turnout for the annual Nevada County Ag Tour co-hosted by our Ag Commission with time to network with local farmers, ranchers, and business leaders to hear their opportunities, challenges and successes.
- Coordinated in partnership with Sierra Nevada Alliance, Outdoors Alliance, and others, Sierra Business Council (SBC) represented Nevada County with the CA Natural Resource Agency when they visited Truckee.
- SBC represented Nevada County at the California Statewide Small Business Development Center meeting where topics included new grant programs for small businesses, Economic Resiliency and Recovery Group functions, and more.
| Plans for Q3 (July - September 2023) includes:
- Collaborate with Sierra Business Council (SBC) on upcoming meeting with the California Resource Agency with potential funding opportunities.
- Coordinate Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS) activities with SBC and other regional partners to ensure the work overlaps with the Community Economic Resilience Fund) CERF process.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April - June 2023) includes:
- To prepare for potential fire risk, staff re-activated the Nevada County Relief Fund committee and finalized the written guidelines and charter.
- Economic development continued to build out its toolkit for businesses including:
- Phase I of the Economic Development Webpage on the county's mynevadacounty.com website including information on Starting a Business, helpful links, information on economic partners, and more.
- Two readiness assessment tools to help people know if they are ready to start a new business and to understand where they may need some mentoring or skill building.
- A monthly e-newsletter focused on helping a business be resilient and successful. Content includes grants and finance opportunities, introduction of new businesses, available commercial space, state and federal resources, and more.
- Within its first year, the newly formed economic development office surpassed 140 unique meetings with businesses, nonprofits, and agencies guiding them to resources within the county and to local and regional partners.
- The County's first preliminary consultation process was piloted to assist businesses that are in the very early stages of their project.
- Activities through the Sierra Business Council and Small Business Development Center contract included:
- 182 Business Consultation meetings
- 320.5 hours of Technical Assistance consultations
- 41 new client meetings (18 from the eastern county and 23 from western county)
- 34 workshops including the Business Ignitor Series, Digital Marketing, QuickBooks, Facebook ads, Human Resources, Loan Readiness and more.
| Plans for Q3 (July - September 2023) include:
- Assist businesses that were highly impacted during the winter storm by serving as a liaison for those needing assistance navigating the disaster relief recovery process.
- Collaborate to develop opportunities for youth interested in career technical education options that will provide work options in the community. Staff will participate in youth employment programs including:
- Nevada County CEO program in collaboration with the Nevada Joint Union High School District (NJUHS)
- NJUHS Career Technical Advisory Committee
- Trades Day hosted by Nevada County Contractors.
- Continue to build out the economic development toolkit. Next steps are Phase II of the economic development Webpage, tax increment and financing options, a printable business development toolkit, and collaborative education programs.
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Highlights from Q2 (April through June 2023) include:
- Held an initial meeting to gather information for the permitting toolkit.
| Plans for Q3 (July through September 2023) include:
- Finish permitting toolkit
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| Highlights from Q2 (April through June 2023) include:
- Nevada County Fiber has installed 7 of 11 fiber-to-the-home connections for their 2021/2022 Last Mile Grant fiber connections, while concurrently deploying 12 of 22 fiber connections for their CASF-funded last-mile grant.
- Northern Sierra Broadband extended their completion deadline, updated the project timeline, met with vendors, and engaged in outreach with neighbors.
| Plans for Q3 (July through September 2023) include:
- Prepare County-funded Last Mile Grant (Round 3). Release in Q3 or Q4, pending state grants and GSCA low-level design outcomes.
- Support ISPs applying for Federal Funding Account (FFA) grants.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April through June 2023) include:
- Made minor revisions to the updated Broadband Strategy and posted it online.
| Plans for Q3 (July through September 2023) include:
- We have no further plans on this initiative other than to update the broadband strategy, as appropriate, over time.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April through June 2023) include:
- Responded to one application for Dig Once funds.
| Plans for Q3 (July through September 2023) include:
- Respond to applications for Dig Once funds as they are received.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April through June 2023) include:
- Sent out one email update through the County’s broadband email list.
- Helped members of the Board of Supervisors post broadband-related announcements (including the state’s digital equity survey and the CPUC’s hearings on voice service standards) on their social media pages.
- Posted an announcement about the state’s digital equity survey on the County’s Facebook page.
(Completion of this initiative noted as "0%" because there is no completion date / task on this initiative. It is an ongoing task that will never be completed.) | Plans for Q3 (July through September 2023) include:
- Send out another broadband email alert.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April through June 2023) include:
- Provided letters of support for two local internet service providers’ applications for state-level California Advanced Services Fund grants.
- Promoted the state’s Digital Equity Survey, which will help the state apportion federal BEAD broadband funds.
- Supported and promoted State Digital Equity Local/Regional event
(Completion of this initiative noted as "0%" because there is no completion date / task on this initiative. It is an ongoing task.) | Plans for Q3 (July through September 2023) include:
- Track CPUC Rulemaking for BEAD funding and engage in proceedings process, i.e., explore becoming a party to proceedings, public comment
- Examine definition of “extremely high-cost areas”
- Proceedings will begin in the fall.
- Meet with the CPUC to discuss their potential rulemaking establishing performance and customer service standards for video and broadband providers.
- Provide a letter from the Board of Supervisors to the CPUC outlining the need for customer service standards, as indicated by the outreach they receive from their constituents.
- If appropriate, provide comments to Placer County, for inclusion in their submittal to the CPUC (as a party to the proceeding).
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| Highlights from Q2 (April through June 2023) include:
- Issued a request for qualifications to begin the process of growing the County’s relationships and interactions with internet service providers seeking to serve county residents.
(Completion of this initiative noted as "0%" because there is no completion date / task on this initiative. It is an ongoing task.) | Plans for Q3 (July through September 2023) include:
- Evaluate and select ISPs from the pool of Request for Qualifications submissions.
- Write letters of support for vetted ISPs applying for FFA applications, as appropriate, to help expand broadband access in Nevada County.
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| Q2 updates:
- The Landlord Liaison Program is under contract with AMI. The program successfully used marketing and messaging to get landlords to rent to veterans. Currently two housing navigators work with the Housing Resource Team (HRT) to coordinate acquiring subsidies and connecting subsidies to landlords. The program needs work on mediation and the rapid response process for landlords.
- All 30 Housing Choice Vouchers have been utilized. Many went to Empire Mine Courtyard and prevented homelessness. AMI and our CalWORKs Team have utilized vouchers whenever possible.
- Partnering with Regional Housing Authority (RHA) and the Continuum of Care (CoC) to preserve vouchers within the community has been highly successful. Nevada County maintains high performance across the region and in the state for preserving vouchers in the community.
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- Develop a mediation and rapid response process for landlords participating in the Landlord Liaison Program.
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| Q2 updates:
- Behavioral Health Community Infrastructure Program funds were awarded to purchase a property on Sutton Way to be used as a day center and navigation center. Escrow closed on the property on September 15 and staff are currently working to pull down grant funding and begin renovations.
- Empire Mine Courtyards acquired through Homekey funds has been converted into permanent affordable housing. Units are complete and residents are moved in.
- Community Care Expansion (CCE) in the amount of $2,700,000 has been awarded to complete construction of the Ranch House. Approval for septic and zoning changes are complete; the Board approved the project to go to bid at the May 23 Board meeting. Site prep and demo is estimated for September 2023.
- Pacific Crest Commons will provide 10 supportive housing units in Truckee. Round 4 No Place Like Home funding has been awarded and the project has also secured $2M in local soft financing for development costs. Federal tax credit awards will be announced in August.
- Lone Oak Phase II is in planning for 31 units of low income senior housing.
- The Affordable Workforce and Housing Team meets monthly and is a collaboration between the Community Development Agency and Health and Human Services to advance development of affordable and workforce housing through coordination on projects and policies.
- Round 3 PLHA allocations in the amount of $928,837 were awarded in November. Awarded funds will be used for the Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) match application along with $500,000 in local funds and $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Application for LHTF was submitted May 17, 2023.
- A Request for Proposal (RFP) was released through the Western Nevada County Regional Housing Trust Fund for 60% AMI or below affordable rental housing in January. A developer has been selected and awarded. An RFP for owner occupied construction was released in May and a developer will be selected by end of July.
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- Continue Affordable and Workforce Housing Team monthly meetings.
- Select developer for Request for Proposal for owner occupied construction.
- Continue to consider possible Homekey projects.
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| Q2 updates:
- The CDBG CV1 Subsistence Program began distributing rental, mortgage, and utility assistance to individuals financially affected by the pandemic in November. Of the 37 households served to date, 27 households had pay or quit notices or evictions or foreclosure processes threatening and were able to remain in their homes.
- Rental Assistance through the CalWORKS Housing Support Program (HSP) is dispersed through a contract with AMI since FY 21/22. AMI has leveraged HSP funds with other available housing funds through the Continuum of Care (CoC) and other sources. CalWORKS continues to contract with Connecting Point to leverage the Family Stabilization Program funds.
- FY 23/24 contract with coordinated entry service provider will include additional support for identifying low vulnerability individuals new to coordinated entry to be contacted quickly for assistance. HCS staff and the HMIS administrator developed a process for a "prevention by-name list" that identifies individuals at risk of homelessness.
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- Develop a process to identify low vulnerability individuals quickly to prevent homelessness.
- Develop a process to process individuals at risk of homelessness on the prevention by-name list.
- Administer Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) once the state releases the funds.
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| Q2 updates:
- A youth specific Point in Time (PIT) was conducted for 2022 and is planned for 2023.
- The CoC Youth Committee met and outlined activities to benefit homeless youth. The CoC and the County are collaborating to disburse youth set aside funding allocated to the County through the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) program; projects selected will be in line with goals for youth outlined in the Homeless Action Plan.
- The Rapid Response Team (RRT) meets daily with the Review Evaluate Determine Team consisting of the Child Welfare Services (CWS) Emergency Response team to decide the pathway of CWS referrals. RRT has had success engaging families and over 82% of families who successfully close with RRT do not have a repeat investigation in a year or more following referral, preventing out of home placements.
- The Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) Program with UC Davis has officially launched and referrals are ongoing.
- The percentage of children aged 0-5 involved with Child Welfare and receiving behavioral health services is at 70%. This is a very successful and significant increase over 2 years and is no longer considered a gap in services.
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- Participate with CoC process to identify providers of youth set aside funds, including availability of interim and supportive housing.
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| Q2 updates:
- Purchased and opened a new permanent supportive house supported by 24/7 full service partnership staffing and services. We have 7 clients housed at this location. We have received $1,000,000 grant to implement a post housing support team.
- Established policies and procedures, and have defined roles and responsibilities for the full service partnership program. We now have a project type in the HMIS system to manage referrals and eligibility for the program. Meeting weekly with all partners to discuss supportive housing and strategies for filling vacancies and coordinate entry into the program. Working on developing training resources that will help partners to get housing choice vouchers.
- Brunswick commons has been completed providing 12 units of permanent supportive housing (PSH), Empire Mine Courtyard was completed and added 6 units of PSH, the 24/7 BH supportive housing was completed and is providing 7 units of PSH. Pacific Crest Commons in Truckee is still in the planning phases, but will provide 10 units of PSH once completed.
- Behavioral Health is in receipt of a grant award to provide broader post housing support. This grant will provide new staffing and resources to post housing supports.
- A recently awarded grant will provide a dedicated staff position to be embedded in recovery residency programs with the sole role of working to navigate recovery residence stayers into permanent housing. This position is part of the post housing support team . Ongoing work is needed to train, build capacity, and expand locations and services provided for permanent supportive housing.
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| Q2 updates:
- Contract is in place for Sierra Guest Home, providing 20-25 beds of interim sheltering, expanding capacity in the shelter. Ongoing work is being done with Hospitality House to best use expanded capacity and limit amount of time in shelter. Funding opportunities for expanding shelter capacity are continuously considered. Funding for future contracts for low barrier sheltering and Sierra Guest Home will shift to the CoC and will become part of the CoC programming.
- Contracts to support the Truckee warming center and the North San Juan warming center for the 22/23 FY are complete and are expected to continue in future years.
- Continued to provide family housing and shelter options through the CalWORKS Housing Support Program and domestic violence shelter services through Community Beyond Violence.
- The CoC Youth Committee met and outlined activities to benefit homeless youth. The CoC and the County are collaborating to disburse youth set aside funding allocated to the County through the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) program; projects selected will be in line with goals for youth outlined in the Homeless Action Plan.
- The County of Nevada, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, AMI Housing, and the USFS continue to make progress in opening the Hobart Mills location as a seasonal workforce Housing Pilot in the coming months.
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- Continue conversations with Hospitality House on how to best reduce time spent in the shelter for a successful moving on strategy.
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| Q2 updates:
- Implemented contract with Hospitality House to provide non-congregate sheltering to reduce unsheltered homelessness among veterans, families, and chronically homeless individuals at Sierra Guest Home. Capacity in the shelter has been created through the opening of Brunswick Commons and the support of 20 bed units at Sierra Guest House. We continue to support the use of hotel rooms for medically vulnerable people in the community. Conversations continue towards the goal of maximizing all beds in the homeless response system for emergency shelter, interim housing, and then permanent housing.
- All providers are currently using the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to track all hotel/motel stayers. All contracted providers are required to capture data on anyone entering the homeless response system.
- Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) competitive grant awarded $1,000,000 to develop the Housing Support Team to actively engage individuals with substance use disorders receive assistance with securing permanent housing upon entry into treatment. The Housing Support Team will be active spring 2023.
- Actively working with the Housing Resource Teams (HRT) and coordinated entry to refine, update, and ensure accuracy of all people on the By-Name List. We have achieved the quality data marker and the Built for Zero Data portal is real-time.
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- Work with Connecting Point and HMIS administrator to develop a process to quickly identify newly homeless people and connect them to services.
- Continue to explore additional options to expand non-congregate interim shelter to reduce unsheltered homelessness.
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| Q2 updates:
- Homeless Action Plan was created in collaboration with County and CoC and outlines shared goals and priorities through 2024. The Plan identifies disparities and measurable goals to address disparities among subpopulations found through HMIS and the coordinated entry system. The plan was accepted by the state.
- Built for Zero reports are available through the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and ClearPoint graphs are available for reporting. A reporting mechanism as a function of the CoC is in consideration.
- The 2023 PIT count was conducted, and preliminary numbers were released by Homeless Resource Council of the Sierras (HRCS).
- An executive director for the CoC was hired.
- Data quality standards are implemented into all service provider and data provider contracts. Achieved quality By-Name data and can track Built for Zero metrics.
- The Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) subcommittee is actively working to address recommendations outlined in the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) technical assistance for improvements to the coordinated entry system. The CoC score given by HUD score has increased but is still slightly below median. The score affects the CoC's ability to compete for federal funding. HRCS implemented a method of engaging service providers on the application questionnaire.
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| Q2 Updates:
- Multiple Housing Resource Teams (HRT) spanning Truckee, Veterans, Families, and Chronic Homeless have been implemented. Information is tracked through the coordinated entry system and all Housing Resource Teams have access. The Built for Zero dashboard is accurate according to the By-Name list and reflects subpopulation for chronic and veterans.
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| Q2 updates:
- Critical Time Intervention (CTI) training completed for ECM HOME Team in October. CTI is being used as the case management framework by the newly developed NCBH ECM Team.
The position of Forensic Liaison has been filled and is fully operational providing clients leaving incarceration with resources and housing support upon re-entry into the community. The team continues to conduct Justice and Mental Health Collaboration meetings, including the support of the Enhanced Case Management team to support vulnerable individuals who are justice involved. - ECM Team has 5 staff members hired for the team including a clinical consultant, peer support staff member, and lead care managers.
- Nevada County Behavioral Health (NCBH) has hired 2 peers and they are working in the system of care to enhance case management capacity.
- Worked with Hospitality House to establish workflows and roles and responsibilities between existing Hospitality House staff and newly formed Nevada County Behavioral Health Enhanced Care Management staff. We have standing meetings between behavioral health ECM team, hospitality house, and law enforcement .
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| Highlights from Q2 (April 2023 – June 2023) include:
- Completed GIS data collection, inventory and mapping, opportunities and trends analysis, previous plan review and summary list of projects from existing plans;
- Developed a suite of visual materials and surveys (in English/Spanish) to solicit feedback plus press releases, digital ads, flyers and kiosks with exhibit boards;
- Completed first community engagement window with nearly 1800 responses over 3 weeks for the first public survey;
- Launched second community engagement window with a “Call for Projects” in June through a range of micro engagements to ensure diverse and robust participation at community meetings, events, and pop-ups countywide; and
- Convened two County Staff Core Team meetings and two Stakeholder Working Group meetings to inform the public surveys and engagement processes and review findings.
- Visit www.nevadacountyrecreation.com/plan to view the story map and sign up for notifications
| Plans for Q3 (July 2023 – September 2023) include:
- Convene project team, core team and stakeholder working groups to review second survey findings and recommendations before next engagement window;
- Launch Engagement Window #3 “Transforming Recreation and Resilience in Nevada County” and involve partner agencies to confirm and assess project portfolio and to connect projects with project leads, partnerships, and funding strategies;
- Host virtual workshops, online surveys and microengagements to confirm/refine direction and project prioritization;
- Refine draft Project Matrix 2.0 with projects, grants, partnerships, financing, and implementation strategies; and
- Summarize existing funding sources and completing existing conditions documentations.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April 2023 – June 2023) include:
- Received 20 concept proposals for Outdoor Visitor Safety Fund grant program (Round 2); received 12 full applications totaling over $815,000;
- Initiated installation of emergency call box at Bridgeport and replacement parts at Purdon Crossing; and
- Launched South Yuba River Public Safety Cohort river safety campaign with May 17th “Stay Out, Stay Alive” press event and river rescue demonstration by Nevada County Consolidated Fire District and multi-agency showcase resulting in successful outreach to surrounding metropolitan markets and viral distribution of digital videos (over 1 million shares).
| Plans for Q3 (July 2023 – September 2023) include:
- Recommend 8 final awards for Outdoor Visitor Safety Fund grants to Board of Supervisor on 8/8; upon approval, complete agreements to support recreation infrastructure and safety project round two roll-out through 2024;
- Distribute weekly coordinated messaging and materials (e.g. graphics, bandanas, rack cards, videos) to Cohort members to amplify reach and ensure accurate information; and
- Deploy life jackets and safety signage at Yuba River crossings with BLM, State Parks, Tahoe National Forest and Cohort partners.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April 2023 – June 2023) include:
- Submitted $565K grant application to Habitat Conservation Fund for Van Norden Meadow Recreation Project to improve, reroute, connect and construct up to five miles of multi-use trail; the project includes two trailheads, parking areas, bathrooms and ADA accessible boardwalks and bridges that connect people to this environmentally sensitive habitat; and
- Aligned recreation survey insights for the flash vote and Sustainable Truckee planning effort with the Truckee Destination Stewardship Advisory Council;
- Noticed the public of the 30-day comment period for the preliminary Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Pines to Mines Trail, published by USFS on June 23;
- Launched the new Nevada County Trail Finder app during Celebration of Trails month; and
- Hosted monthly planning meetings for the Heart of Gold Gravel Race and Festival with County Staff, event producers and community partners.
| Plans for Q3 (July 2023 – September 2023) include:
- Review EA comments and next steps with community partners for the Pines to Mines Trail;
- Outline workplan for the historic California Trail route and roadside signage with the National Park Service and Nevada County Department of Public Works; and
- Finalize planning for Heart of Gold Gravel Race and Festival, including vendor and volunteer registration.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April 2023 – June 2023) include:
- Hosted quarterly meeting with Western Nevada County recreation and park districts (RPDs);
- Submitted a $1.3M+ grant application to the CalTrans Clean CA Local Grant Program for the Penn Valley Parkway Beautification and Visitor Safety Project;
- Extended gap loan request agreement to 2025 for park districts to access funds if cashflow is impacted by reimbursable Prop 68 grants;
- Bear River RPD completed the turf field replacement, supported by a $100,000 Nevada County Community Resiliency Fund award; and
- Oak Tree Park and Recreation District completed its new playground, funded by a Per Capita grant with County gap loan and grant assistance; a ribbon cutting celebration was held.
| Plans for Q3 (July 2023 – September 2023) include:
- Host quarterly meeting with Western Nevada County RPDs to review Master Plan inventory analysis and project recommendations;
- Review draft MOU for county administrative support;
- Determine staff capacity to support project management of the Rural Recreation and Tourism grant award for Western Gateway RV Park and Ballfield Renovations;
- Initiate gap loan request agreement with Western Gateway RPD to support project cashflow for reimbursable Per Capita grant;
- Plan fall ribbon cutting for the Bear River RPD turf field project; and
- Develop Nevada County Recreation Resource Guides for County Recreation website and Go Nevada County platforms.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April 2023 – June 2023) include:
- Submitted $75K eligibility proposal to NSAQMD for Rood Center recreation improvements and county e-bike infrastructure project;
- Submitted $100,000 grant application to PG&E Better Tomorrow Nature Positive Innovation Solutions for a project that would assess outdoor recreation economic impacts and the feasibility of a Headwaters Recreation & Resiliency Investment Fund;
- Continued advocacy of State Park support for the Independence Trail rebuild;
- Began preliminary analysis of natural resource management plans and opportunities for alignment with Climate/Recreation priorities;
- Provided letters of support for Bear Yuba Land Trust grant applications to SNC (Wildflower Ridge acquisition) and SALC funding for cultural easement capacity support with the Nisenan; and
- Achieved NACo support of key priorities of outdoor recreation's significance to rural economies and investment in public land management; Supervisor Hall presented a Resolution and appointed to Outdoor Recreation SubCommittee of NACo Public Lands Steering Committee.
| Plans for Q3 (July 2023 – September 2023) include:
- Submit full-application to NSAQMD;
- Convene forum, facilitated by Design Workshop and SBC, with Blue Forest Finance and key stakeholders in Donner Summit to discuss outdoor recreation economic impacts, natural infrastructure projects and the feasibility of a Headwaters Recreation & Resiliency Fund;
- Host Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting on August 22nd at Donner Summit, with support from Donner Summit Association, USFS and SYRCL, to highlight recreation and economic development opportunities and collaborative projects, e.g. Van Norden Meadow Restoration and Recreation Project; and
- Host a Community Conservation in the Hirschdale Neighborhood on recreation access and improvements.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April 2023 – June 2023) include:
- Convened monthly meetings with South Yuba River Public Safety Cohort and CCC collaboratives;
- Convened biannual Nevada County Recreation Coalition;
- Began focused grant strategy meetings with Grants Coordinator and CDA for review of multi-benefit project opportunities; and
- Developed Recreation and Resiliency Internship program and continued review of candidates.
| Plans for Q3 (July 2023 – September 2023) include:
- Continue convening monthly collaboratives and grant strategy sessions;
- Hire and onboard Recreation and Resiliency intern; and
- Support Climate Resilience initiative and shared priorities.
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- Nevada County's Energy Action Plan (EAP) Community Workgroup convened monthly with County staff support, furthering initiatives including public education and pilot project planning to connect income-eligible residents with energy saving benefits.
- Staff supporting Nevada City Rotary in developing sustainable models for the Plastic Bag Recycling program.
- Partnering with Truckee Climate Transformation Alliance (CTA) to develop priority projects and attending quarterly meetings.
- Earth Day Outreach – hosted booth at Nevada City Earth Day, sharing information and soliciting community input on climate resilience priorities.
- Sunrise Meeting – Met with local youth group focused on climate action to understand and align priorities.
| Continue planning and host 2nd Annual Nevada County Sustainability Summit Sept. 27th. |
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- Staff developed Climate Resilience Charter and initial workplan, applied for grant funding to accelerate plan development.
- Staff began review of related relevant plans to prioritize GHG reduction emissions strategies, including Nevada County Energy Action Plan, Area Plans, General Plan, ATP/RTP plans, and Transit Development Plan.
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- Identify framework, resources and consultant to develop Nevada County’s Climate Action Plan
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- Pursuant to Board direction, staff completed extensive research on California Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs, launched community outreach and education plan, including presentations and webpage. Partnered with Pioneer Community Energy to complete an Impact Assessment Study which will identify the overall energy needs of Nevada County constituents and the anticipated fiscal impacts to Pioneer Community Energy to expand service into unincorporated Nevada County.
- Home hardening: Staff working with Project Go and social services to enhance access to low-or no-cost energy efficiency resources for income eligible Nevada County residents through partnership with Project GO, Social Services, and EAP working group.
- Nevada County Transit Services will continue the process of transitioning its medium and heavy-duty bus fleet to zero emission vehicles with the purchase of two 35ft low-floor battery electric transit buses and the related charging equipment. The completion of this initial implementation phase is expected to be done by March of 2025. The time lag from the receipt of the buses and completion of initial phase is due to the delay in being able to obtain the required electrical panel equipment, which currently has a production queue of 12-18 months.
- Note: Climate-aligned progress related to Broadband and Emergency Preparedness is not duplicated; please see those objectives.
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- Continue community outreach and education for Community Choice Aggregation through presentations at Town Halls, municipal advisory committees, neighborhood associations, and coordinated roundtable events to seek Board approval in October.
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- Natural and Working Lands Group: developing project focused on measuring GHG emission reduction potential through the management of natural and working lands to reach carbon neutrality.
- SB1383 Organic Waste Compliance – Workgroup developing strategies to comply with SB1383 and reduce methane emissions through Recycled Organic Waste Procurement targets. Zero Foodprint (ZFP) will provide compost procurement and shall meet or exceed Nevada County’s 2023 SB1383 procurement target of 910.5 ton of compost. This includes evaluating purchasing policies, including but not limited to, purchasing of recycling materials.
- Outdoor Visitor Safety Fund grants for restoration work in Euer Valley and Van Norden Meadow totaling $99,000.
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| Highlights from Q2 (April-June 2023) include:
- Concept proposals submitted to Air Quality Management District for vegetation management and County e-bike fleet invited for full proposals.
- Concept proposal submitted to Department of Energy Energy Efficiency Block Grant Program to support up to 80% AMI individuals/families with home weatherization, and workforce capacity; invited for full proposal.
- Partnership in EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program (CPRG) to develop three required deliverables – a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP), a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP), and a Status Report.
- Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Planning Grant—Partnered with RCD to submit concept proposal to SALC for 4 key deliverables: agricultural economic development strategy; land use policy development that supports agriculture; climate resiliency strategy with natural and working lands focus; education and awareness for farmers and ranchers on sustainability and succession planning.
- Van Norden Meadow Recreation Project- Habitat Conservation Grant submitted in partnership with SYRCL to improve rec amenities and protect sensitive habitat.
- PGE Resilience Grant submitted to fund study on economic impact and avoided loss from climate events and the formation of a “Resilience District” in the upper headwaters region.
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