Town Hall To Focus On Housing In Nevada County

An online town hall focused on housing for women and children is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday.

This town hall features a unique panel of women striving to make a difference in our community, including District 1 Assemblywoman Megan Dahle, Nevada County District 4 Supervisor Sue Hoek, Grass Valley City Council member Hilary Hodge, Nevada City Council member Daniela Fernandez, and Lorraine Larson, executive director of Nevada County Habitat for Humanity.

The town hall will delve into why stable housing is so important for women and children and how our community can create some opportunity for affordable housing to fill this urgent need.

Families are finding it harder and harder to remain in Nevada County. Why? The cost of housing combined with low wages. As of February, the median list price for a home was $599,000, and more than half of the families here are paying more than half their monthly income for rent. The first week of March found only 143 homes actively on the market and many of the homes classified in the affordable range will not qualify for the type of loans most practical for a first-time homebuyer.

What can be done? “Priced Out! Women, Children and Housing” town hall is meant to bring people together to begin a conversation that will result in actions individuals, organizations and government can undertake to ensure our families have access to safe, decent and affordable housing.

The public is invited to attend this critically important online conversation with representatives from the state, county and city. Please attend and engage in this important local discussion. It is free to participate.

As the past president of the Nevada County Association of Realtors, I am proud to moderate this timely event that The Nevada County Association of Realtors is co-sponsoring with Nevada County Habitat for Humanity and The Union.

By Teresa Dietrich @ The Union