The Housing Choice Voucher Program (formerly known as Section 8) assists low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled in paying for decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market.

The Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is opened periodically on an as needed basis. When the waiting list is re-opened, a public announcement is placed in area newspapers and information posted on the Regional Housing Authority's website.

Web pages

• RHA home - http://www.regionalha.org/home
• Housing Choice Voucher info - https://www.regionalha.org/programs/housing-choice-voucher
• Housing Choice Voucher APPLICANT info - http://www.regionalha.org/programs/housing-choice-voucher/applicants - This page includes a link to an FAQ document that answers many general questions about the program. Scroll through the page to learn if the waitlist is open.
• Mainstream Voucher Program info from HUD (US Department of Housing and Urban Development - https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/progr…

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Habitat for Humanity builds affordable homes in partnership with local low-income families.

Offers the Habitat Home Ownership Program that provides an opportunity for local, low-income families to purchase a simple, decent, affordable home in Nevada County. 

Families are chosen based on three basic eligibility criteria:
1. Need - family income is between 30% to 80% of the median income in Nevada County.
2.  Ability To Pay - verify that the family does have a steady income in order to successfully pay the monthly mortgage payments.
3. Willingness To Partner with Habitat - The family agrees to do 500 "sweat equity" hours helping build their home or providing another service to the organization.  

The NC Habitat Homeowner selection committee carefully reviews applications, conducts interviews, and makes home visits to ensure that the families selected have the greatest need and likelihood of success as homeowners.

Web pages

• Home - https://nchabitat.org/

The Homeless Outreach and Medical Engagement (HOME) Team is a partnership between Nevada County, Hospitality House, Turning Point Community Programs and AMI Housing.

Call the HOME Team if you see or know someone who is experiencing homelessness. The HOME Team helps connect homeless individuals to services, including mental health services, medical care, public assistance services, and housing assistance services. 

The team can be reached by calling 530-470-2686 or emailing home@nevadacountyca.gov.
 
The HOME team consists of eight members: four outreach workers, housing navigators a peer supporter (someone with lived experience with homelessness), and a registered nurse. The goal of the team is to identify, engage, provide case management and housing support to highly vulnerable homeless residents of Nevada County.
 
The team coordinates and communicates regularly with Law Enforcement Agencies, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, substance use treatment providers, the Crisi… [read more]

The Children’s Community Chest Program is a discretionary emergency fund of last resort to meet the needs of children ages 0-18 in Nevada and Sierra County families for whom no other community support is available or who find themselves in a situation that requires a timely response. The eligibility area includes parts of the Tahoe-Truckee region that are in Nevada County or Sierra County. 

A variety of hardships are funded, such as: emergency rental assistance, transportation needs, utility payment to avoid shut-off, car repairs, medical related costs, counseling services, and summer camps.

This is truly a funding of last resort. Requests for Children’s Community Chest must be submitted by local public and nonprofit agencies. Application & Guidelines here: http://www.sncs.org/PDFs/Forms/Community_Chest_Application.pdf. SNCS needs proof of how the money will be spent before they'll provide the funds. For example: a written price quote, bill, etc. Requests for Children’s Co… [read more]

Hospitality House offers a year-round, temporary, overnight emergency shelter for homeless residents of Western Nevada County who have lived in the county for 45 days or more. ID not required.

Services available to those who are staying at the shelter include:

• Emergency shelter
• Food
• Clothing
• Showers
• Laundry
• Job training
• Customized case management
• Mental health counseling
• Enrichment classes
• Transportation
• Housing assistance

Intakes

• 7 days a week (based on availability)

Animals

• Hospitality House accepts approved pets. Contact Hospitality House or ask a 211 call agent for details of the pet policy.

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NOTE: 211 gets inquiries about the apartments behind Safeway. Brunswick Commons is the apartment complex  on Old Tunnel Rd behind the Safeway, etc in Grass Valley. Members of the general public cannot apply for units because the complex is entirely devoted to people who are clients of Hospitality House, Turning Point, or Nevada County Behavioral Health. People who ma… [read more]

Sierra Community House can provide rental assistance to qualifying individuals and households who live in Tahoe and Truckee.

Screening and Applications
Sierra Community House will screen households to assist each community member who may qualify. If households qualify, Sierra Community House will go through the application process with them so that the household may receive assistance with rent or utility payments.

Locations
The rental assistance scope includes anyone in Placer or Nevada counties who specifically resides in Tahoe and Truckee areas.

Income limits information.  

Websites:

• Main website - https://sierracommunityhouse.org/
• Income limits - https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il/il2023/select_Geography.odn?STATES=6.0&statelist=6.0&stname=&wherefrom=$wherefrom$&statefp=00&year=&ne_flag=0&selection_type=&incpath=$incpath$&data=2023

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This is a Ready to Grow (R2G) resource. Ready to Grow is a First 5 Nevada Coun… [read more]

Riverview Homes serves seniors and people with special needs who lack the economic resources to access quality, safe housing opportunities. Accepts Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8); 3 to 4 bedroom units available.

Each Mercy Housing community has its own leasing office and its own application process. Please call each community directly if you or your family would like to rent a low-income apartment home at one of Mercy Housing’s communities. When you call, the community staff can answer questions regarding apartment availability, rent, income requirements or restrictions and how to obtain an application for housing.

Waitlist is available even when there are no openings. Contact property manager for application details.

Web pages

• Mercy Housing home - https://www.mercyhousing.org/
• Riverview Homes information -  - https://www.mercyhousing.org/california/riverview-homes/

The Tenant Power Toolkit (TPT) is a multi-organization collaborative effort designed to keep people in their homes, fight evictions, fight rent debt, and build the collective power of tenants. Learn how to use the Tenant Power Toolkit - Attend one of the free online Toolkit Trainings. The trainings are aimed at helping California tenant organizers, counselors, lawyers and tenants themselves on how to use the Toolkit to keep renters in their homes. 

This is how it works: You answer some questions about your eviction and debt situation. TPT helps you fight your eviction and your rent debt, links you with legal resources and tenants’ rights groups, and their housing justice work including collective action campaigns. 

• Tenant Resources & Know Your Rights
• FAQs

Websites:

• Main page - https://tenantpowertoolkit.org/
• Tenant Resources & Know Your Rights - https://tenantpowertoolkit.org/know-your-rights.html
• FAQs - https://tenantpowertoolkit.org/faqs…

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The Department of Housing and Urban Development administers programs that provide housing and community development assistance. The Department also works to ensure fair and equal housing opportunity for all.

• Get Mortgage or Rental Help
  Housing Is Key - Information and resources for homeowners, covering topics on COVID-19 Mortgage Relief (rent relief program is closed to new applications), Eviction Protection, and Homeowner Assistance can be found on California’s Housing is Key site.
  Subsidized Apartments - HUD helps apartment owners offer reduced rents to low-income tenants. To apply, contact or visit the management office of each apartment building that interests you.
• Find Homeless Resources
• Avoid Foreclosure - guidance on default and foreclosure prevention
• Eviction Prevention
• Learn About Homeownership -  resources that can help you buy, maintain and keep your home.

Departments for different aspects of housing are listed below and on this web page: https://www.bcsh.ca.gov/housing/index.html. Programs with services available directly to the public are in bold italic type.

Housing and Community Development
The Department of Housing and Community Development administers State and Federal housing and community development loan and grant programs. These programs develop and rehabilitate rental and supportive housing, promote homeownership, provide emergency rent relief, and assist in creating housing for farm workers, people with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness. The Department also administers the Community Block Grant Program that funds housing activities, public works, community facilities, and public service projects serving lower-income people in rural communities.

• Community Block Grant Program - For rural cities and counties
• No Place Like Home Program - For counties
• Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program&n…

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