By STACY CALDWELL
“Congratulations on your ‘Study of the Studies, Just to Study.’” These words have stuck with me since a long-time community member stood at a public forum and challenged Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF) and our Regional Housing Study partners for focusing on the obvious (the need), and not the solutions. In fact, this sentiment has been a bit like a drumbeat throughout the study. Rightly so! Too often, studies fail to manage solutions strategies and expectations, instead finding their way to shelves where they sit indefinitely.
This tone and caution guided our approach to be realistic, inclusive, engaging, and earnest. We were rewarded with a willingness from our community to “lean in” and share. Many of you shared publicly how housing impacts your business or your ability to fulfill your public duty; you shared personal stories of your struggles and challenges to hang on to your dreams of being a long-time resident here while weighing your present circumstance against your future success. Many local business leaders, elected officials, and even special district representatives shared your concerns and your interest in being a part of the solution.
It is in that spirit that TTCF recognizes that a study is merely the beginning. No one entity can solve a situation so complex, an issue that is certainly not unique to our region, state, or even nation. Yet, as a community, we see citizen engagement and political will as indicators that change can indeed happen. So how do we keep that momentum going forward?
This month, the TTCF Board made a decision to move beyond a “study just to study.” TTCF committed to developing a strategy focused on regional housing solutions. We believe together with our partners and engaged community members we can focus on a spectrum of solutions that targets all levels of housing needs. The first step we’ve taken towards implementing solutions is to launch a Housing Solutions Fund to attract dollars from donors, foundations, and public funds — funding essential to further our collective goal of creating more housing availability for our local residents.
As we begin the next phase of this journey, we will continue our leadership as a neutral convener that strives to build consensus from diverse stakeholders. It will take fearless leadership on all our parts to progress with patience and tolerance, and engage in civil discourse to propel us forward. It will take our entire community continuing to come together to work toward the common cause of creating opportunities for all of our residents to live healthy, vibrant lives in the place we all love.
There is too much at stake. There is still so much to do.
~ Stacy Caldwell is CEO of the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation.
