Housing Now!
The Town's Housing Now! program is a multi-faceted program intended to provide a range of community housing that is available and affordable to those working in the community. The Housing Now! initiative aims to leverage federal and state grant program funds (generally limited to households earning no more than 80% of the Area Medium Income) and local funds (generally not limited to a specific Area Medium Income level) to achieve affordable new housing development and the creation of affordable housing through the conversion of existing market-rate housing.
About the Lease to Locals Program
The Town of Mammoth Lakes Lease to Locals Program aims to unlock existing housing stock for the local workforce. The program includes a set of incentives for homeowners that shift from renting their home short-term (or not renting at all) to 5 to 12-month-plus lease arrangements with locally employed tenants. The Town is partnering with Placemate to market and administer this program. Participating and qualifying homeowners will receive grants ranging from $2,000 to $18,000 and can self-list their rental property on Placemate's site and connect with potential renters as part of the program. Tenant qualification in this program is based on annual income.
Tenants and homeowners can learn more about how to participate in the program by visiting the Placemate - Mammoth Lakes page.
Download the Mammoth Lakes Lease to Locals Program Guidelines (adopted 7/17/2024)
How it Works
Home Qualifications
Homeowners must meet the following criteria to qualify for the incentive package:
- Have a property within the Town limits of Mammoth Lakes.
- The home (entire home or accessory dwelling unit or room(s)) must have all required building permits in place and meet all basic health and safety criteria per CA Code.
- Must be willing to lease the home to an income-qualified employee(s). Unrelated or related households cannot make more than 150% of the area median income average per adult.
- Must be willing to lease the property for a period between 5 and 12 months (or longer).
- Properties cannot have been leased full time in the past 12 months.
Tenant Qualifications
- The average annual income of adult residents of a household (unrelated or related) cannot be more than 150% of the area median income for Mono County.
- At least 50% of the adults over 18 in the household (related or unrelated) must work at least an average of 30 hours per week for an employer located in the geographic boundaries of the Mammoth Unified School District.
- To create a renter profile on Placemate's site, visit the Placemate - Create a Renter Profile page.
Placemate's Role
Placemate handles all of the qualifying of tenants and homeowners in the Program.
- Working with homeowners: Placemate works with homeowners to guide them through the process of qualifying for the grant, listing the property on the Placemate site, screening tenants, and securing a qualified set of tenants. Ultimately, the homeowners choose the tenant(s), not Placemate, and the lease agreement is between the homeowner and the tenant.
- Working with tenants: Placemate works with tenants to help guide them through the process of qualifying for homes in the Program.
Town's Role
The Town provides the grants to homeowners once leases are signed.
Fair Housing
Fair Housing Laws apply to all of the housing programs in the Town of Mammoth Lakes. The Law prohibits discrimination in housing based on: Race, Color, National Origin, Religion, Sex, and more. Homeowners must comply with the California Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Federal Fair Housing Act at all times during the lease.
The Parcel
The Parcel project is the development of a centrally located 25-acre vacant site acquired by the Town in 2018 to create up to 450 new affordable housing units. These units are a mix of low-income (<80% of AMI) and moderate-income (<120% of AMI) housing, the majority of which will be rental apartment housing. By the end of 2025, approximately half of The Parcel has been developed as low-income housing in two phases, with Phase 1 completed, and Phase 2 under construction. Funding for the project consists of Town Housing Now! program funds, along with State and Federal funding.
Phase 1 "The Sawyer" is an 80 unit low-income project consisting of studio, 1-br, 2-br, and 3-br units the majority of which are affordable to households earning 60% of AMI. Construction was completed June 2024. Those interested in renting an apartment at The Sawyer should contact Buckingham Property Management at (760) 709-4141 or visit their webpage: https://www.buckinghampm.com/homes/the-sawyer/
Phase 2 consists of 146 low-income units. Construction is underway and the initial occupancy is expected in the summer of 2026.
60 Joaquin
60 Joaquin is a Town-sponsored affordable housing project that will provide four ownership units on a 0.20-acre undeveloped site. The units will be targeted to households earning between 120% AMI and 150% AMI. Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2023. Funding for the project is coming from Town general funds.
The application lottery for interested buyers is open through November 21, 2025 at 5pm: https://www.townofmammothlakes.ca.gov/1382/Workforce-Housing-Lottery
The Bridge Program is a partnership between the Town and Eastern Sierra Community Housing aimed at increasing the number of affordable ownership units within the Town through the purchase of existing market-rate homes that are then deed restricted and sold to qualified households at a subsidized price. The program is targeting households earning between 120% - 150% AMIwith an average subsidy of $100,000 - $150,000 per unit. The goal is to convert 12 units by the end of 2023.
As of March 2023, (4) units have been sold to income eligible households and there are currently (2) units for sale. Please contact Mammoth Lakes Housing at (760) 934-4740 to learn about the units for sale or to inquire about the eligibility requirements.
The Access Apartments
The Access Apartments is a partnership project being developed by our local housing non-profit, Eastern Sierra Community Housing that aims to convert two existing commercial buildings into 11 one-bedroom affordable rental units available to households earning no more than 80% AMI. Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2023 with an estimated occupancy date of spring 2024. Funding for the project includes MLH funds, Town general funds, and approximately $6.5M in Federal grant funding.
The Innsbruck Lodge Affordable Housing Project
The Innsbruck is an adaptive reuse project being developed by our local housing non-profit, Eastern Sierra Community Housing, that will convert an existing hotel into 16 affordable apartment units available to households earning no more than 80% AMI. Construction began in winter 2022 with an estimated occupancy date of fall 2023. Funding for the project consists of $4.7M in CA State Project Homekey funds, Town general funds, and Mono County general funds.