Part 1: Housing Needs, Accomplishments, and Challenges

Part 2: Housing Action Plan: Live, Work, Thrive! 

In March 2017, Mammoth Lakes Housing executed a contract with WSW Consulting to complete a Housing Needs Assessment and Housing Action Plan, with funding provided by Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. A 22-member Working Group to support and advise the effort was formed with representatives from various agencies, community organizations, and businesses.

The Housing Needs Assessment, Part 1 of this project, was presented to Town Council on July 19, 2017 and included an evaluation of current community housing programs, a review of opportunities and constraints, and a comparison with other similar resort communities. The report forecasts that approximately 595 housing units are needed through 2022 to catch-up with existing housing needs and to keep up with projected housing needs driven by job growth.

The Housing Action Plan: Live, Work, Thrive represented Part 2 of this project. The Housing Action Plan has three primary sections: Goals and Objectives, Foundational Structure, and Action Strategies. The goals and objectives are 1) to serve the full range of incomes in need, 2) to produce community housing at a rate that exceeds the number of units needed to accommodate new job growth, 3) to maintain the percentage of employees in Mammoth Lakes that live in town as present (about 58%), and 4) to produce between 200 to 300 community housing units over the next five years (completed or permitted).

The Foundational Structure described in the Plan addresses both the successes and the inefficiencies in the current housing program. This section of the Plan provides recommendations in the areas of plan governance, staff capacity, program management, financing, and public outreach and education. It is recommended in the Plan that the foundational structure as described be in place within the first year in order to progress forward with the specific action strategies.

The final component of the Action Plan is the Housing Action Strategies section. This section describes 26 strategies developed by the consultant and the Housing Working Group to address the Plan’s goals and objectives. These strategies and tools were placed into six categories: funding, housing programs, development requirements, incentives, public/private partnerships, and short-term rental programs. The strategies were prioritized, placed on a timeline, and roles and responsibilities were assigned.

On December 6, 2017, Town Council reviewed, discussed, and accepted the Housing Action Plan.