If Not In My Backyard...Then Where?

How to Cure Truckee’s Growing Pains

Scott Shots Photography

Truckee is at a crossroads. So many people in town are lamenting the loss of “what Truckee was.” These would-be time travelers want to turn back the clock 20 years or more, when Truckee was a quaint little mountain town and the best kept secret in California. Spoiler alert: the secret is out and you can’t turn back the clock. Time waits for no man, woman, dog or cat.

Forget what Truckee was. What do you want Truckee to be?

Turns out more and more people want to visit, live and enjoy Truckee – hey, can you blame them? Together, we have a golden opportunity to shape the future of this already great community. How can we make it a place where anyone can live, work, or maybe even own their own business? If you’ve lived here long enough, or even just moved here recently, you’ve most likely experienced the nightmare that is the post office, or have found your favorite restaurant or business closed several days during the week.It is not easy to run a business in town these days.

So, how do we keep that mountain vibe we all love so much, but also help our community thrive? The answer is as simple as it is complex: we need more housing for local workers. Truckee is already at a tipping point where local workers cannot afford to live here. We’re talking doctors, police officers, teachers, grocery store clerks, postal workers and everyone in between. If “locals” can no longer afford to live here, what happens to this community in the long term?

Those would-be time travelers are so focused on the past, they don’t understand that our future is in jeopardy.They don't want change. They don’t want new development that will change the face of Truckee. Reality check: faces change. Places change. Change is the one thing you can count on. The only thing you can control is how you react to that change, and turn it into a positive for everyone.

So What Now? Everyone in our community has a say in its future, whether you’ve lived here 50 years or are new to town. While the 2040 General Plan update will be adopted in a few short months, it’s not too late to get involved and follow the final steps in this long, arduous process. Visit Town of Truckee to get more info on the 2040 GP. Another idea: get to know your local leaders through “Coffee with the Town” events hosted by the Town of Truckee or attend Good Morning Truckee community forums presented by the Truckee Chamber of Commerce. Or, try getting to know your neighbors. Host a block party, or an apartment party. Once we all start to learn more about each other, maybe we will have a greater capacity to welcome newcomers to town and come up with solutions to Truckee’s housing crisis together.