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At Tourism-Driven Lake Tahoe, Hotels Are Turning Into Homes

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Courtesy Tahoe Prosperity Center

On Lake Tahoe's South Shore, some hotels are turning into homes.

Our contributor Kaleb Roedel of the Northern Nevada Business View has the details.

In 2015, the city of South Lake Tahoe started a program to address the growing number of hotels and motels without permits operating as long-term rentals. The program allowed for a grace period of one year for operators to comply with new regulations like adding mandatory areas to prepare food and wash dishes, along with having adequate heating systems, smoke detectors.

Compliance has been slow, and some say the city's requirements for conversion are too strict and costly.

Over the last three years, the city has received 43 applications from motels seeking certification as long-term housing. To date, 14 of the properties, totaling 223 units, are certified. The city estimates 575 units could be certified by next year. 

You can read more at Northern Nevada Business View.

KUNR has produced a podcast on the affordable housing crunch across the region. It's called Priced Out and you can find it anywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.

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Kaleb is an award-winning journalist and KUNR’s Mountain West News Bureau reporter. His reporting covers issues related to the environment, wildlife and water in Nevada and the region.