Housing and rent prices continue to climb in northern Nevada, as the economy and the population grow, creating a higher demand for affordable housing. The Nevada Rural Housing Authority and Chicanos Por La Causa, a nonprofit corporation, are teaming up to build a 125 units in Dayton that will give working families a better shot at home ownership.
"Our vision as an organization is empowered lives, and one of the ways we empower lives is giving them an opportunity to build wealth and home ownership, and this is what it's all about," David Adame, President/CEO of Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) said.
Crews are already moving dirt on the first phase of the project, known as Gold Canyon Estates. When it is finished, the 15-acre development will have 47 homes and 22 townhomes for sale. 55 8-plex apartments will be available to rent.
"Housing is needed in every single one of these communities, no matter what is happening," Gary Longaker, Executive Director of Nevada Rural Housing Authority said. "It is a key ingredient if you will, for economic development for communities. It's the first step."
The southwest-style modular homes are less expensive because they are built in factories and assembled on site, taking 28 days to build.
"They're a little bit different than stick-built homes, more energy efficient, so we're pretty excited about it," Rupert Ruiz, President of CPLC Nevada said.
"It has some cost-savings built into it because you're doing it that way and actually the big thing environmentally-wise, you're saving a lot of costs because you're building it somewhere else," Adame said. "You're not doing a lot of waste of wood and other materials."
The 1,900 square-foot homes are 85 percent of the market price, starting at $210,000. Potential buyers could qualify for low-interest financing, down payment assistance, and tax breaks, making home ownership even more affordable.
"$210,000 starting price isn't exactly an entry level home, but the fact is everybody's looking for that permanent home to where they can raise their family," Ruiz said.
"It allows families to step up that can't normally step up for a market rate house but maybe get up to maybe this housing through other federal and state programs," Eddie Hult, Nevada Development Director said.
Officials say affordable housing is needed for the growing workforce because of the so-called Tesla Effect, with new companies and people moving to northern Nevada. USA Parkway opened earlier this month, allowing a faster commute for Dayton residents to get to the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center.
"The average wage is reported around $22-23 an hour," Hult said. "The first jobs that come in, your manufacturing jobs are really more about $11-20 an hour and that really affects your housing."
Hult says the USA Parkway extension will increase the amount of people looking for housing along the Highway 50 corridor, in places like Dayton, Silver Springs and Fernley.
Gold Canyon Estates is located along Kate Peak Drive, just north of the Smith's grocery store on Highway 50.
"It's going to be right behind Smith's the shopping center right here, so it's convenient and it's very close to Carson City, Silver Springs, places like that," Longaker said.
"You can get fresh fruits and vegetable, you can get meats, quality meats," Adame said. "That's fantastic and right here on the highway with the transportation, that's important for some of our constituents as well."
People could begin moving into the first homes as early as January 1. Then entire development is expected to take about 2.5 years to build.
