FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Affordable Housing, Community Wellness & Land Tenure Among Core Concerns for Inyo County Residents

Workshops Hosted by the Bishop & Lone Pine Chambers of Commerce and California Jobs First Engage Residents on Critical Topics for Job Growth and Equity in the Sierra

June 25, 2024 – (TRUCKEE, Calif.) In partnership with the Sierra Jobs First Collaborative, two workshops were recently held in Inyo County — one took place May 16, hosted by the Bishop Chamber of Commerce, and another took place May 20, hosted by the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce. The workshops engaged residents from across Inyo County who gathered to give input on a number of topics that have emerged as critical to quality job growth and equity in the Sierra region, including housing, social services, physical infrastructure, land management, workforce development, recreation and tourism, sustainable agriculture and more.

The topics of affordable housing and community wellness emerged as key conversation starters among the group of residents who gathered in the Inyo County Consolidated Building’s Community Room in Bishop. In Lone Pine, the topics of community wellness and land tenure/management emerged as key conversation starters among the group of more than 30 residents gathered at Statham Hall.

The input gathered at this workshop, combined with feedback from more than 10 other community workshops held in May across the Sierra region, will be used to inform the strategic recommendations of the Sierra Jobs First Collaborative on how funding should be deployed under California Jobs First to create high-quality, equitable, and accessible jobs in Inyo County while supporting California’s transition to a carbon-neutral economy.

“Sierra Jobs First is a community-led initiative, so it was vital that we heard first-hand from the people who live in all the diverse communities that make the Sierra region, and who stand to benefit most from this program, before delivering our strategic guidance to the state on August 30th” said Erika Harvey, program director, Sierra Jobs First. “Our conversations passionately demonstrate the pride in place of local residents and the community’s dedication to being a vital part of creating a sustainable local economy that enables quality jobs for all.”

On June 21 Sierra Jobs First opened a public comment period on the strategies developed through countless hours of engagement over the past several months at community and industry sector workshops, plus conversations with community organizations, local government and other key stakeholders.

To be alerted when the draft strategy document is available for public comment, sign up for the Sierra Jobs First Collaborative mailing list here.

About Sierra Jobs First: Sierra Jobs First is a regional initiative working towards high-quality job growth, climate resilience, and economic prosperity in Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono and Tuolumne counties. This region is one of 13 collaboratives across the state that was formed through California Jobs First (formerly the Community Economic Resilience Fund), a $600 million fund that will create high-quality, broadly accessible jobs for all Californians. This project is facilitated by staff at Sierra Business Council, a 501c3 nonprofit that serves the region.

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