1 year after first tenant, Village on Sage Street reaches 100% occupancy

RENO,Nev. — One year after its grand opening, the Village on Sage Street reached 100% occupancy in mid-August and is now home to 216 people.

According to an Aug. 17 press release from the Community Foundation of Western Nevada, many of those people were previously living in a shelter or on the streets.

Located on a 4-acre plot of land near the intersection Fourth and Sage streets east of downtown Reno, the Village on Sage Street dorm-style community welcomed its first tenant in August 2019.

The $8.3 million project was conceived in 2018 and is a collaborative effort among the community foundation, city of Reno and nonprofit Volunteers of America Northern California and Northern Nevada, along with various private businesses.

Rent costs $400 a month for each of the single-occupancy, 90-square-foot rooms, which are contained in the gated community that includes access to a lounge with TV, a computer cluster, laundry, P.O. box, a dining hall, convenience store, a gym and parking.

Tenants are required to have a monthly income between $1,320 and $2,735.

According to the community foundation, the average monthly income for the 216 Village on Sage Street tenants is $1,658.

Tenants range in age between 18 and 82, and 16% are veterans. Most are employed, and 43% are living on Social Security, disability income or Veterans pensions.

According to past reports, Summit Engineering and Pezonella Associates helped get the project through the planning and permitting process in 2018, and Q&D Construction and Helix Electric did much of the heavy lifting getting the site prepared for building delivery last summer.

Other local companies that have donated time or services include McGinley and Associates, Reno Engineering Corporation, Western Nevada Supply, Lifestyle Homes, Tolles Development Company, Gorelick Real Estate and The Abbi Agency.