The Downtown Reno Library has long been a central hub for finding information, gathering resources, and accessing services in Northern Nevada. On Monday, August 19, the library added an additional resource for individuals seeking assistance in affordable housing: the brand-new Reno Housing Authority (RHA) service kiosk.
The RHA mission is to provide quality, sustainable, and fair housing in Washoe County, Reno, and Sparks. The aim is to provide a stable foundation for low-income families to improve their quality of life, become self-sufficient, and pursue economic opportunities. The new kiosk provides many services, including instant access to the RHA website and forms, as well as an accessible place to print and scan those documents.
A ribbon-cutting event for the kiosk attracted local luminaries like Washoe County Library Director Jeff Scott, Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill, and Ashley Martinez, a representative from U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen’s office, who presented both the Washoe County Library System and the RHA with congratulatory certificates commemorating the kiosk.
“This is a very happy occasion for the Downtown Reno Library,” Director Scott said. “This is a wonderful partnership with the Reno Housing authority, and we’re happy to provide this resource. While you can get information at the library on a public access computer, the Housing Authority kiosk does a lot more.”
In her remarks, RHA Director Dr. Hilary Lopez emphasized that the kiosk will make RHA services more accessible than ever before.
“The Housing Authority is continuously looking for additional ways to expand our services and make them more accessible to both our clients and the community,” she said. “This new kiosk is just one more way that we’re doing that. It enables those who are either applying to or receiving services from the Housing Authority to access information, forms, and more at their convenience during library hours, which includes a weekend day, and from a central location in Washoe County.”
Through the user-friendly kiosk, community members can find information about Housing Authority programs, find, complete, print, and upload documents directly to the Housing Authority, apply to open waiting lists, update their household information, pay rent online, and more. Having those services be readily available at the Downtown Reno Library is especially important for community members who have limited access to the internet, printing, or scanning.
After the ceremony, RHA Director of Information Technology Joshua Stice gave a demonstration of the features of the kiosk. During and after the demonstration, library patrons who happened to be in the building expressed immediate interest in using the kiosk.
This is an accessible resource and powerful tool for individuals who need assistance in housing, and further reinforces the Downtown Reno Library’s longstanding commitment to being a place where Northern Nevadans can go when they need help. For more information about the Downtown Reno Library and other library services, visit washoecountylibrary.us.