Apply for Holiday Ski School or (you have to go to training dec 15th- 20th (or something like that) Or apply to work with disabled sports. You don't get paid for disabled sports, but you do get a free pass depending on how many hours you do. Or for every day you work, they give you a day pass in addition.
Otherwise, you only other option is really to call the shops in town and see if they can use help in ski rentals for the time you are here. January is one of the busiest months because of January Midweek Madness, Orange County Ski Week (I think its january) and Martin Luther King Weekend.
As for housing. Beg for someone to let you stay, cause virtually everywhere you need to sign a lease. If someone is on Vacation for a week, you may be able to fill their spot.
I would post now though on the mammoth mountain forum that you need a place. If you see a guy on the forum with the name moresnowplease I would try talking to him. He has a pretty nice house with a loft and sometimes he rents that out at about $300 a month.
