NEWSLETTER
January 2020
By Mike Shohet, Nevada Housing Coalition Vice President
There is Strength in Numbers
$18.85/hr. – the hourly wage needed to be able to afford a two-bedroom rental in Nevada.
19 – the number of homes that are affordable for every 100 extremely low-income families (30% AMI and below).
73 – the number of hours a Nevadan must work at minimum wage ($8.25/hr) to afford a rental.
These numbers tell a story, however, the stories we hear from our friends, families, neighbors and media don’t always depict them. We often hear how inexpensive Nevada is relative to our neighbors in California. We frequently read articles singing Nevada’s praises as a low-cost alternative and with plenty of capacity for growth in housing prices. But these storylines don’t necessarily provide the same promising future for all Nevadans. Pricing pressure from the demand generated by people moving to Nevada, in many cases, has resulted in increasing housing prices and growing rents that top the national numbers. The elderly in Washoe County are finding themselves homeless as landlords raise rents 30% overnight. Working families in Las Vegas are finding fewer options for housing that is affordable, and we see households squeezing more people into smaller spaces or being displaced into neighborhoods with inferior schools, poorer access to transit, quality food and healthcare.
These are the stories that need to be told. The Nevada Housing Coalition was founded in 2018 in order to raise awareness about affordable housing challenges by telling these stories, which will help ignite conversations around solutions. We are a statewide collaborative of public and private sector organizations representing industry, non-profits, community stakeholders and citizens. We have made great progress coming off the heels of 2019 legislative session during which affordable housing was widely discussed – but there is much work to be done.
Housing affordability impacts every single one of us. Whether you’re involved in the housing industry or not, we ask you to join our organization and, more importantly, join our collective voice. After all, there is incredible strength in numbers. With your help, we can make a difference in our state and in each of our local communities.
Members benefit from information, education, advocacy and networking. Our upcoming Nevada Affordable Housing Symposium is just one example of these benefits. Stay tuned for details about that exciting event and join us today.
Learn more about Membership here.
Mike Shohet
Vice Chairman
\ EVENTS |
April 6-8, 2020 |
January 28, 2020 January 23, 2020 January 20, 2020 January 17, 2020 January 15, 2020 January 13, 2020 December 11, 2019 We also hosted a “Brunch and Learn,” which can be viewed here.
The Advisory Committee on Housing met on December 13, 2020. At the meeting, they: (1) discussed the roles and responsibilities of the Advisory Committee on Housing created by Assembly Bill 476; (2) reviewed the criteria established by the Nevada Housing Division pursuant Reno City Council: The Reno City Council met on December 4th where they heard the following housing related items:
The Washoe County Board of Commissioners met on December 10th and heard recommendations to approve a grant award for FY 2019-20 for Silver State Fair Housing Council (SSFHC) in the amount of $10,000. They also met on December 17th and heard a recommendation (For Possible Action) to approve the construction budget for the Our Homeless Housing Project. |