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.

Mike Shohet
Vice Chairman

Mike
msohet@compassdevco.com