East Las Vegas senior says mobile home rent near $1,000 a month could push her out of the home she has had since 1994

What happened

Vonnie Hatfield, a senior who lives in a mobile home in east Las Vegas, told KTNV Channel 13 that she is increasingly worried she will not be able to afford to stay in the home she moved into in 1994. She said rising rent, along with the cost of groceries, gas and other everyday expenses, is putting pressure on her fixed income.

Hatfield has lived in the Las Vegas Valley for more than three decades. "I've lived here 32 years," she told the station.

How her rent has changed

From about $300 to close to $1,000

Hatfield recalled paying around $300 a month in rent when she first moved into her mobile home. She told KTNV that her rent has nearly tripled since then and is now close to $1,000 a month.

She said the larger increases at her mobile home park began around 2020, after a new management company took over. "Our rent has gone up approximately $500 or more since, let's see, 2020," she said, according to KTNV.

What she considers affordable

For Hatfield and some of her friends, she said, affordable rent would be closer to $500 to $600 a month. She told the station that another increase could make it difficult for her to remain in her longtime home.

Costs beyond housing

Hatfield said rent is only one part of the financial strain she is feeling. She told KTNV that other expenses take up a significant portion of her monthly income, pointing to the rising costs of gas and food.

She told the station she would not be able to afford the cost of living if prices go any higher. KTNV reported that for seniors like her, each increase adds another challenge in balancing housing with other necessities on a fixed income.

Similar concerns elsewhere in the east valley

Residents at Maycliff Estates

Hatfield is not the only east valley senior raising concerns about housing costs, according to KTNV. The station reported that Havenpark Communities also owns Maycliff Estates, another mobile home community in the east valley. In September, Channel 13 spoke with senior residents there who also expressed concerns about rising rent.

What management says

Management told Channel 13 in both instances that the rent increases are connected to improvements being made at the mobile home communities. KTNV did not report the specific improvements in its story.

Where seniors can get help

KTNV noted that seniors who have legal questions or concerns about rent increases can contact the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. The organization can provide information about their rights and available resources.

More reporting on housing costs in the valley is collected in our real estate coverage, and stories from individual parts of the valley are on our neighborhoods page.

What to watch next

• Whether rent rises again at Hatfield's mobile home park. She told KTNV another increase could make it difficult to stay in her home.
• The improvements that management told Channel 13 are behind rent increases at both east valley mobile home communities.
• Concerns from senior residents at Maycliff Estates, who spoke with Channel 13 in September about rising rent.
• The Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, which KTNV said can help seniors with questions about rent increases.