New Henderson affordable housing complex sets aside 60 of 144 apartments for young adults leaving foster care

What happened

A new affordable housing complex in Henderson has set aside 60 of its 144 apartments for young adults who have aged out of the foster care system, KTNV reported. The property, Sunrise Ranch Apartments, sits just off Broadbent Boulevard and is owned and developed by Nevada Hand.

According to Nevada Hand, 35 young adults from foster care have moved in so far. The developer told KTNV it is still working to fill 25 more of the units designated for this group.

Inside the Sunrise Ranch project

Why the developer reserved units

Audra Hammernik, Nevada Hand's president and CEO, told KTNV that dedicating 60 of the complex's units to former foster youth was a deliberate choice. She said the company committed after learning about a county program for young adults leaving care. "We learned about Step Up, and we learned about the need for foster kids aging out, we're like, okay, we're all in," Hammernik told the station.

One resident's move

KTNV spoke with a resident identified as Jones, who takes part in Step Up. Her social worker, Adriona Smith, heard about the available units and began working to get Jones into one, a process Smith summed up as "A lot of paperwork."

Jones told the station she can now focus on school without worrying about where she will sleep at night, and that she is working to finish her diploma. "I'm very thankful, also, to come from, you know, kind of struggling to not struggling and being worry-free," she told KTNV.

The county program behind it

How Step Up works

Step Up is a Clark County program for young people who have aged out of foster care. KTNV reported that it helps participants apply for jobs and housing and also provides stipends for living expenses.

Who the program serves

The county's extended foster care program began in July 2025. About 400 of the youth it serves each year are between the ages of 18 and 21, and roughly 100 of them turn 21 annually, according to KTNV.

The wider need for housing

Clark County's foster care system told KTNV there are about 3,000 children in care on a given day. The station said it asked the county how many foster children age out of the system each year but did not get an answer by deadline.

KTNV reported, citing Olive Crest, a local nonprofit that helps foster youth, that 60% of children who phase out of foster care end up homeless, moving from shelters to couch surfing. Smith told the station that a community like Sunrise Ranch is vital for young people in that situation. "I'm very housing first," she said. "Nothing starts without it."

For more on housing projects around the valley, see our real estate coverage, and find other Henderson stories in our neighborhoods section.

What to watch next

• Nevada Hand told KTNV it is still looking to fill 25 of the 60 Sunrise Ranch units set aside for young adults aging out of foster care.
• Clark County had not told KTNV by deadline how many foster children age out of the system each year.