Two real estate agents with different housing plans compete for the North Las Vegas Ward 1 City Council seat

What happened

Two real estate agents are competing for the North Las Vegas City Council Ward 1 seat, Nevada Current reported. Sherry Strothers, a Navy veteran backed by labor and progressive groups, faces Esmeralda Villeda, a planning commissioner supported by industry groups and sitting council members.

The winner will replace Councilman Isaac Barron, who has served since 2013 and is term-limited. Barron has endorsed Villeda. No candidate won more than 50% of the vote in the primary, so the race moved to the general election, according to the Current. Residents can find dates and deadlines in our Clark County voting guide.

Who the candidates are

Esmeralda Villeda

Villeda is a real estate agent and vice chair of the City of North Las Vegas Planning Commission, which advises the City Council on planning and zoning. She told the Current she has served on the commission for three years and wants to build on that work. "I see where the city is going. I see the momentum," she said.

Sherry Strothers

Strothers has also worked as a real estate agent in North Las Vegas after retiring from the Navy. She told the Current that Ward 1 had been neglected and left out of revitalization plans, and she is focusing on housing affordability and aging neighborhoods.

Housing and neighborhood priorities

Strothers on rents and affordable housing

Strothers' top housing goals include reviving a Veteran-Housing Initiative, a proposed 112-unit project on vacant land that was previously blocked over zoning issues, the Current reported. She also wants to convert vacant properties into affordable housing.

She supports a policy to prevent high rent increases, similar to a 5% limit on rent increases that the Culinary Union pushed in 2022. There were conflicting views on whether the union received the necessary amount of votes for that ballot initiative to qualify, and the City Council killed it in a 4-1 vote. "I don't want to kill industry," Strothers told the Current, adding that she wants limits on large landlords raising rent arbitrarily.

Villeda on amenities, streets and parks

Along with affordability, Villeda wants residents to live closer to amenities. She told the Current that residents should not have to drive 10 to 15 minutes to reach a grocery store or a community park. Her campaign website lists long-overdue street and park improvements in the ward as a top priority.

Money and endorsements

Villeda held a large fundraising lead according to July 15 campaign finance reports, the Current reported. She raised $64,000 in the second quarter and had $48,000 on hand, with support from real estate and developer groups and significant backing from North Las Vegas Fire Fighters Local 1607.

Strothers' campaign has been overwhelmingly self-funded. She raised about $35,000 and had about $3,000 on hand at that time. She is endorsed by SEIU, Teamsters Nevada, the Nevada Veterans Caucus, the Nevada Black Legislative Caucus, Make the Road Nevada Action and Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada Action.

Besides Barron, Villeda is endorsed by Councilman Scott Black, who is running for mayor, and outgoing Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown. The Culinary Union gave dual endorsements to both candidates.

Data centers and immigration enforcement

The Nevada Independent asked both candidates whether North Las Vegas should adopt a data center moratorium. Strothers strongly agreed, saying "projects should demonstrate measurable community benefits before moving forward," while Villeda did not respond.

Asked about a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Strothers told the Independent it would undermine community trust and make residents less willing to report crimes. Villeda declined to answer.

What to watch next

• The Ward 1 general election between Strothers and Villeda, which will decide who replaces term-limited Councilman Isaac Barron.
• The North Las Vegas mayor's race, in which Councilman Scott Black, a Villeda endorser, is a candidate to succeed outgoing Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown.