Clark County Commissioners Approve 348-Unit Affordable Veteran Housing Plan in Sunrise Manor

What happened

Clark County commissioners on Wednesday, Oct. 7, approved amendments tied to Patriot Housing LV, an affordable housing project aimed at veterans and military families in Sunrise Manor, KTNV reported. The vote effectively clears the way for the development. Many veterans attended the county zoning meeting, and the decision drew cheers from the crowd, according to KTNV.

The approval came after commissioners held the matter in September and asked the developer to return with added protections. The developer brought those revisions back at the Oct. 7 meeting.

What the project includes

According to KTNV, the plans call for 348 affordable apartment units south of Vegas Valley Drive and west of Tree Line Drive in Sunrise Manor. The proposal also includes amenities, transportation support, on-site security and wraparound services. More coverage of local projects is available in our development section.

Who owns the land

The City of Las Vegas currently owns the site and plans to sell it to the developer for the project, KTNV reported. Commissioners raised questions about the city's role and described the arrangement as uniquely complicated.

Why the county hesitated

County staff had previously recommended denying the project, pointing to the industrial area around the site, KTNV reported. At the September zoning meeting, after lengthy public comment and discussion, commissioners voiced concerns about financing, affordability and zoning before deciding to hold the item until October.

Assurances commissioners wanted

Commissioners asked for assurances that the development would be officially certified as affordable housing by the housing department. They also wanted protection against a scenario in which the land is rezoned, the financing falls through, and another developer builds luxury apartments that are neither affordable nor focused on veterans. Commissioners said they support affordable housing and veteran projects but wanted safeguards in place, according to KTNV.

Safeguards added before the vote

The revised plan includes a provision requiring the developer to obtain the affordable housing certification within an allotted amount of time, KTNV reported. It also includes a condition meant to prevent another developer from building something that is not affordable if this project does not move forward.

What veterans said

Veterans had been attending county meetings to urge approval. Levy Shultz, president of the Nevada Veterans Caucus and the Nevada Veterans Fund, disputed the county's industrial assessment of the area, pointing to large nearby neighborhoods, including the new Independence neighborhood. He told KTNV that veterans and military families deserve to live in residential areas surrounded by other families.

Location and services

Shultz told KTNV the site is 20 minutes from the base, 11 minutes from the VA Southern Nevada Health Care System's Community Resource and Referral Center, 3 minutes from a grocery store and right off a major bus line. "It's 20 minutes from the base, which is perfect," he said.

Shultz said his fund delivers food to veterans and that lower rents would let them afford essential goods and services. "I've seen firsthand what these folks need and that we need more affordable housing solutions," he told KTNV. For more on local housing costs, see our real estate coverage and a recent look at how Las Vegas ranks for renters.

What to watch next

• Whether the developer obtains the required affordable housing certification within the allotted time set by the county.
• The City of Las Vegas' planned sale of the land to the developer for the project.
• Whether the project's financing comes together, a concern commissioners raised before adding safeguards.