Lombardo Lowlights: Las Vegas Touts One of the Highest Eviction Rates in the Nation, Thanks to Lombardo

According to a new study, under Joe Lombardo, Las Vegas has one of the highest eviction rates in the country. Last legislative session, Lombardo vetoed several bills that would have lowered housing costs and helped keep hardworking Nevadans in their homes. Lombardo doubled down on his vetoes of Democrat-led legislation that would have lowered housing costs for Nevada’s most vulnerable residents by blaming Nevadans losing their homes on them just not working hard enough.

Social service groups say the bills Lombardo vetoed would have prevented this eviction and homeless crisis, bills like AB298, which would have helped ensure rent increases for seniors and Nevadans with disabilities would be affordable. It’s no surprise that Lombardo vetoed vital housing affordability legislation like AB298 instead of putting Nevadans first, as he prioritized the agenda of billionaire slumlord Robert Bigelow, who bankrolled his gubernatorial campaign. 

“While more and more Nevada families are being left without roofs over their heads, Joe Lombardo chose to veto numerous pieces of legislation that would have kept hardworking Nevadans in their homes, putting the interests of his campaign donors first,” said Nevada State Democratic spokesperson Claudia Alvarado. “It’s clear Nevada families can’t trust Lombardo to be on their side and tackle the housing crisis.” 

Read more about how Lombardo’s veto led to high eviction rates in Las Vegas below:

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Las Vegas has one of the highest eviction rates in the country: Princeton Lab 

Patrick Blennerhassett

Key Points:

• Clark County has one of the highest evictions rates in the country, according to Princeton’s Eviction Lab.

• Since March 2020, there have been 190,133 filings in the county, which is a 21 percent increase from pre-pandemic levels, and so far this year there have been 51,782 filings, which is a 42 percent increase. In the past month, there have been 4,041 filings, which is a 25 percent increase from normal pre-pandemic levels.

• Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., who represents Nevada’s 1st District which includes urban areas south of Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City, said high eviction rates take a heavy toll on any local community in a number of ways.

• “Lower income families living paycheck to paycheck and seniors on fixed incomes often are one financial crisis away from not being able to pay their rent and being evicted,” she said. “I have co-sponsored legislation to increase the number of federal housing vouchers Southern Nevada receives to help those at risk of eviction. Other metropolitan areas our size receive three or four times the number of housing vouchers we do. Congress must address this inequity.”

• In June last year, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed Senate Bill 335, which would have halted evictions for up to 60 days for renters who had a pending application on the table for rental assistance. This was a bill that included similar protections as a 2021 Nevada law.