Clark County and two Southern Nevada cities entered into an agreement to cover operational costs at the upcoming “Campus For Hope” shelter, a $200 million facility that will also offer social services to those afflicted by housing insecurity.
The County Commission and the city councils of Las Vegas and North Las Vegas individually voted last week to affirm the agreement, which combined will provide up to $15 million annually beginning in 2027.
Las Vegas Councilman Brian Knudsen, whose Ward 1 encompasses the future campus, said he’d heard from constituents who have expressed concerns about the location, including what might happen to their property values.
“The city, the county, the state, the private sector (are) all actively working toward making this project something that we can all be proud of: Something that can be beneficial to those who are experiencing homelessness, their families, and beneficial to the surrounding area,” he said moments before the City Council’s unanimous vote.
The construction is being financed through an equal partnership between the state of Nevada and the resort industry. The state will also match the local governments’ annual contributions, pushing the budget for operational costs up to $30 million.
‘All-in-one campus’
The 26-acre facility is expected to open in 2027 at Charleston and Jones boulevards.
It will provide 900 residential beds and offer a variety of social services, including case management, health and legal services, job training and housing placement assistance.
“We’re transforming the traditional shelter model by offering an all-in-one campus that addresses the root causes of homelessness through personalized care,” according to the Campus of Hope nonprofit, an entity created to develop the project.
“Instead of costing the community, our approach helps everyone by creating pathways to stability and a more prosperous future for everyone,” the nonprofit said. The facility will employ more than 300 workers.
Las Vegas Deputy City Manager Sabra Newby said the campus will require prospective clients to be referred by navigation centers from each individual jurisdiction, she said.
The model was partly influenced by the “Haven for Hope” that opened in San Antonio, Texas, in 2010. That city has seen a 77 percent reduction in the homeless population in San Antonio’s downtown area, according to Nevada officials.
Each dollar invested into that complex has turned into $29 “in benefits,” officials said.
The Southern Nevada project was green-lit during the 2023 Nevada Legislature, which committed $100 million to build the campus. The resort association pledged $100 million.
“The proportional allocation” of up to $15 million annually “will be based on the participating municipalities population” and annual consumer price index changes, according to the local governments agreement.
A inter-agency daylong census of Southern Nevada’s homeless population in 2024 tallied 7,906 people living on the street or staying in public shelters. That was a 20 percent increase from 2023 and the highest figure reported in a decade.
The Southern Nevada Continuum of Care’s count coincided with point-in-time figures from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development that determined 23 out of every 10,000 people in the U.S. over a day in 2024 were homeless — an 18 percent year-over-year increase and the highest number “ever reported.”
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County covering Las Vegas costs
Clark County agreed to subsidize Las Vegas’ operational costs through fiscal year 2031 because of how much the city already spends on homeless services and “the city’s financial situation,” Newby said.
Newby didn’t expand on the financial strains. However, Las Vegas taxpayers are set to cover a $286 million settlement with the would-be developer of the defunct Badlands golf course.
To offset those costs, the city has offered voluntary buyouts, frozen at least 21 open positions and paused capital projects.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
