The Nevada Legislature is tackling a problem at the forefront of many Nevadan’s minds: the high cost of renting.

Senate Bill 371 would allow local incorporated governments, like Reno or Sparks, to pass ordinances that would limit the amount that landlords can demand for the leasing of a home or renewing a lease.

The bill would be breaking a state precedent in principles related to local governance, by giving local incorporated municipalities the authority to set their own specific rent control.

"When we have that conversation in Washoe, you may get some push back from what Carson City believes, my point to it is we cannot address this issue statewide, because it is so deeply rooted in a population that is served by a county or city that when we bring up certain issues that are related to affordable housing, it's like you're speaking a different language depending on where you live in the state of Nevada,” explained SB371 sponsor (D – Las Vegas) Senator Edgar Flores.

Nevada is what is known as a "Dillon Rule" state.

What that means - is in order for an incorporated municipality to do virtually anything - it needs to get authority from the state.

Whereas, a state like Colorado is a "Home Rule" state - which means local municipalities like Denver or Fort Collins can make changes without the authorization of the state.

SB371 would authorize "a board of county commissioners and the governing body of an incorporated city to enact and ordinance or measure relating to affordable housing."

Flores says this issue was initially addressed in 2015, and SB371 would clean up the language to give local governments the authority to cap rent.

“It has now been eight years and there has been an ongoing debate, in the midst of a horrible housing crisis in the state of Nevada. There isn't a single entity, private partner, non-profit, or legislator in the state of Nevada that doesn't agree we're in a housing crisis, and if that is true, then we are obligated as a body to ensure that we implement every federal, every state, and local option,” said Flores.

However, not everyone is on board with the bill, including Nevada’s Home Builders industry, collectively.  

They argue SB371 would disincentivize new investments in housing, which would only add to the problem.

“It’s a statewide issue, it's an issue best resolved by increasing the supply of housing. That's why the home builders support bills like Assembly Bill 213 that will hopefully be over in the senate at some point this session. Those are all designed to expedite and speed up the supply of housing across the board. Affordable housing, and market rate housing. We feel like that's the better answer,” said Josh Hicks, a lobbyist on behalf of the Nevada Home Builders Association, Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, and The Builders Association of Northern Nevada.

Flores reminds that the bill does not concern a statewide unformed mandatory rent control, and he contends that this is the best possible approach to addressing the issue.

This Friday, all bills are subjected to a deadline where they must pass out of their committee in the house of origin, or they will be dead.