High rent prices in Washoe County are forcing some families out of the housing market entirely, county manager Eric Brown told commissioners at a meeting on Wednesday.
“We are starting to see an increase in working people, people who have incomes, but they’re showing up at the shelters because they are priced out,” he said. “This is not going to go away.”
His comments were in response to data presented by the Nevada Housing Coalition, a nonprofit advocating for more affordable housing across the state. Executive Director Maurice Page said that based on market-rate rent, workers need to make at least $50,000 to afford a one-bedroom apartment in the county.
Even more concerning to the county is that some extremely low-income families don’t make enough money to get into affordable housing. Across the whole state of Nevada, there are 1,100 affordable units available for families who make 30-35% of area median income, while over 20,000 affordable units are priced for Nevadans making 40-60% of area median income.
“There are those that are living in the midst of a housing crisis, grappling daily with the reality of seeking better stable living conditions,” Page said. “They face daily challenges that many of us can only imagine.”
It’s a challenge that the state has devoted millions of dollars to fix. In the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers passed a bill to create the Supportive Housing Development Fund, with the power to award grants for affordable housing projects. A second initiative allocated money to Clark County, Reno, and Sparks for rental assistance programs.
Page said that Northern Nevada will face some unique challenges on the road ahead. The region needs more available land to build out affordable housing, and it faces a stark wage-gap.
“Although we have new businesses coming in, we have to ensure that people are getting paid well enough so that they’re able to sustain their housing,” Page said.
For more information on the Nevada Housing Coalition, visit their website here.
