Las Vegas Homes and Real Estate News
LV housing agency supports study of consolidationCombining three valley authorities proposedJan. 28, 2006 "We have the opportunity to point this housing authority and this region in the right direction," Commissioner Steve Ross, who is also a Las Vegas City Councilman, said. "I go along with this." The Clark County Commission voted last week to move forward with a study on consolidating the Clark County, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas housing authorities, which some believe would save money that is desperately needed for affordable housing. The North Las Vegas housing authority said it will support the study. Members of the Clark County authority said they would support it, but not chip in for the estimated $100,000 cost. Douglas Bell, director of the county's Community Resources Management division, told the board that budget cuts to housing authorities nationwide have made it necessary to find ways to save money. "We have to find more economical ways to serve our citizens," he said. Bell said a combined housing authority might curb staffing, paperwork and other costs. He also said he expects each of the three involved agencies to help pay for the study. "This will be a regional effort. We would like to see everyone who is part of the study also financially involved." Robert Gronauer, chair of the Las Vegas authority, said he thinks every affected agency, including the county's authority, should help pay for the study. If the agencies do consolidate, he said, "the fight would be who would be the lead agency." "If the county doesn't put up any money, I'm not sure where their argument would go." The county authority has amassed about $1.5 million in debt because of bookkeeping problems in its Section 8 program. The North Las Vegas agency has been classified as "troubled" by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development after its Desert Mesa low-income housing project became mired in construction-related delays and other problems that landed the agency millions of dollars in debt. The Las Vegas authority has had its own problems. Member and developer Donald Davidson was suspended from the board in December after he was indicted on federal bribery charges. Bell said he wasn't yet sure where the funding for the study will come from. If you are planning to relocate in the Las Vegas area, contact us for a prompt response to any questions you have about the Las Vegas real estate market. We invite you to visit our website to view updated daily listings of Las Vegas homes at Free Las Vegas Homes MLS Search |
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