Vote Nevada Supporters,

We had a good discussion about homelessness and affordable housing last night as we head into the 2025 legislative session, which starts tomorrow.

You can see which floor sessions and committee meetings are scheduled for this week here: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Calendar/A/

Join us tonight for our first Nonpartisan Caucus meeting, 2/2/2025, from 6 to 7 PM, via Zoom. RSVP here: https://vote-nevada.news/VN-Nonpartisan-Caucus-Meetings

Here is the housing and homelessness meeting recording: https://vote-nevada.news/Affordable-Housing-Homelessness

The information referenced in the recording is at the bottom of this message.

These two topics are interrelated and very complex, so we will need an “all hands on deck” approach to getting the best outcomes on both fronts.

This will sound weird considering our state’s history with these two topics, but the problem right now isn’t money.  Nevada still has millions of dollars remaining in our COVID relief funds to spend.  The problem is people; we lack the workforce needed to put those dollars into action.

During the pre-legislative budget hearings over the last two weeks, I heard one thing over and over: We don’t have enough (insert an employee category) to get this done.  We are short health care providers, mental health care providers, teachers, child care providers, social workers, case managers, construction specialists, etc.

So, in addition to advocating for some bills related to tenant rights, we all need to work on the many pieces of the affordable housing and homelessness puzzle. In the end we need the puzzle to be whole with no missing pieces. That is the end goal.

Nevadans have been building a state economy that can generate enough revenue to pay for public infrastructure and services that can support that economy.  But we have a huge gap in this economic circle.  We cannot continue to bring more industries into Nevada without a clear plan to provide a healthy and skilled workforce for all those industries.

To create a healthy and skilled workforce, we need a strong education system, affordable housing, basic services such as health care, transportation, and childcare, as well as recreation and restaurant outlets.

Our municipalities and counties have master plans to create a workforce ecosystem, but this piecemeal approach will take too long to get from where we are now to where we need to be. 

We need better coordinated efforts.  The current deadline set by Congress for spending the COVID relief funds, is December 31, 2026; but who knows if that deadline will stick.

So, as we begin the 2025 legislative session, let’s focus on the problems related to building a healthy and skilled workforce. 

Here are the main issues:

1. We need an education system that works from pre-K to graduate school to develop young people into productive community members who can pursue high-value careers. This does not mean we only focus on job training.  We need well-rounded, civically engaged community members.

2. Our education system needs funding and support to work with parents and other important adults to ensure children and young people have opportunities to engage and develop every part of their brain.

3. Schools need psychologists, social workers, and career support specialists.

4. Every Nevadan needs easy access to our community colleges, which are the higher education institutions that offer workforce certifications, career development, counseling, associate degrees, and transfer assistance to the universities. If you are interested in a union apprenticeship, please visit your local community college.

5. We must help every Nevadan who can work have access to the training and education needed for the jobs currently available. This includes the jobs that will support education, health care, construction, and community services. 

6. Affordable housing is also fair housing, so we must ensure every Nevadan can depend on a fair rental housing market.

7. We must build affordable housing throughout the state, not just in certain parts. Every community needs reasonably priced housing for the workforce that keeps the community healthy and prosperous. This starts with infill housing instead of bringing more land into the market around the edges of communities.

8. Smaller developers will need assistance, zoning regulations may need to be examined, and transportation infrastructure must be aligned with workforce demands. 

9. Social services to address homelessness are an absolute must, so we must make social services jobs attractive and able to sustain someone as a career. 

10. A healthy community must have accessible behavioral, mental, and physical health care, but we lack the workforce to staff those services, so workforce development in these areas must be funded in all higher education institutions.

Workforce development, affordable housing, and addressing homelessness are all tied together, but as I mentioned, each is a huge issue individually let alone taken together. 

So, it will take all of us to work together during this legislative session and through other entities such as town zoning boards and planning committees, school boards and the Board of Regents, and state and local agencies to move the needle.

If you are interested in participating in this endeavor, please use this form to identify legislative bills that address the issues discussed above: https://forms.gle/629jLZ2YeugcMrvB8

And join us tonight for our first Nonpartisan Caucus meeting, 2/2/2025, from 6 to 7 PM, via Zoom. RSVP here: https://vote-nevada.news/VN-Nonpartisan-Caucus-Meetings

I will send out separate messages with instructions for attending board and commission meetings.

If you would like to review the state agency budget hearings from the last two weeks, those recordings are on the legislature’s archived meetings page: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Video/

If you need a refresher for how to use the legislature’s website, the recording and PDF file are available here: https://vote-nevada-blog.org/2025-legislative-session-info/

Here is the RTC Affordable Housing Report: RTCAffordability_FINAL

Here are the Governor’s vetoes from 2023:  https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/Bills/Vetoed

Thank you for being Nevadans with me,

Sondra

Vote Nevada is now qualified to receive donations through Smith’s Inspiring Donations; you can read more about how to donate to Vote Nevada each time you use your Smith’s loyalty card here:  https://www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/i/community/smiths-inspiring-donations

Vote Nevada is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit civic engagement organization.  Anyone can become a supporter by emailing info@vote-nevada.org; we have no membership dues. You can now donate to Vote Nevada through PayPal at  https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=L423L7FBMMBEA