North Las Vegas: City Council approves funds to help improve housing woes

Diana Sahagun

Friday, Oct. 8, 1999 | 10:06 a.m.

The North Las Vegas City Council has allocated nearly $300,000 to help rehabilitate 13 dilapidated apartment units.

The money comes from a grant through the city HOME investment Partnership Program that is offered to projects which help repair housing units. The allocations follow the City Council's goal to rehabilitate downtown and mature areas of the city by 2002.

The Economic Opportunity Board of Clark County is receiving $95,000 to completely rehabilitate eight apartment units located at 2101-2107 Statz St. in North Las Vegas.

The property has been owned by the nonprofit social service organization for 10 years, and that's the problem, said Angela Quinn, administrator for Economic Opportunity Board's housing division.

"The buildings look just like they were built 10 years ago, with block construction and piecemeal carpet," she said. "It almost looks like military barracks -- habitable, but not an image the agency wants to see."

The apartments house mentally disabled men and women, clients of state Adult Mental Health Services.

Rehabilitation plans include new appliances, landscaping, carpet, kitchens, bathrooms, vinyl flooring, paint and more.

"We are hoping to reaffirm to the community that just because these people are mentally challenged, they shouldn't be forgotten," Quinn said.

A contractor is expected to be chosen as early as next week, with the construction completed in 60 days. Quinn said she is crossing her fingers that the tenants will have remodeled units by Christmas.

Two blocks north on Statz Street, five more apartment units will be rehabilitated and become available to low-income families through the North Las Vegas Housing Authority. The authority will use the $168,000 allocated by the council to purchase the units from a private owner and start construction.

Deputy Director Ingrid Cabrera said the units are in need of complete rehabilitation.

The apartments fall under the HOME program, which offers affordable housing to low-income families. Tenants pay full rent, which averages $400-$500 for a one-bedroom apartment.

As soon as the Housing Authority receives a permit for the property, improvements will begin. It will take at least three months to complete, and will include "practically everything," she said.

The rehabilitation comes at a time when the Housing Authority is facing a major housing shortage.

Currently, there are 500 people on the waiting list for subsidized public housing, but only 50 units are available. The government subsidizes tenants' rent at 30 percent of household income, and the housing authority pays the remaining portion.

"We only have 50 units available, but every day that's improving," Cabrera said. "We're really trying to intensify our efforts to lease more units."