New low-income housing celebrated

Daniela Mohor

Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2001 | 9:32 a.m.

Community leaders, city and county officials inaugurated a low-income apartment complex Tuesday in downtown Las Vegas.

The Blanchard Arms, 321 N. Ninth St., will provide housing to 16 families or individuals for a monthly rent ranging from $205 to $540. The complex includes 14 two-bedroom and two one-bedroom apartments.

The housing project was started 2 1/2 years ago when Rene Blanchard, a former contractor, donated the land to Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada. The organization turned to the city, the county, banks and private businesses for help completing the $1.6 million project.

"I'm very proud to be the mayor of this great city," Mayor Oscar Goodman said during the complex's dedication."We take so much for granted that all we are is beautiful hotels and casinos. We're much more than that ... We're very special human beings. This project exemplifies that."

The complex's opening is one of several measures taken in the past six months to address the need for low-income housing in Southern Nevada.

In March the North Las Vegas City Council approved the sale of land that will be used to build 70 apartments for low-income seniors.

Three months later the Las Vegas Housing Authority received $800,000 in federal grants to provide rental housing for low-income families.

This summer the city started a new housing plan to revitalize the downtown area. The 300-unit housing project will include apartments affordable for tenants with low incomes.

To be eligible for an apartment in Blanchard Arms, applicants must earn no more than $19,100 a year if they are single. No more than five people can live in one apartment.

Eleven units are booked. Catholic Charities is still receiving applications for the other five.

Catholic Charities officials said they are pleased with the new building because it allows them to get homeless people into permanent housing.