Editorial: MASH land deal could be a winner

Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2002 | 8:42 a.m.

Years ago when the Father Joe's Villages program was proposed for Las Vegas as an alternative to soup kitchens and flop houses, the concept was embraced with enthusiasm. Under the "villages" concept, successful in California, individuals and families who had fallen prey to the streets found shelter as well as medical help and counseling about careers and education. MASH Village debuted in 1995 after the city of Las Vegas leased 10 acres at Main and Owen streets to the Rev. Joe Carroll, founder of Father Joe's Villages.

Last year MASH Village and its landlord -- the city -- came close to ruining their partnership. A long-standing agreement held that MASH Village would get title to the 10 acres after making $5 million worth of improvements to the property. But MASH was encountering difficulties in raising funds for improvements on land it didn't own. It wanted immediate title even though it had only spent $1.5 million on improvements. Negotiations turned ugly and tension remains.

On Wednesday before the City Council, MASH Village will try again. It has a solid proposal: Immediate ownership of the land in exchange for a promise that property improvements worth the whole $5 million will have been made by 2007. If the improvements have not been made, the land, under a contract, would revert back to the city. Local governments would not be asked for any money -- donations would all come from the private sector.

Mayor Oscar Goodman and the City Council have said homelessness is a regional problem and that the city should not have a disproportionate responsibility in solving it. A no vote might serve to ratchet up the tension between MASH Village and the city. A yes vote on Wednesday is a better way to go. It would give the city five years to determine if this is the regional approach it envisions.