Columnist Susan Snyder: New project sets the framework

Saturday, April 2, 2005 | 9:26 a.m.

Susan Snyder's column appears Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday and Sundays. Reach her at snyder@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4082.

WEEKEND EDITION

April 2 - 3, 2005

Some simple math shows that apartments in Las Vegas Housing Authority's first new public housing complex in 20 years will cost $216,000 to $250,000 each to build.

The 60 units are to be constructed at an estimated cost of $13 million to $15 million on the East Charleston Boulevard site where a boarded-up, 34-year-old public housing project currently sits.

But math is simple, and creating affordable housing is not, said Richard Martinez, the housing authority's deputy director.

The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development began moving away from public housing construction in the 1980s. And while Las Vegas' housing authority has found homes for 2,068 people, another 1,700 are waiting.

"The production of public housing has not kept pace with the increased need for affordable housing for all income levels -- especially for those families below the 50 percent median income," Martinez said Thursday.

That's roughly a family of four living on an annual income of $23,000 or less. Think of a job that pays about $11 an hour, then support yourself and three kids on that wage.

Federal housing programs now focus mostly on programs such as Section 8 subsidies, which offer people at certain income levels reduced rents in regular apartment complexes, Martinez said. But some people simply need more help than that to get on their feet.

That help will begin with razing the Ernie Cragin complex at 3901 E. Charleston Blvd. The 54 apartments were boarded up in 2002 because they were "functionally obsolete." That means it would have cost more to renovate them than to just tear them down and start over.

The federal government already has approved the $566,000 for the razing. The $13 million estimate includes overhaul, design and development of the site.

When finished, the complex will look different than the "public housing" most people envision. These are not to be concrete people-boxes.

They will be homes.

"We don't want to just create a public housing development. We want to create a neighborhood and a community," Martinez said.

The units won't be stacked atop each other but will be situated side by side and have garages.

Hey, every kid needs a safe place to lock up his bike.

"It looks more like a single-family community," Martinez said. "We want to build a neighborhood asset. We're trying to change the face of public housing."

And that's best done by considering the faces of people who live in public housing, rather than simply doing the math.

Officials expect the project to be ready for tenants in about two years, but even when it's finished it won't be enough.

"It's only one particular type of housing that Las Vegas needs," Martinez said, adding that rent subsidies and tax credits must be expanded too.

With at least 1,700 people waiting, there are no such things as too many options.

A community in which a volcano erupts and fountains dance to opera music each night ought to be able to do that math, and build something better.