Homeless, immigrants get boost

By Timothy Pratt

Friday, July 29, 2005 | 10:48 a.m.

The homeless and immigrant populations of the Las Vegas Valley got a vote of confidence from area governments Thursday -- literally.

The Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition -- a group of representatives from the valley's municipalities -- voted to back two measures that will help the groups, normally without much of a voice in government:

Clark County Manager Thom Reilly -- who leads a committee on homelessness that reports to the coalition -- said the approximately $25 million spent valleywide last year to help the homeless will now be spent with an eye on the plan's goals.

Those goals include increasing the amount of "sustainable" housing; increasing intensive case management; increasing treatment for mental illness and addictions; and preventing homelessness.

As well, Reilly said, $4 million approved by the 2005 state legislature for the homeless will be spent on pilot projects that include increased case management on the streets and crisis intervention.

Representatives from the valley's different governments will help choose who gets those grants.

Finally, Reilly asked the coalition's support in marketing the above efforts to area businesses, in an attempt to raise funds to complement public funds.

Reilly said after the meeting that he was "optimistic ... this is the first time we've ever gotten everybody to buy in on this (helping the homeless)."

Don Burnette, chief administrative officer with Clark County, spoke to the coalition about what he said was a growing problem involving groups of day laborers who solicit work on streets and sidewalks, causing traffic problems and upsetting neighboring businesses and residents.

The county, he said, was dedicated to "finding a more suitable location for this type of act." He said that other communities in Arizona, California, Washington and Texas had made centers where day laborers and employers could meet without disturbing the surrounding area.

The coalition agreed to dedicated staff from each area government to study the problem and report back to the coalition in 60 days.

"We're committed to this," Burnette said after the meeting.

"Hopefully other entities will agree."