LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Nevada higher education leaders wanted answers about security and safety plans from the Campus For Hope, set to be built down the street from the College of Southern Nevada.
The questions were posed by regents during the September Board meeting for the Nevada System of Higher Education. The Campus for Hope is being built on a 26-acre site at the Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services campus.
The land is owned by the state of Nevada.
“What are we doing about safety and security for everybody concerned? Because I know the neighbors are really terrified. The neighbors are scared,” Regent Patrick Boylan said during the meeting.
“There are questions that need to be answered. There’s a lot of inquiry that I’ve received online, on emails that neighbors are curious about what’s going on,” Regent Joseph Arrascada said.
Campus for Hope CEO Kim Jefferies provided more details on security plans for the facility and the future collaboration with Metro Police.
“Campus for Hope has their own safety and security team, 24-7, 365,” Jefferies said.
To enter the facility, individuals are screened and go through metal detectors; they must wear badges to identify clearance. There are K9 officers to detect any illegal substances, Jefferies said.
“We’re also working with Metro. We’ve met with area command, we’ve met with the Sheriff, and in our master planning in Phase Two, we’re building out a police substation so that there can be a police substation on the campus and additional Metro presence on the campus,” Jefferies said; police will enforce no camping bans around the area, she said.
This spring, FOX5 did a one-on-one interview with the CEO of Campus for Hope: the CEO has been working to explain what a “transitional housing” model will look like, and how it differs from “emergency shelters.” The homeless cannot walk up and ask for a bed; they must be referred by social services, first.
CSN will also add additional security, according to Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs James McCoy.
“Rest assured that our own police department is engaged… security will be amped up at CSN anyway, and that there’ll be a greater presence anyway, just to help absolve any of those initial perceptions that may be unfounded until it’s proven,” McCoy said.
The entire discussion was prompted by an agenda item over a property exchange agreement: CSN will give “modules” to Campus for Hope, and in exchange, the non-profit will utilize those facilities and donate $1 million for CSN to purchase new ones.
For years, CSN has operated its early childhood education program on the Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services campus.
“In March of 2025, we received basically an eviction notice from the state of Nevada indicating that we must remove our modulars from the state land because it was going to be appropriated in a new lease for the Campus for Hope project,” McCoy said. “We had to tell families, we cannot provide our early childhood education program to you right now because the land that our modulars were sitting on is no longer ours to be leased,” he said.
Further collaboration efforts are planned between CSN and the Campus for Hope. Residents will utilize workforce development programs and educational resources. CSN students, as part of their training, can help provide services such as dental care or veterinary care.
Jefferies provided FOX5 the following statement:
“We are excited to continue to explore ways Campus for Hope and CSN can collaborate to benefit everyone in the community. In addition to an MOU that was previously signed, Campus for Hope is donating $1M to CSN for the relocation of their Early Childhood Education Lab that currently resides on the Campus for Hope site to ensure quality early childhood education is available in the area.”
FOX5 has covered the concerns from neighbors over the fast-moving plans: neighbors have voiced frustrations that the state project was approved for the area without a process for public review. Residents are worried that the unhoused will still seek refuge at the Campus For Hope, and when turned away, will camp nearby.
A group of neighbors filed a lawsuit to halt the project, calling for more studies to assess the impact on the area before construction starts. There’s hopes for a hearing within 30 days, according to resident Jim Root, a plaintiff in the suit.
Root provided FOX5 the following statement on developments, which said in part:
“This is one more example of the State of NV and the Gaming industry using the Campus for Hope as a hammer to get what they want with no involvement by the other party. Just like this whole project – the “negotiation” with CSN is a farce.”
Preparation work has begun on the construction site, according to a spokesperson.
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