LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Legislative candidates vying for votes attended an open forum Saturday to discuss housing issues in the community.
The Nevada Housing Justice Alliance and partner organizations welcomed the community to speak with state legislative candidates about the current state of housing in Nevada. The forum was held at Cornerstone Family Church.
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Thirteen different candidates for state senate and assembly fielded questions on everything from habitability and evictions to cost and stability of rent.
Holding candidates accountable
Organizers wanted to bring candidates into a setting where they can educate the public as well as be held accountable for the growth or challenges surrounding housing in the state.
“We want to move them away from the empty conversations around affordable housing or these development-focused solutions that will take decades and to kind of be bold, be brave with how they’re approaching the issue,” said Ben Iness, Nevada Housing Justice Alliance coalition manager.
Iness said the event is centered on the community and their lived experiences.
The forum aims to educate and hold candidates accountable to pushing and fighting for housing justice priorities that protect tenants, their livelihoods, dignity and stability, Iness said.
Rent increases and financial strain
Iness focused on the rise of rent prices, with costs soaring by hundreds of dollars. He called for legislators to understand how that is causing a financial squeeze for Nevadans and to address those challenges.
“We know that every hundred dollar increase in rent is an increase in the risk of homelessness and becoming unhoused,” Iness said.
He said there are currently no regulations on how much landlords can increase rent in Nevada.
Iness said instead of large rent increases, a 5% cap would provide stability and peace of mind for tenants.
Immediate protections needed
Iness said the community does not have time to wait for solutions focused on slowly building more housing. He said tenants need immediate protections that can be applied now.
Those protections include safeguards from unfair evictions, keeping homes safe and habitable, and protecting tenants from rent spikes, Iness said.
The forum included several incumbents running for reelection, as well as community members running for office.
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