Las Vegas is known for its glistening lights and reputation as the city that never sleeps. But beyond entertainment and world-class dining, approximately 2.4 million people call the valley home. Nevada’s lack of state income tax and pro-business environment has made it a magnet for business as new industries continue to choose Southern Nevada as a hub. As a result, the Las Vegas metro area welcomes more than 4,000 new residents every month.
This growth is a testament to our region’s vitality, but it also underscores a defining challenge: the shortage of attainable housing. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) currently owns more than 80 percent of the land in Nevada. With the increasing number of residents, this community is projected to run out of residential land in fewer than eight years. This is a community issue, one that affects working families, seniors, entrepreneurs and the next generation striving to call Southern Nevada home.
Across our valley, we are continuing to face challenges with attainable housing, leaving Nevadans with limited options and rising costs. Average land prices have surged to around $1 million per acre. In some parts of the state, land prices are as high as $1.8 million. Without reasonable access to land, we cannot build the homes Nevada families need. That is the reality our industry and community face together.
Public-Private Partnerships in Action
As CEO of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association (SNHBA), I remain optimistic about our region’s future because we have seen firsthand what can be achieved when builders, government, elected officials, stakeholders and other key community partners work together with a shared vision. Redevelopment projects are an example of our community coming together to address Nevada’s housing challenges, transforming underutilized spaces into vibrant, sustainable communities.
A recent example is the Desert Pines redevelopment, a $500 million transformation of a city-owned golf course into a thriving mixed-use neighborhood in East Las Vegas. In partnership with McCormack Baron Salazar, Urban Strategies Inc., the City of Las Vegas and SilverSummit Healthplan, this initiative will deliver more than 1,500 new homes, including 1,100 rental apartments, with at least half of the homes affordable for households earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income.
Beyond housing, the project will integrate new amenities, public spaces and essential health and social services through SilverSummit Healthplan, ensuring long term community wellness is built into the foundation of the neighborhood.
In the Westside neighborhood, another transformative initiative is moving forward with the $53 million Lake Mead Microbusiness Park. Clark County and Brinshore Development are leading the project, with Metcalf as the general contractor. Together, the team is building the 76 workforce housing units that will complement 20,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entrepreneurial space.
This development demonstrates how housing, job creation and small-business growth can align to not only provide shelter but also expand opportunity and economic mobility. It sits next to the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas on Lake Mead Boulevard.
Metcalf Builders is also helping shape further progress in the historic Westside with a 138-unit attainable housing community that will feature five buildings, including a four-story elevator building, two three-story walk ups and two duplex homes. With infrastructure improvements already underway, this 20-month project is in its first phase of development, marking another major step toward increasing attainable housing options in the city’s urban core.
These projects underscore the power of partnerships. When the public and private sectors work in unison, the impact extends far beyond construction. Together, we are building not just housing, but stronger, healthier and more resilient communities that will support Nevada’s future for generations to come.
No matter how committed our partners, one essential truth remains: Without land, progress stalls. One of the biggest barriers to addressing Nevada’s housing shortage is the limited release of federal land.
Today, more than 80 percent of Nevada is federally owned, and the BLM controls most of the land surrounding Las Vegas. The disposal process is lengthy, complex and too often fails to keep pace with the urgency of our housing needs. Even if land lies within a designated disposal boundary, it makes little difference if it is not made available in a timely and efficient way.
Building on federal land does come with its challenges. Parcels oftentimes are located in emerging areas where roads, utilities, and water systems are needed. Developers also face frequent delays in securing easements and rights-of-way across adjacent property that may be owned and/or controlled by the BLM. Without pre-reserved easements, these processes can add one to two years to development timelines.
Still, the alternative is far worse with having a future where Las Vegas runs out of land, housing costs spiral further, and economic growth is constrained. The homebuilding industry has a proven record of turning government-owned lands into vibrant, thoughtfully planned communities. With continued collaboration, federal land can once again be the foundation of Nevada’s next generation of neighborhoods.
At SNHBA, we believe the BLM should proactively reserve easements for utilities and roads in areas where development is foreseeable. Doing so would streamline the process and reduce unnecessary delays.
The Human Side of Housing
These discussions can feel abstract, but at their core they are about people. Nevadans want the same things: safe, attainable homes in communities where they can live, work and build their futures. Housing is about stability, opportunity, and access.
The challenges we face in Las Vegas are daunting, but they are not beyond our reach. With thoughtful community planning and federal land policy reform, we can create a housing market that benefits everyone.
I see firsthand the commitment of our builders, partners, and community leaders to meet this challenge head-on. We cannot afford to wait. The cost of inaction will be measured not just in higher rents or longer commutes, but in the opportunities lost for Nevada families.
When federal, state and local governments join forces with builders and community partners, we can transform today’s attainable housing shortage into tomorrow’s opportunity. That is the vision worth building.
Tina Frias is the chief executive officer of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association.