Despite Population Booms In Recent Decades, Cities Like Las Vegas Receive Far Fewer Affordable Housing Vouchers Than Smaller, Older Cities
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) introduced the Housing Choice Vouchers Fairness Act to update the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) decades-old Housing Choice Voucher allocation formula so fast-growing cities like Las Vegas can access more of them. The Housing Choice Voucher Program is the federal government’s major program that helps low-income families, elderly and disabled individuals, and veterans afford housing in the private market.
Currently, the federal formulas that allocate vouchers are based on outdated population calculations dating back to the 2000 census. This legislation authorizes an additional two billion dollars in funding for the Housing Choice Voucher program to make sure public housing authorities that represent the country’s 25 fastest-growing cities with a population of over 100,000 can provide enough vouchers to meet the needs of their populations.
“Nevada is facing an affordable housing crisis, and it makes no sense that an outdated allocation formula is preventing us from receiving our fair share of federal housing vouchers,” said Senator Rosen. “That’s why I’m helping to introduce a bill to update the formula and provide additional funding to fast-growing cities like Las Vegas. I’ll keep pushing for solutions to lower housing costs for Nevada families.”
“Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and as our population expands, so does our need for affordable housing,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Current housing voucher programs aren’t cutting it, and this legislation would fill that gap to help working Nevada families find homes.”
Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto are working to lower housing costs and prevent housing prices from increasing further. Earlier this month, Rosen sent a letter urging the Trump Administration to reverse course on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which can raise housing construction costs. Senator Rosen also recently introduced bipartisan legislation to invest in the construction workforce to be able to build more housing and help lower costs. Last year, Senator Rosen urged HUD to increase the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority’s (SNRHA) Housing Choice Vouchers allocation by 10,000 vouchers over five years.
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