Have you ever wondered what could go into that big empty lot down the road? Maybe new homes or jobs that pay well? Or maybe both? The Southern Nevada Strong (SNS) team at RTC is looking into these important questions with the new Underutilized Lands Inventory, which maps and ranks empty and underused land in our neighborhoods. Inventory results will be shared at the RTC Board meeting on December 12. See below for a sneak peek:
SNS brought together over 50 local land use experts, including real estate developers, urban planners, and economic development professionals, to develop the inventory. Their three biggest priorities were to use land better, encourage job growth, and improve existing neighborhoods. We used County Assessor data to find over 82,000 acres of vacant and underutilized land in the Las Vegas Valley, Mesquite and Boulder City. If we were to put all this land together, it would be bigger than the entire City of Henderson.
But not all areas are ready for more growth. Experts said that when deciding which land may be underused, we need to think about how many people live in the area, how much empty land is nearby, and if the area is close to public transportation. They found that the most underused land is in central parts of the Las Vegas Valley, in our cities’ downtowns and along frequent bus routes like Boulder Highway, Maryland Parkway, and Charleston Boulevard.
The inventory will be used in the new SNS 2050 Plan, our community’s blueprint for how we will grow to meet our needs and the needs of 800,000 new residents over the next 25 years. How we grow matters – Clark County currently estimates a shortage of 78,000 affordable homes for renters who earn less than $20 an hour. These renters could be anyone: retirees, students, grocery store cashiers, office workers, and security guards. It’s also tough for people who want to buy a home. According to Zillow, you needed to make $54,000 a year to afford a typical mortgage in 2020. But now, you would need almost $120,000 a year to do the same. These 82,000 acres of vacant and underutilized land provide possibilities for more homes we can attain and more high-paying jobs. Get involved with our SNS 2050 Plan to learn more about how this inventory will help us grow fairer, smarter, and stronger for all. To get more updates, sign up HERE.
