NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Thanks to a new law, there's renewed hope for a veteran housing complex proposal in North Las Vegas, after the project faced a setback last year that had the applicant scrambling to find another location and local veterans very upset.
FOLLOWING UP | New Nevada law could revive rejected veteran housing project
It's a story I've been following for more than a year now, after local veterans reached out to Channel 13 in 2024 to share their concerns when the North Las Vegas Planning Commission voted against the Tunnel to Towers Foundation's proposal to build a 112-unit permanent veteran housing complex at Pecos Road and Centennial Parkway. that would also provide wraparound services like employment assistance and mental health support.
Tunnel to Towers chose the land because of its proximity to the VA Hospital. However, the parcel of land the foundation had purchased this project for was zoned for commercial use.
Planning commission officials had expressed a desire for that parcel to remain commercially zoned so it can house amenities to serve the surrounding neighborhoods in that rapidly growing part of town.
At the time, a city spokesperson told Channel 13 the city proudly supports veterans, pointing to North Las Vegas' Veterans Resource Center and other programs, and that they invite the Tunnel to Towers Foundation to come work with them to find a spot that works within the city's master plan.
Ultimately, Tunnel to Towers decided to pull its proposal in North Las Vegas, expecting the city council to reject its plan with the planning commission's unfavorable recommendation. However, the nonprofit was adamant about building this complex somewhere in Southern Nevada to address the issue of veteran homelessness. I've continued to follow this story and shared with you earlier this year that Tunnel to Towers was looking at some potential sites in the City of Las Vegas.
However, recently, foundation officials shared with me that they are once again looking at the original site in North Las Vegas, and it's all thanks to a new state law.
AB241, passed in the 2025 legislative session, requires each governing body of a county or city to adopt an ordinance that authorizes by-right a multifamily housing development or mixed-use development that includes a residential use on property zoned for commercial use. Essentially, it could expedite the approval process for projects like what Tunnel to Towers wants to build, and remove some of the red tape when it comes to building housing on commercially zoned land.
The bill's main sponsor, Assemblymember Sandra Jauregui, tells me her conversations with Tunnel to Towers is what got her thinking about crafting legislation to help Southern Nevada take advantage of its untapped or forgotten land to combat the housing crisis. She started looking at other states, like Montana, the sweeping zoning reforms enacted there, and how similar policies could be implemented in Nevada.
"We're running into a land issue. We don't have enough land. So I looked at how much rundown, empty, commercial space we have, and thought, 'What a great use of this rundown, empty, vacant, abandoned commercial space,'" Jauregui said.
She said under AB241, it's up to each municipality to craft the language for their ordinance, but ultimately, this should help get more housing built — and faster.
"People need housing and they need affordable housing and they need it now. Everybody deserves a place they can call home," Jauregui said.
Throughout all of this, I've been keeping in touch with local Marine Corps veteran and advocate Vincent Palmieri, who would love to see this project come to fruition. He's very tapped into the local veteran community and said Southern Nevada needs more affordable housing for the men and women who sacrificed so much for our freedoms.
"This is about homing men and women who fought for this country. Why do we put them in the background?" Palmieri said.
He said it would be ideal to see this housing complex built in North Las Vegas, given the proximity to the VA Hospital. He also believes there's room to meet both commercial and residential needs there; he believes there's enough land at Pecos and Centennial for Tunnel to Towers' project and for commercial amenities for nearby residents.
With this new law in place, he's feeling a bit more optimistic this time around.
"It should've been built already. They should've broken the ground for it. But because of political bureaucracy, sometimes it stands in the way," Palmieri said.
His message to city leaders as this proposal prepares to get another look? "Put veterans first, people first, especially veterans, not politics," Palmieri said.
AB241 requires each municipality to have its ordinance in place by March 1, 2026. I'll continue to follow this story and bring you updates.
