LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Our attention turns to one North Las Vegas neighborhood nestled near the Historic Westside, where a groundbreaking project promises to bring in new life to an area often deemed underserved and overlooked.
One lifelong resident told Channel 13's Abel Garcia they are hopeful yet cautious.
They see this project as a positive step forward, but they say it is just the beginning of what's needed to truly uplift the community.
"The Historic Westside is a shell of what it used to be," said Shannon Rabb.
Rabb has called the Historic Westside home since 1966. Through the years, she's watched her community evolve, but recently, she sees it becoming increasingly difficult to live in.
"I was in an apartment on Lake Mead and Jones. My rent was $850. Somebody bought the apartment complex from California, and then my money went from $850 to $1,700," she said.
Rabb said there is a rise in the number of her neighbors falling into homelessness, and the demand for affordable housing is soaring beyond measure.
"So affordable? I'm with affordable, especially when our wages or not going anywhere," she said.
Soon, Rabb and others will witness a pivotal moment. Just minutes away from her home off Lake Mead Boulevard west of the 15, the Historic Westside is also where Clark County Commissioner William McCurdy II was born and raised.
He showed us the lot where a mixed-use microbusiness park is set to be built. He said it has never been touched.
"This site will provide high quality workforce. Affordable housing, as you know, within our valley, we are many units short," he said.
McCurdy said there will be 76 units, offering studios and one to three-bedroom options. The price for rent will range anywhere from $900 to $1,300 a month.
"Anywhere you turn or anyone you talk to, you will hear about the lack of investment within the community, but with this project, it will be significant investment to help aspiring entrepreneurs and those who are housing insecure," McCurdy said.
When completed, the plaza will house more than 20,000 square feet of space for retail, offices and business growth.
"Once they put this affordable housing, then maybe we can put some of these people that are sleeping in the desert, some of these people sleeping in the corners, we have people sleeping in rocks at night," Rabb said.
As for Rabb, she said the expected rent is still too high.
"Find out what people's income is and then that is how you determine what the rent should be in this affordable housing," she said.
While she believes this is a positive move forward, she said further action is essential to support the community she calls her family.
"We have to make sure that this space that we say we are going to create and create the affordable housing, make sure you create it for the people that can afford it," Rabb said.
With a mix of Clark County funds and COVID-19 relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, the project's cost is estimated at $35-$40 million.
Commissioner McCurdy said they will break ground in a couple of months and the project is expected to be complete by 2026.
