Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. Yet across Nevada, too many of our neighbors are being pushed to the brink by soaring rents, stagnant wages, and a severe shortage of affordable housing.

Nevada consistently ranks among the states with the largest gap between wages and housing costs. A full-time worker earning minimum wage cannot afford a two bedroom apartment anywhere in the state. Seniors on fixed incomes, families with children, young adults, and essential workers are being priced out of their own communities.

At the same time:

• Affordable housing supply remains far below what is needed
• Corporate investors are purchasing large numbers of single-family homes
• Evictions continue to destabilize families
• Anti-camping ordinances criminalize people experiencing homelessness rather than addressing root causes

Housing instability affects health, education, employment, and public safety. When people cannot afford stable housing, entire communities suffer.

Why This Matters for People of Faith

Housing is not simply a market commodity, it is a matter of human dignity.

In Scripture, God’s vision for community is one where everyone has a place to dwell in safety (Isaiah 65:21–22). Jesus himself experienced housing insecurity and proclaimed good news to those pushed to the margins.

The ELCA teaches:

“Sufficient, safe, and affordable housing is a basic human need.”

Our baptismal call to strive for justice and peace in all the earth compels us to advocate for policies that ensure our neighbors are not left without shelter.

This is about:

• Loving our neighbor
• The dignity of every person
• The common good

What’s Driving Nevada’s Housing Crisis

• Rapid population growth without adequate affordable development
• Wages that have not kept pace with housing costs
• Underfunded affordable housing programs
• Speculative real estate investment by corporate entities
• Lack of strong tenant protections
• Insufficient supportive housing and services

Faith-Rooted Policy Priorities

LEAN supports policies that move Nevada toward housing justice:

1. Invest in Affordable Housing

• Expand and fully fund the Nevada Affordable Housing Trust Fund
• Increase resources for deeply affordable and supportive housing
• Prioritize housing for extremely low-income households

2. Strengthen Tenant Protections

• Prevent unjust evictions
• Ensure fair leases and transparent fees
• Provide access to legal counsel for tenants facing eviction

3. End the Criminalization of Homelessness

• Oppose policies that punish people for sleeping outside
• Invest in housing-first solutions and supportive services

4. Address Corporate Housing Speculation

• Increase transparency and accountability for large-scale investors
• Protect pathways to homeownership for Nevadans

5. Increase Stable Funding Streams

• Create permanent, sustainable funding for affordable housing development and preservation

The Impact

Stable housing leads to:

• Better health outcomes
• Improved educational success for children
• Stronger local economies
• Reduced strain on emergency services
• Safer, more connected communities

Housing is one of the most effective ways to prevent poverty and reduce long-term public costs.

Our Moral Vision for Nevada

We believe in a Nevada where:

• Homes are for people, not for profit
• Workers can afford to live in the communities they serve
• Seniors can age in place
• Young people can build a future
• No one is criminalized for being poor

Housing is a human right.
This is sacred work.