Las Vegas City Council wants community input before homeless campus vote

By Jamie Munks Las Vegas Review-Journal

8 years ago

A building on the southeast corner of Main Street and Foremaster Lane in Las Vegas, on Friday, April 28, 2017, is part of the land the city of Las Vegas is buying on the south side of Foremaster Lane to turn into a campus that will bring homeless providers together and give the homeless community a place to go during the day. Brett Le Blanc Las Vegas Review-Journal @bleblancphoto

People sit on Foremaster Lane in Las Vegas, on Friday, April 28, 2017, in front of land that the city of Las Vegas wants to turn into a campus that will bring homeless providers together and give the homeless community a place to go during the day. Brett Le Blanc Las Vegas Review-Journal @bleblancphoto

Joseph McCallen, left, and Ricky Triplett sit on Foremaster Lane in Las Vegas, on Friday, April 28, 2017, in front of land that the city of Las Vegas wants to turn into a campus that will bring homeless providers together and give the homeless community a place to go during the day. Brett Le Blanc Las Vegas Review-Journal @bleblancphoto

The Las Vegas City Council delayed for two weeks a vote on a large-scale plan to build a campus-like setting along Foremaster Lane where homeless people can access a wide variety of services.

A detailed presentation and the first in-depth public discussion among city officials was slated for Wednesday’s council meeting. The delay, approved unanimously, is to allow time for additional outreach to local service providers, City Manager Betsy Fretwell said.

The plan aims to curtail chronic homelessness by building a complex that would allow people to find shade, use a locker, seek medical care and access job placement in the same area of the designated “Corridor of Hope,” where a number of shelters and service providers exist.

The city either owns or wants to buy land along the south side of Foremaster Lane, between Las Vegas Boulevard North and Main Street. The plan is expected to return for council consideration May 17.

The council on Wednesday also voted to allocate $9.2 million in federal grant funds to help revitalize neighborhoods, for rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention. The funds come from the Community Development Block Grant, Emergency Solutions Grant and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS.

Contact Jamie Munks at jmunks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Follow @JamieMunksRJ on Twitter.