EDITORIAL: NLV landlords

New employees are moving into North Las Vegas City Hall at no expense to city taxpayers. In fact, the government stands to net a six-figure income from the deal.

As reported last week by the Review-Journal’s James DeHaven, North Las Vegas is leasing vacant space inside City Hall to a pair of government-created nonprofits. The Nevada Affordable Housing Assistance Corp., which oversees federal bailout funds, this week moved about two dozen workers into more than 6,000 square feet on City Hall’s third floor. Another housing aid agency, Home Means Nevada, will move four workers into 1,600 square feet on the sixth floor.

The Nevada Affordable Housing Assistance Corp. will pay $416,500 for its three-year lease, while Home Means Nevada agreed to a one-year lease for $35,000. The City Council is expected to approve the leases today.

Every dollar helps the struggling city’s bottom line. We applaud city leaders for working to turn one of their greatest liabilities — the $130 million City Hall that opened half-empty in 2011 as the economy was cratering — into an asset by becoming landlords. The city has prospective tenants for City Hall’s two remaining vacant floors.

These are the kinds of creative, common-sense solutions needed if the city is to survive the fiscal woes that put it on the brink of a state takeover.