Republican Governor Joe Lombardo held a roundtable on housing Friday, weeks before Nevada’s gubernatorial election. The discussion brought together homebuilders, realtors, affordable‑housing advocates and first‑time homebuyers as the governor highlighted his effort to ease living costs across the state.
Lombardo pointed to his record since taking office in 2023, noting the approval of $133 million for housing development and an expansion of affordable options for middle‑class households. He said, "That's what it comes down to, right?" and added, "Government paying attention, realizing what are the most important issues that constituents deal with on a daily basis." He emphasized that "lower‑income folks" at "30% of area median income" affect "our middle‑income folks that are usually forgotten because they make too much but too little."
Looking ahead, the governor discussed releasing more federally owned land for housing, streamlining permitting for new‑build homes and preventing corporations from out‑competing families. He defended his veto of a bill limiting investor purchases on constitutional grounds, noting a task force is working on a revised proposal. Lombardo also referenced Nevada’s water reserves for the next 12 years and cited his signing of AB 475, which allocated $15 million to eviction‑diversion programs.
Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford has criticized Lombardo, saying the governor has not done enough to address an affordability crisis and proposing conservation of federal land and greater price transparency for renters. Ford’s team issued a statement: "Joe Lombardo has had four years to lower housing costs for working Nevadans; for four years, he’s failed to do this. Instead, he vetoed multiple bills that would’ve lowered the cost of housing and prescription drugs before raking in campaign cash from Trump’s ‘billionaire friends.’"
Sources: 8 News Now
Original reporting: 8 News Now →
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