A Memorandum of Understanding was formed between the governor’s office and the Bureau of Land Management to combat the housing crisis.
More specifically, the MOU allows the State of Nevada and BLM to exchange information and data that would, ideally, identify ideal development opportunities on federally managed land.
Gov. Joe Lombardo said the agreement will help select BLM land that should be released to develop attainable housing. Approximately 80% of land in the Silver State is owned by the federal government. BLM land around Clark County is especially appealing due to its proximity to the largest population bubble in Nevada.
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ Real Estate Report attributed the region’s housing shortage to a slowdown in homebuilding during and after the Great Recession. The report said more than 281,000 residential structures would have been constructed in the last 15 years had the homebuilding rate remained at its pre-recession peak.
A research director with UNLV showed support for the MOU, stating the shared BLM data will help make more forward-thinking decisions at the state level. The MOU will initially last for three years but can be extended if the parties choose.
The MOU has no funding requirements from either party. The BLM will freely exchange information with the Nevada Division of Minerals. Certain swathes of land will be labeled “for disposal.” BLM is also providing an interactive map of nearby infrastructure.
The MOU says it will cut redundancy and promote efficiency by combining the data collection efforts of both parties.
Releasing federally owned land in the Silver State is a bipartisan effort, as Assembly Majority Floor Leader Sandra Jauregui has multiple housing bills moving through the Legislature. One of her proposed pieces of legislation targets freeing more federal land. (Source)
