Officials outline construction, services and relocation plans for Las Vegas’ Historic West Side

City and housing authority officials on March 26 gave a status update on multiple, linked projects in Las Vegas’ Historic West Side, saying federal grants and private investment are funding new housing, workforce training and neighborhood improvements while the housing authority advances a phased redevelopment of the Marble Manor public-housing site.

The presentation to the SNCC board focused on three priorities of the hundred plan in action: people, housing and neighborhood revitalization. Cathy Thomas, chief housing officer for the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority, said the programs are designed to move multiple projects at once rather than sequentially to generate “catalytic” investment across the neighborhood.

The update included project details, funding sources and relocation plans for residents of Marble Manor, where the authority and partners will replace public housing units and add Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) units while providing on-site supportive services.

Why it matters: presenters said the coordinated approach—combining HUD and Economic Development Administration grants, local funding and philanthropy—has leveraged hundreds of millions in committed investment and aims to preserve resident access to housing and job-training while the district attracts new commercial and cultural activity.

Officials and partners gave these specific updates and commitments:

- Workforce education center: A partnership between the College of Southern Nevada and the city broke ground in May 2024 on a 15,000-square-foot workforce training center. Presenters said the $16.4 million project includes a $6.9 million EDA grant and is expected to open this fall to provide credentialed programs in advanced manufacturing, information technology, construction trades and health care; the center is expected to serve about 450 students annually and the majority will qualify for sponsored tuition.

- Shared Downtown West Side housing and market hall: City-run development called the Shared Downtown West Side is described as a $28 million workforce-housing project with 104 one-bedroom apartments; presenters said 84 units will be classified as workforce housing and the ground-floor commercial space will include a Westside Market Hall intended as an incubator for food businesses and a community gathering place.

- Jackson Avenue and property owner supports: An EDA award announced in 2023 for Jackson Avenue redevelopment totals about $1.3 million, matched by roughly $328,000 from the city. Those funds will provide technical assistance and capital support to private property owners seeking to reopen or redevelop storefronts along Jackson Avenue. Presenters also noted a new nonprofit of property owners, the Jackson Street Alliance, is coordinating investment and promotion for the corridor.

- West Las Vegas library: The new West Las Vegas library project—43,000 square feet and described as nearly $40 million—remains under construction and is expected to open in the fall alongside other major projects.

- Marble Manor redevelopment and Choice Neighborhoods planning: Karen Schnogg, the housing authority’s Choice Neighborhood Implementation director, summarized the HUD Choice Neighborhood planning and the transformation plan for Marble Manor. The plan calls for one-for-one replacement of existing public-housing units, the addition of LIHTC-financed units serving households up to 80% of area median income, and a mixed-use site design with open space, a public plaza, retail and early-childhood education space. Schnogg said the housing authority conducted extensive resident and community engagement—including multiple resident-focused meetings and surveys with high resident response rates—and identified five development phases for the site.

- Relocation and resident services: Presenters said relocation for phase 1 is underway and will continue through May. Officials clarified that relocation originally noted as starting in April for phase 2 is now scheduled to begin in June. Lutheran Social Services and a relocation specialist (identified in the presentation as Bridal Services) are the primary on-site service providers; Lutheran staff operate on-site offices and provide outreach and appointments, and relocation staff assist residents with voucher paperwork and housing searches. Presenters said some households had already used vouchers or moved to other public-housing placements, and the authority emphasized it is offering the option for residents to return when new units are ready.

- Jobs Plus ("Flex") program: Paula Tucker, director of supportive services at the housing authority, described a HUD Jobs Plus grant the authority rebranded as "Flex" (Fostering Lasting Employment Experiences). The award is $3 million over four-and-a-half years and is focused on intensive, on-site case management, job placement, training, financial-literacy coaching and earned-income disregard for participating households. Presenters said Flex will be centered at two locations: the AD Guy Knowledge Center and the Marble Manor Annex community center; the program includes transportation support and a driver to shuttle residents to services. Program staffing plans include a manager, four case managers, peer mentors, career coaches and in-kind job developers from Workforce Connections. The presentation listed program targets—among them enrolling 65% of the workforce-age adults in the six covered properties for assessment and a minimum employment target of 40% of adults by the program’s end—and called the earned-income disregard a tool to help families build savings while working.

- Funding and leverage: Jamie Gillis, a consultant on the hundred plan, said the initiative has leveraged more than $350 million in committed investment over five years, and that for every $1 the city contributed the program had leveraged about $5.43 in other investment. Gillis said federal sources (EDA, HUD and other agencies), philanthropy and private capital have been layered to move multiple projects concurrently.

Questions and next steps: Board members asked how to find relocation and project information online; Karen Schnogg said the housing authority posts phase-by-phase relocation details on its website under initiatives, and presenters said they would add more site-plan and phasing visuals where useful. Presenters also asked for support—letters, help spreading accurate information and assistance identifying funding partners—to maintain momentum and limit displacement as 2025 becomes a major year of development in the Historic West Side.

Public comment: Two members of the public urged stronger, paid community engagement and local talent development. Catherine Duncan Reed said the community needs “community engagement” rather than marketing and asked that programs set aside funds for STEM centers and virtual planning so local youth can participate. Other speakers urged reviving business incubation programs, using neighborhood branding and exploring alternative financing ideas.

Meeting interruption: The board recessed when the clerk reported a lost quorum; presenters paused and resumed after the quorum was reestablished.

The presentation materials and a project timeline are available on the housing authority’s website, and officials encouraged residents to use the authority’s posted portal for relocation dates and contact information for on-site service providers.