Senate panel hears request to extend funding for Windsor Park environmental justice project

Senate Finance heard testimony on SB393, the Windsor Park Environmental Justice Act, a bill seeking to complete a long‑running redevelopment and environmental justice project in North Las Vegas.

Sponsor testimony said the housing division has closed on land for the project and asked the committee to extend a reversion date and consider an additional appropriation of $26,000,000 to finish the work. "We closed on the land and now we are seeking to continue this project to finish out entirely what SB450 outlined and SB393 outlines again," Senator Neal said during her presentation.

Why it matters: supporters and agency staff said the appropriation would pay for remaining acquisition‑related costs, demolition, demolition‑related testing and abatement, code upgrades required by the City of North Las Vegas, block walls, and relocation costs for homeowners and tenants who must be moved. Christine Hess, chief financial officer for the Nevada Housing Division, told the committee "to date, we have expended 11,150,000.00" and described draws that included a $9,900,000 land purchase and soils and developer expenses funded with ARPA SLFRF funds.

What the committee heard: Hess said existing code and site conditions increased costs above original estimates, including a roughly $6,000,000 difference between purchase price and earlier estimates, and additional work to meet current city code (for example, two‑car garages). She described demolition, street removal and asbestos testing as standalone costs and said the developer had estimated $150,000 to remove streets and $122,000 to remove asbestos. Senator Neal summarized other items the requested funding would cover: payoff of mortgages for 23 self‑reported families, a vacant‑lot swap to consolidate ownership, relocation expenses, and construction of a memorial park and required privacy/block walls.

Support and context: Olivia Tanager of the Sierra Club Toiyabe chapter offered support: "We're here in strong support ... and I urge the committee to move it forward and to continue to fight for the residents of Windsor Park." The sponsor also referenced a 2019 city study and an earlier park design the City of North Las Vegas had prepared, and said those documents informed whether the site is stable for park construction.

Outcome in committee: The hearing closed with no formal floor action recorded on SB393. Committee members asked for additional line‑item detail; Hess and the sponsor said staff would provide further breakdowns for committee review.

Ending note: Proponents urged the committee to extend the reversion date and approve the supplemental funds so work already begun can be completed without returning to the Legislature for more authority.