Lawmakers Hear AJR 10 Asking Congress to Release Federal Land for Housing; Supporters Cite Supply Shortage, Opponents Cite Water and Sprawl Risks

Lede: The Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections took testimony on Assembly Joint Resolution 10 on May 1, 2025. AJR 10 urges Congress to release specific federally managed parcels to state and local governments for housing development and cites the Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act as an example.

Nut graf: Supporters told the committee Nevada needs more developable land to address a persistent housing shortage, and said limited land availability drives up land prices and housing costs. Opponents—environmental and community groups, water advocates and some local residents—argued the proposal risks increased urban sprawl, higher infrastructure and utility costs (notably water), greater heat‑island effects and shifting fiscal burdens to counties and school districts.

Body: Majority Leader Sandra Houdegui (sponsor) and Maurice Page of the Nevada Housing Coalition emphasized the scope of demand: Southern Nevada projections cited by presenters called for hundreds of thousands of units over coming decades, and advocates said dispersing targeted parcels could facilitate housing near jobs and transit if paired with infrastructure planning. Proponents included the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority, Nevada Rural Housing Authority, building and business groups, city of Henderson staff, the Nevada Housing Division and the Las Vegas Chamber.

Supporters argued current federal land‑management rules and processes delay projects and that select transfers—coupled with conservation designations elsewhere in existing bills—offer a balanced approach. Several witnesses said SNPLMA and similar maneuvers have enabled affordable housing projects (sponsors cited an example affordable project at Pebble and Eastern that took five years to move through federal processes).

Opposition testimony included water and environmental concerns. Great Basin Water Network and the Nevada Environmental Justice Coalition warned federal transfers could require substantial additional Colorado River water deliveries, increasing demand by tens of millions of gallons per day in some scenarios and heightening risks amid sustained drought and cuts to Colorado River allocations. The Sierra Club, environmental justice advocates, planning advocates and many callers urged prioritizing infill on underutilized parcels inside the existing Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act boundary (an RTC study cited roughly 78,000 acres of underused land in the valley) rather than opening new outlying development.

Several witnesses questioned the assumption that new acreage automatically produces affordable housing, noting the federal bills do not themselves require that transferred land be used for low‑cost units. Critics also pointed to long‑term infrastructure costs (roads, water, sewer, fire, schools) and increased heat‑island and air‑quality impacts for existing urban neighborhoods.

Ending: The committee received extensive, divided testimony and did not record a final vote on AJR 10 during the hearing. Supporters said the resolution would send a clear message to Nevada’s congressional delegation; opponents asked lawmakers to pursue infill, stricter affordability requirements and stronger water and climate analysis before advocating large land transfers.