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Officials outline $223 million plan for North Las Vegas veterans home, lawmakers press on grant timing and furnishings
Summary
State public works presented design and budget for a new 128-bed North Las Vegas veterans home; the department said a federal grant could cover about 65% of the cost but the grant application timing and furniture/equipment funding remain unresolved and lawmakers noted a statewide bed shortage.
State Public Works described the proposed North Las Vegas State Veterans Home as a 128-bed, neighborhood-style facility designed under U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs small-house guidelines and budgeted at $223 million, including a federal grant the agency says could cover about 65% of construction costs.
"This is a $223,000,000 investment in Nevada's veterans," Deputy Administrator Brian Walker said while presenting the project. Walker said the VA grant would cover roughly $145 million and state funding would cover the remaining $78 million, per the department's project budget.
Director Devine of the Department of Veterans Services said the state faces a shortage of veterans'nursing-home beds and reported a statewide need of 649 beds and an unmet need of about 373 beds. "We have a current need for just over 649 beds, ... an unmet need of about 373 beds statewide," Devine said.
Lawmakers asked for clarity on costs that were not included in the construction request. Committee members asked whether furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) were budgeted. Walker said the FF&E number was not included in the current construction request and that agencies often delay FF&E requests until closer to occupancy to avoid funding equipment that will sit idle during two years of construction. He acknowledged the risk: "The risk would be not having it funded 2 years from now. And so the risk would be if that future FF and E project was not funded, we would potentially have a home without furniture."
Devine said the department will upload required materials to the VA portal within six months after the session and that having state matching funds in place increases the state's priority for federal construction funding. She also said the department has one grant staff member and has requested a second for the coming session to manage federal grant work and matches.
Lawmakers expressed concern about the sequence of obligations: to secure a federal VA construction grant the state typically must demonstrate matching funds and then spend federal dollars first once awarded, a sequence members said requires careful planning. The subcommittee did not take formal action at the hearing; staff and lawmakers said they would continue coordination on grant applications, matching commitments and any future requests for FF&E.
