Nevada Officials Destroy Tiny Homes Meant For Las Vegas Homeless
Nevada residents are angry this week about Nevada officials demolishing a group of tiny homes that were being used Las Vegas homeless residents. As reported by KTNV in Las Vegas, the tiny homes were built on private land owned by Joseph Lankowski. Lankowski specifically bought the parcel of land to build these small residences. And he did so with the help of volunteers and an organization called New Leaf Community. This organization is able to make a tiny home in about an hour for just $600. These structures provide shelter and peace of mind for those living on the streets. While not very large, at about just 50 square feet in size, these were places people could sleep at night and lock up during the day. Giving much-needed sense of ownership and safety.
We build tiny houses!🏠 New Leaf Community constructs conestoga huts for our unhoused neighbors in Las Vegas. Check it out! 🍃 #MutualAid #SolidarityNotCharity #HousingForAll pic.twitter.com/fEcqSrpQML
— New Leaf Building Community 🍃 (@newleaflasvegas) November 25, 2020
Nevada officials, who refused to do an interview, released a statement claiming the tiny homes violated the zoning for that area. The parcel was only zoned for a single-family residence. Which means a 1200-square foot structure needed to be built prior to any smaller dwellings. Allegedly Lankowski, who admittedly proceeded with the project knowing this zoning issue, was trying to get laws in place to allow this kind of building to happen. But the catch is that this kind of zoning doesn’t yet exist in Nevada, according again to KTNV. Which means our Las Vegas homeless residents who were living in those tiny homes just had to watch them getting destroyed. Not moved. Not relocated to a more suitable place. Destroyed. This was private land that is now back to barren dirt.
In lieu of an interview, Nevada officials provided a statement to KTNV. Part of it read: “The City of North Las Vegas’ top priority is providing a safe and livable community for all residents. The ramshackle arrangements located on the property were non-permitted structures that violated both Uniform Housing Code and Municipal Code regulations, and significantly increased the dangers of death from building collapse, fire and exposure to extreme temperatures. By flagrantly ignoring codes and regulations, the property owner created an unsafe, unsanitary condition on the property, to the extent that it was deemed uninhabitable.”
More uninhabitable than living on the streets??? Something tells me these officials weren’t thinking about the fact that some Las Vegas homeless residents don’t have another option.
–Wendy Rush, 96.3KKLZ Las Vegas
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Las Vegas Monsoon Season: 7 Tips For Residents
1. If Possible, Wait Out The Storm
Sometimes the storms during monsoon season last a few minutes. Other times it’s a few hours. But wherever you are when it hits, it’s best to stay put if you can. All that wind and rain makes driving more hazardous than ever. And blowing debris and lightning can also cause issues. Find something to do wherever you are and wait it out, if possible.
2. If you have to drive, glue your hands to the wheel and go slowly.
Texting and driving is always a bad idea, but a thousand times over during a storm. The roads are wet, visibility is compromised from rain or dust storms. This is not the time to drive with less than two hands. Never take your eyes off the road and drive under the speed limit.
3. Be prepared for power outages.
Monsoon storms sometimes cause us to temporarily lose power. If you have any appliances or routers that you just cannot afford to have go out, get a back up power supply. There are lots of options, from little battery banks to full on generators. And having candles and/or flashlights on hand is never a bad idea.
4. Set up your Smart device to report the weather every morning.
During monsoon season, it’s smart to keep an eye on each day’s weather. If you’re not used to checking on the weather before leaving the house, you can set up a lot of smart devices to automatically deliver that news every day. Then you can take the necessary precautions if a storm is headed your direction. There are also weather apps to choose from that can set up a schedule for daily reporting.
5. AVOID. FLOODING. AREAS.
We hear it all the time! Driving (or walking) through flash flooding is a bad idea. But still people do it. If you’re one of these people, keep in mind that it only takes 6 inches of moving water to knock over an adult. And only a foot and a half of it to move a vehicle. Turn around. It’s not worth the risk.
6. Don't let the wind win.
Like we said, monsoon season sometimes brings winds over 50 mph. So be prepared for a little furniture rearranging on your back porch. If you have outdoor draperies, string lights or lightweight pillows, you might want to bring them in or make sure they’re well-secured to something. Or you might be fishing them out of your neighbor’s yard.
7. Watch out for stagnant water.
With all the water we’ve been getting in Vegas, there has been many opportunities for some water to collect in puddles here and there. Well this is the perfect breeding ground for our little mosquito friends. So during monsoon season, make it a habit to check places around your house that water can collect and dump it before those little buggers can lay their eggs.
