Despite a lawsuit, pushback from neighbors and complaints about a lack of transparency, a major 22-acre homeless resource facility called Campus for Hope broke ground last year and is on course to open in July 2028. 

Though the site broke ground in July 2025, that doesn't mean the land is quite yet ready for construction. There is still significant plumbing and utility infrastructure to be built before any buildings come up, according to Campus for Hope CEO Kim Jefferies.  

"Either in December of this year, or January of 2027, that's when we start construction," Jefferies told The Nevada Independent. "Buildings will start, foundations will start getting poured." 

The main concerns related to the project are funding, community pushback and dealing with the unique challenges of the Las Vegas region's governmental structure. Homelessness is a pervasive, continuing concern: since the project was initially kicked off in 2023, rates of homelessness in Clark County have risen past pre-pandemic levels. 

The program is modeled after a similar project in San Antonio, one that only required the cooperation of the county and the city. However, Clark County has three cities in one county, which can require additional challenges. Henderson has declined to financially cooperate with the program, which has brought the question of whether or not Campus for Hope can take in homeless people from the city. 

Here's the latest on the project: 

What is the project? 

The large-scale campus, modeled after the Haven for Hope project in San Antonio, is designed to support those experiencing homelessness by providing housing, education, medical and behavioral care, as well as vocational training. The facility is not a shelter, encampment or a walk-up facility, according to the project's website, but instead an all-in-one campus "that addresses the root causes of homelessness through personalized care." 

With 900 beds, the average stay at Campus for Hope is expected to be around nine months and is open to families, couples and single people, plus their pets. Residents must pass a background check before they can stay. Those with violent offenses in the past seven years and sex-offenders are barred from the program and sobriety is mandatory. Jefferies said the model will also provide 12 months of aftercare once residents leave the campus, which she said can be useful since Las Vegas is a transient city with a large number of transplants. 

Campus for Hope was born out of 2023 legislation when the state agreed to provide matching funds up to $100 million to construct the project. The resulting $200 million project is backed by the state, large gaming companies (gaming executives make up the entirety of the board governing the nonprofit) and local governments in Southern Nevada.

The construction will happen in phases, according to Jefferies, with the housing facilities built last. 

"We're sequencing it intentionally to build a welcome center, intake, security operations center and then volunteer center," Jefferies said. "That way we can do job fairs, hiring and all of that, and get some of our security staff set up from the beginning." 

Why now?

Homelessness has been on the rise in the region for years. In 2026, a "point-in-time" count revealed a 12 percent increase in homelessness compared to 2024. 

Extreme heat, flash flooding, a lack of affordable housing and Las Vegas' transient nature contribute to the problem. Almost 50 percent of Nevada residents are rent-burdened, meaning they pay more than 35 percent of their income on housing, according to a UNLV study. 

The issue has only worsened since legislation to build Campus for Hope was passed. Almost 9,000 people are experiencing homelessness in Las Vegas this year, according to that "point-in-time" count — an increase of almost 57 percent from four years ago. 

The push for the center has been driven by the state's gaming industry.

In a 2023 interview with Nevada Public Radio, then-Wynn Resorts executive Vice President Ellen Whittemore said casinos had beexfn getting negative reviews related to homeless people on the Las Vegas Strip. Virginia Valentine, the president of the Nevada Resort Association, told The Indy in 2024 there had to be "recognition that there's a larger problem in this community, and that [the industry] can put some resources into this issue." 

A key ongoing revenue source comes from Southern Nevada municipal governments — Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Clark County have all committed to contributing to the operational costs of the campus. 

Henderson opted out of joining the agreement. In an emailed statement to The Indy, a city spokeswoman said "discussions with Clark County are ongoing."

"We already support regional services that assist this population and look forward to continuing conversations about opportunities to expand our regional collaboration," said Madeleine Skains, a senior Henderson spokesperson.

Who is funding it? 

Each participating municipality will contribute $15 million annually, and the state will match those funds, bringing the total to $30 million annually. On top of that, private donations account for $3 million of the operating budget. The contract is for 10 years, with the option for two additional renewals totaling 30 years. 

Clark County will be covering part of the city of Las Vegas' share through 2031 as the city deals with a massive budget deficit due to the $286 million Badlands settlement. North Las Vegas will pay 12.1 percent, or $1.8 million a year. Las Vegas was set to pay $1.3 million in 2027, increasing to $2.5 million in 2031, though the county will cover those costs. Payments will begin in July 2027. 

On whether the campus would accept homeless applicants from Henderson, Jefferies said the city's reluctance to join the project has presented a dilemma, though she remained hopeful. 

"I'm optimistic that before we open the doors, we'll be able to come to an agreement with them," Jefferies said about Henderson. "It presents a challenge from the human factor that is very difficult to navigate if we don't have everybody on board with this project."

Who else will be involved? 

Campus for Hope announced partnerships with 27 organizations earlier this month. 

Those included Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, College of Southern Nevada, Hope Christian Health Center, several local homelessness organizations, including one that does outreach in the tunnels under Las Vegas, as well as UNLV, UNLV Health, UNLV School of Dental Medicine and WestCare Nevada. 

Hope Christian Health Center and WestCare will help provide healthcare and substance abuse treatment for the program, making them among the most critical partners, Jefferies said. 

"We feel very honored that people are willing to take the opportunity … to really address homelessness at scale in this community," Jefferies said. 

A project in San Antonio, Haven for Hope, opened in 2010 and has a similar structure — it partners with 75 local organizations in Texas. Since its opening, Haven for Hope has housed more than 52,000 people, 65 percent of whom were one-time users. The organization holds graduation ceremonies for residents who move through the program and find a place of their own, and it has helped thousands find work. 

The model has been used as an example for cities looking to address their own homelessness crises. Some have suggested it could work in places such as California, though critics have pushed back on its widespread implementation due to its sobriety requirements. 

Southern Nevada is betting on the model's track record. Once it opens, time will tell if it works as well in Nevada as it does in Texas.