Tens of thousands homeless people in Las Vegas vs. World of Concrete Trade Show a smashing success, pick your headline. Both will be front-and-center this spring in Southern Nevada. When the government initially put a ban on evictions, I suspect they didn’t think the pandemic would go on as long as it has. Honestly, none of us did. Yet, here we are at the one-year mark of the pandemic exploding.

On August 31, 2020 Gov. Sisolak extended the eviction moratorium 45 more days until October 15, 2020. Then, the concern for families getting evicted in the winter precipitated kicking the eviction moratorium can farther down the road: it was extended again, to March 31, 2021, making for a full year for many landlords and renters. 

There is hope, now, from the vaccine and COVID-19 new infection rates dropping. There is also hope from many economic indicators. Allegiant Stadium, Circa, Resorts World and the Las Vegas Convention center are all mega projects rolling out this year. The World of Concrete Exhibit is from June 6th until June 10th, and is expected to fill not only the new convention center but our hotels as well — and as such, the event will be a bellwether for our city. But despite the upcoming optimism and the opportunity for Las Vegas to showcase its hygiene and safety protocols post-pandemic, we still have a major social services challenge looming. 

Our social safety net is already at capacity. Our shelters are near full, there are long lines at our food pantries, and our school children have had their education experience derailed. Come March 31, landlords will act. Evictions will occur. Many Nevadans who have not had work in a year and have been in government-imposed isolation will have developed substance use disorders. Many mental health symptoms will have become exacerbated by depression and anxiety. Thousands of Nevadans will have become unable to support themselves.

When the eviction moratorium expires, thousands of Nevadans will potentially become displaced. Newly homeless people are much less challenging to detox, treat and case manage back to self-supporting. However, if we do not respond quickly and adequately and thousands are pushed into our streets and into the tunnels, then they, too, will begin the sad journey of becoming chronically homeless — and the cost of helping them will become that much higher.  

There are many tools available to help the newly homeless, but as a community we need to plan, develop and begin to implement these before the mass eviction process begins. Peter, a local leader, has suggested tax credits to encourage landlords to develop more housing and extend tenants. Mark, another well-known local leader, has suggested charities, like Hopelink, providing bridge support to newly homeless. He also suggested continuing to support Arnold Stalk’s housing model. Finally, Stephanie suggested treating the newly homeless and displaced first, because they will be easier and quicker to help.

Regardless, the threat of eviction and the subsequent hardships that will become exposed and will occur is significant. Las Vegas will be much better served by a successful World of Concrete show with masking protocols than a massive homelessness outbreak, but like it or not, they are set to occur at the same time. 

Let’s get this right. For ourselves, and for the most vulnerable in our community.

Dave Marlon is the CEO of CrossRoads of Southern NV, Nevada’s largest drug and alcohol addiction rehab center, as well as founder of VegasStronger, a nonprofit aimed at defeating addiction in Nevada. When Dave isn’t counseling patients, he can be found with his wife Carolina and their two teenage boys. You can reach Dave at [email protected].