In Nevada, “dignity and justice for all” does not apply to homeless people. Crews destroying the belongings of homeless individuals in an east Las Vegas sweep in May is yet another example of the government deliberately refusing to treat all of its residents with the basic respect that they deserve. Workers sent by the city tossed away objects such as baby strollers, coolers and couch cushions, leaving residents of the encampment with essentially no personal belongings. 

Exactly who do these actions benefit?

Nevada has long had large populations of homeless and low-income people. “Had,” of course, could be better phrased as “created,” given that the state continues to fund projects such as the new A’s stadium, which received $350 million in public financing, while bypassing bills that secure rent control and expand family medical leave.

Last year, the Clark County School District determined that more than 13,000 students experienced homelessness, an increase from the 10,000 affected students during the 2021-22 school year. Across Clark County, more than 16,000 locals will experience homelessness during at least one point in the calendar year. Homelessness and housing insecurity are issues exacerbated by low wages and the high cost of living, and Nevada’s minimum wage, at $12 an hour, is half of what is needed as a living wage — and even less so for individuals with children or other dependents.

In 2023, a few Nevada lawmakers attempted to enact the Homeless Persons’ Bill of Rights. On paper, this was supposed to provide unhoused individuals with “a reasonable expectation of privacy in his or her personal property, to the same extent as a person who is not experiencing homelessness has the right to a reasonable expectation of privacy in any personal property located inside his or her residence.” 

As you might have guessed, the bill did not pass, since evictions from public property and the destruction of personal belongings are so removed from those bare minimum guidelines that the opposing legislators could well have just stated that “some Nevadans are more equal than others.”

Far from even just ignoring this issue, the Gov. Joe Lombardo regularly makes unconscionable decisions that make it worse. In the most recent legislative session, Attorney General Aaron Ford introduced a bill that would have banned the manipulation of prices of essential goods and services. This bill from Lombardo's likely 2026 opponent had the potential to help all Nevada residents, regardless of their housing situation. That potential quickly died when Lombardo vetoed the bill in early June. It was shocking for those of us who "don't do politics."

Alongside his vetoes on bills outlawing predatory collection practices of medical statements and reforming the statewide quick eviction process, Lombardo’s actions have painted a portrait of such politically driven institutional apathy that he should lose all leadership credibility to voters.

The high rates of homelessness and the affordable housing crisis were not created by Lombardo, nor are they his fault exclusively. But a successful resolution to them can only be a community effort, which requires government funding. It shouldn't be controversial or anti-democratic to request resources for our communities' most vulnerable members. Financial, food, housing and medical assistance programs are all crucial for ensuring the safety and stability of our neighborhoods. And with Medicaid potentially being defunded nationwide, many of these limited welfare measures are on the line.

Jailing unhoused people for being unhoused does not help them become housed or pass the background checks required by most employers and landlords. Keeping the minimum wage so disproportionate to the actual cost of living that full-time workers cannot afford rent is so unbelievably stupid that it would be unreasonable to actually have faith in the intelligence of our government officials.

It’s a very cliche saying, but we truly are only as strong as our weakest link. Institutionally ousting members of our community for not having a roof over their head does nothing for anyone. If we really want safe and robust neighborhoods — which some people will argue can only happen through arrests and encampment sweeps — targeted housing assistance, rent control, a genuinely livable minimum wage and an investment into community health initiatives can help us, all of us, get there. That is what dignity and justice is really about.

Hannah Markov is a union organizer for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 4041 in Las Vegas. She previously worked as a freelance reporter for WHQR Public Media, the NPR affiliate station for Wilmington, North Carolina. Markov served as the editor-in-chief of UNC Wilmington's student newspaper, The Seahawk.

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