Southern Nevada Strong

Sustainable Challenge Planning Grant finale, a Community Job Well Done.

Harriet Tregoning, Director of HUD's Office of Economic Resilience was the keynote speaker at the Southern Nevada Strong (SNS) Sustainable Challenge Planning Grant finale on February 11, 2015. Ms. Tregoning addressed the more than 150 people gathered to congratulate the community on a job well done.

The City of Henderson led a team of 13 partners including the City of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Clark County and Boulder City to create a regional plan. The group named the planning process for the new plan, the Southern Nevada Strong Campaign (SNS).

The new plan lays out a series of strategies that address HUD's Livability Principles which include housing, transportation, jobs, environmental equity and sustainability. As a part of the public outreach plan SNS held extensive community gathering, developed a website, placed kiosks throughout the valley, conducted interviews and developed focus groups.

The input from the public helped the group to create the first Region 9 Regional Analysis of Impediments (RAI). The RAI deals with fair housing issues on a variety of levels on a region wide basis. Janie Lopez, Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) Investigator assisted with the RAI.

Phyllis Hargrove, Field Policy Management (FPM) Senior Management Analyst and Sustainability Officer worked with the local jurisdictions before and after they received the Sustainable Challenge Planning Grant. Phyllis helped to bring the groups together to prepare them to apply for the HUD grant.

The first attempt at the Sustainable Challenge Grant in 2010 was not successful but did score high enough to earn the group a preferred status rating. The preferred status rating gave the team extra points on their grant score and in November of 2011 the local government s of the Las Vegas Valley received a 3.5 million dollar Sustainable Challenge Planning Grant.

The Regional Plan recommended the creation and or enhancement of multiple types of transportation systems including light rail, additional bus routes, and wider sidewalks, bike paths and especially Transit Oriented Developments or TOD. TOD is a type of residential and or commercial development that is built as to encourage walking, allows for easy access to mass transits.

Southern Nevada Strong wrapped up their three year grant in grand style overlooking the valley and handing off the baton to the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) to begin implementation.

Contact Phyllis Hargrove (phyllis.a.hargrove@hud.gov)

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