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Gov. Joe Lombardo made righting Nevada’s economy a focus of his gubernatorial campaign. Now, as he begins his quest for re-election in 2026, critics contend he has failed to fulfill two central promises – to make housing more affordable and to lower the unemployment rate.

A years-long effort to sell public lands has gained steam in this year’s federal budget negotiations as a proposed solution to the housing crisis, but critics say it’s just the latest attempt to render an unpopular political proposition more palatable.

Nevada’s public land hosts mines, recreation, wildlife and renewable energy. Now, it’s being asked to pull more weight. Lawmakers at all levels and on both sides of the aisle are advocating for the release of federal land as a solution to the state’s affordable housing shortage.

A new report from the Lied Center for Real Estate at 51�ԹϺ��� blames under-building of new homes in Southern Nevada since the Great Recession for the housing unaffordability the region faces.

He warned that private investors are buying up the housing in Nevada, adding that “in Clark County 15% of all the residential housing is owned by hedge funds.” The estimate comes from Lied Center for Real Estate at the University of Nevada Las Vegas that found investors own roughly 15% of homes in the City of Las Vegas.

There’s a number of respected institutions that have weighed in on this, including 51�ԹϺ���’s Lied Center for Real Estate, Brookings Mountain West and Nevada Housing Coalition, Frias said. All point to the same conclusion that there’s not enough housing supply in Nevada to meet the growing demand of the growing population.