LAS VEGAS, NV (KTNV) — A local non-profit that worked to put roofs over the heads of those struggling to get off the streets has taken a major financial hit. One so big, the volunteer organization is being forced to shut down.
13 Investigates shared some of the group's good works last month.
The organization called New Leaf Community was behind the effort to provide tiny homes for the homeless in Southern Nevada.
Their latest project gave hope and housing to some desperate people working to change their lives. But that hope, the homes, and the help New Leaf provided turned out to be temporary.
"Right here was the entrance. There was a big swinging gate."
Joseph Lankowski was once a beacon for the homeless. He showed 13 Investigates the North Las Vegas parcel where he hoped to build a community.
"So, there's three pieces to these tiny homes," Lankowski explained. "There's a floor and then there's a front wall that has a door and there's a rear wall with the window."
He bought this parcel of land with a vision: To create a community of tiny homes with help from volunteers through his organization called New Leaf.
"There is no zoning for what we're trying to do," Lankowski said.
New Leaf decided to move forward, hoping to ask forgiveness instead of permission with a new state law to pave the way. Senate bill 150, passed in 2021, requires large cities and counties to create a new set of building and zoning codes to allow tiny home communities in certain places. Officials have until 2024 to make that happen.
Lankowski argued the folks living on the streets don't have two years to wait.
" We don't have time to be sitting on our hands when we have these resources and the ability to help people. You know, we don't have time to be waiting for politicians' inaction," Lankowski said. "So, we just went ahead and started building."
The city of North Las Vegas could have embraced the effort and the opportunity to put the new law into practice. Instead, they tore the tiny homes down.
Then, Lankowski himself tore down the trust of those he was trying to help, and those he worked with to do it.
Volunteers from New Leaf recently posted a statement on their website, which can be seen here, alleging Lankowski, who is one of the co-founders, misappropriated funds during relapses with addiction. He is accused of stealing more than $36,000 over ten months.
According to the statement, co-founder Robert Majors confronted Lankowski. The pair tried to figure out a plan for Lankowksi to return the cash. But that didn't work, and Majors waited months to tell the rest of the group.
We asked New Leaf if they reported the theft to the police. They said they don't believe prosecution is always the only response to these situations.
They're focused on restorative justice and wrote, "We do not seek to reduce Joey's full and complex humanity to his worst mistakes."
Lankowski provided 13 Investigates with the following statement:
"I would like to acknowledge this harm that I have caused our community and say that I am truly sorry for betraying the people's trust. Words can't describe how much I regret taking funds that were so generously shared by such caring and hard working members of our community. These donations were made because they believed in the work that we were doing as a collective. I want everyone to know that I acted alone and that my mistakes should not be a reflection of New Leaf as a whole or any of the amazing volunteers who were involved in this project. I hope that my selfish actions don't take away from the beautiful work that they were able to accomplish. There are many other great local grassroots organizations still doing the work as well and I encourage future donors and volunteers to seek out these groups and continue to do the great work alongside them. I pray that my betrayal of these individuals' goodwill will not dissuade people from continuing to help our city's most vulnerable members in the future."
"To our houseless family, I would like to express my deepest apologies. I am beyond ashamed and embarrassed by my actions. I am disgusted with myself and now carry with me overwhelming feelings of shame and regret. My mistakes also led to far more than just the taking of resources from our Community, but I have also stolen the time and energy of many other housing-for-all advocates and other activists who are now having to divert their time and energies towards a restorative justice process between me and those directly impacted."
"I am committed toward working with these trusted community leaders to ensure that my wrongs are righted to the best of my ability. I will be working to repay the stolen money. I am currently in treatment for my substance use disorder and other addictions that have contributed to me to committing the worst mistakes of my life. I have also been working with my past partners to address the harm that I have caused them in our relationships so that we can all get to a better place. I hope that some day people can forgive me for all of the hurt and pain that I have caused so many, but I understand that for some that day may never come. Regardless, I do hope to make the fullest amends possible with all that I have harmed and will now be dedicating myself to this accountability process."
While New Leaf Community has dissolved, volunteers are planning to distribute the remaining assets to other local groups with like-minded missions.
