LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nick Roof of Concrete Accessories Inc., a construction supply company in Las Vegas, says squatters at a storage unit facility across the street is making it difficult to do business.
Roof, and other business owners along Meade Avenue, near AREA15, have raised concerns lately about people who appear to be living at Devon Self Storage.
"They take their shopping carts and they hit our customers' vehicles," Roof says. "They literally defecate in our yard, on our landscaping."
Roof says he's convinced people are being allowed to live in some of the self-storage units, which would be against the law in Nevada.
Another business owner along Meade Avenue tells Channel 13 that she's no longer comfortable being at her business after dark. While she didn't want to be identified, she says people — who appear to be homeless — roam around at all hours of the day and night.
A few weeks ago, some of the business owners in the area went to a Metro police event to complain about what they've seen. A Metro spokesman told Channel 13 on Monday that patrols have been increased in the area and that police are working with city officials to help find a solution.
Dylin Jones, who identified himself as a renter at the complex in one of the street-facing commercial spaces, told Channel 13 that people are living in some of the storage units.
"People are living here and doing drugs here," Jones said. "People live in almost half the units here."
In a statement sent to Channel 13 on Monday afternoon, a spokesman for the city confirmed that code enforcement officials visited the Devon complex recently, though he said "no evidence of bedding" was found in units that were inspected.
The spokesman didn't indicate how many units were inspected, though he did say in an email that the city is still "gathering information about the issues" in the area.
Devon Self Storage is a national chain, which is owned by an Illinois-based firm called The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies Inc. Channel 13 tried to get in contact with the company but had not received a response as of Monday evening.
WATCH: Channel 13 tries to speak with Devon Self Storage staff
Roof says he's convinced that people are living at the complex.
"Yes. Hands down," he says. "It's clear as day. There's people walking dogs. It's obvious."
