LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Rental prices in the valley have grown exponentially since the pandemic. It's so bad, many renters have been forced to move in order to find more affordable housing.
Anchor Tricia Kean speaks with a local expert who admits, Nevadans aren't protected when it comes to rising rent.
"All of a sudden it's just like, I don't even matter," says Kameron Mack.
NO PROBLEMS
He's lived at the Topaz Springs Apartments on North Nellis, near Las Vegas Blvd since 2017.
"Never had any problems with the office. Always stayed on top of everything," says Mack.
Even when he lost his job during the pandemic, Mack says he received rental assistance and worked out payment plans for his rent.
"I've always kept open communication with the office about what was going on," says Mack.
But he argues management didn't keep open communication with him, after allowing his lease to expire back on May 31st.
"All my previous years here, I've always received a notice, two, sometimes even three months before the lease comes to an end," says Mack.
EVICTION NOTICE
Not long after his lease ended, he received this Thirty-Day 'No Cause' Notice to Quit.
"A Thirty-Day 'No Cause' is an eviction notice," says Aaron MacDonald, Lead Attorney for the Housing Justice Program at the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada.
He goes on to say, If the landlord feels that the tenant hasn't done anything wrong but they want to regain the property, they'll serve a Thirty-Day 'No Cause' Notice."
MacDonald says renters can always fight an eviction they feel is unwarranted.
"Absolutely. When you get an eviction notice, legally respond, go to court, file a quick three page document that defends yourself and that ensures that you will have a hearing before any eviction takes place," says MacDonald.
Mack says he's filed paperwork fighting the eviction and admits he's behind on payments to management.
"They said that the last time that I had received rental assistance, they said that it was some late fees left over from that, that I had not paid," says Mack.
But he also points out, his rent was about $940 per month, including water, sewer and trash. That's a lot less than the $1150 to $2257 range that is now listed for Kameron's two-bedroom apartment on the Topaz Springs website.
FEELS FORCED OUT
"It kind of feels like I'm being forced out so that they can hike the rent up for the next person," says Mack.
"Extreme rental hikes is a huge problem we're seeing right now in the community," says MacDonald.
He says while any rent hike is unfortunate, it's not illegal.
"We don't have rent control in Nevada.... Assembly Bill 298 tried to do that last legislative session. Unfortunately, that was vetoed by the governor," says MacDonald.
MacDonald says landlords or management also aren't responsible for alerting you about when your lease expires.
"It's the obligation of the tenant to know the contents of their lease and know whether they need to renew it or not," says MacDonald.
Kameron understands the circumstances, but feels his management's actions are extreme.
"Something like this could potentially even myself end up on the street and it's people out there that don't have many resources available to them that this is happening to on a regular basis," says Mack.
MANAGEMENT RESPONSE
We reached out to Kameron's apartment complex which declined our request for an interview.
Here is the statement from Bridge Property Management:
"We are unable to comment on the details of any resident's particular situation due to privacy concerns."
The statement goes on to say, "In general, we work with tenants in good standing to offer renewals on fair and reasonable terms, and only proceed to eviction in cases where tenants are not paying after repeated attempts to work out a payment plan."
Bridge Property Management, finished by saying, "It is not customary to offer renewals to tenants who are far behind in rent payments."
