LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Concerns are growing for residents of a brand-new housing development in west Las Vegas.
A homeless encampment has taken over an empty lot behind the new builds, making homeowners fearful about safety and potential property damage.
"At night there are massive bonfires, like when I wake up at 1:30 in the morning to get water or whatever, I look out the window and there's just massive fires,” one homeowner told Channel 13.
The neighborhood, located near Rancho Drive and Lake Mead Boulevard, shares a wall with an empty lot.
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Residents say when the temperatures dropped, fire pits and makeshift heaters popped up all over the plot of land where dozens of homeless people live.
"My concern is that it could burn down a whole neighborhood,” another resident said.
Homeowners say it's not necessarily the unhoused communitythat’s the problem; it’s the fires that could pose a serious safety risk.
Some of the fires have burned so close to the houses, they've left marks on the walls.
Another concern is break-ins. Recently, someone managed to get inside a house on the street by breaking down the back door.
Channel 13 took these concerns to the City of Las Vegas. A spokesperson responded saying:
“Our public safety teams will be checking this out… and our multi-agency outreach engagement team has been out to the area previously.”
The city says teams will visit the area and offer up services and resources.
