LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Two Las Vegas residents officially filed a lawsuit to block the construction of a facility designed to help the homeless community, Campus for Hope.
This is a story Channel 13 has been following for years.
A 30-page lawsuit was just filed Monday night shortly after 5 p.m., and Channel 13 obtained a copy.
WATCH | Why some residents are against the project
It all circles around the Campus for Hope, a new transitional homeless facility that will be built on 26 acres of the current Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services center on Charleston Avenue near Jones Boulevard.
The lawsuit lists the City of Las Vegas, Clark County, State of Nevada, the Campus for Hope and Las Vegas Mayor Pro Tem Brian Knudsen, who represents the area Ward 1, as defendants.
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim the approval process lacked transparency, saying that there wasn't enough public notice. They're also concerned with so many unhoused people living there.
READ | Full lawsuit against Campus for Hope
The referral-based $200 million campus would have 900 beds for homeless residents and give them services intended to get them off the street, but plaintiff Jim Root tells me the center would not fit in.
“That’s a lot for our community, so I’m hard pressed to see any way that I can agree with that size of a facility," Root said.
Root and Matthew Wambolt are both nearby residents to the future Campus for Hope site who are also listed as the only two plaintiffs on the lawsuit.
They told me they want to press pause now, before construction begins on the project in September.
“100% time is of the essence because this is one of those things that if it happens, it can’t be undone," Root said.
Tuesday, a day after filing the lawsuit, they hosted a presser outside of the proposed site.
Dozens joined them calling for a stop to the project. While none of those residents were listed on the lawsuit, Root told reporters he would speak to his lawyer further about possibly turning this into a class action lawsuit, if it makes sense.
The group held signs showing their anger towards the project calling for a stop, plus they were calling for the project to be moved to another site.
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“We are respectfully calling for a thorough independent study and full transparency from our government officials. Until these steps are taken we are asking the courts halt any further development of this project," Root said.
They are seeking an environmental study, traffic study, blueprints, more information on the rules of the facility, safety plan and more input from residents into this campus.
According to the lawsuit, they're concerned with property values dropping nearby, increased crime, and the unhoused community being close to local churches and schools.
The site is right next to the CSN Charleston Campus with Bonanza High School about a mile away, among others.
However, not everyone agrees that construction should be stopped. Daniel Anderson, a nearby resident of over 50 years, tells me he wants to see the center built.
“I’m thrilled that it’s coming, you know getting some of the people out of this heat and teaching them how to work," Anderson said.
On Tuesday, the City of Las Vegas sent us this statement:
"The City Attorney is reviewing the plaintiff’s claims and will defend the city of Las Vegas in this action. The City Attorney will also be discussing the complaint with the co-defendants. There is a pressing need for additional temporary housing and services to help the unhoused community in Las Vegas to become healthy, housed and hired."
I reached out to all defendants listed on the lawsuit including the State of Nevada, Campus For Hope, City of Las Vegas and Clark County. Representatives from Campus for Hope initially told me they couldn't comment because they didn't see the lawsuit before the end of the workday, which was filed at 5:11 p.m. Monday.
Then on Tuesday, they sent me this statement:
"The process for developing a true comprehensive solution to homelessness in Nevada has been a long time in coming. It began in 2023, when the legislature passed a bill (AB528) to address the issue and continued up to last January when non-profit Campus for Hope applied and was selected via an open process.
Throughout the application, approval, and implementation of the project enabled under the legislation, Campus for Hope leadership has met all the state and local requirements for the construction of the facility. We will continue to meet all those requirements, without exception.
Campus for Hope is a partner to the community in which it is being constructed. We have held meetings, met with local businesses and nonprofits, and will continue to do so.
Similar services have been offered on this very site since the 1960s, but those services have not been comprehensive solutions, and we all know the result. Campus for Hope knows creating a comprehensive solution to homelessness is hard. We also know it is no longer optional. All of us see the problem on our streets and in our neighborhoods every single day. The unhoused in our community deserve and need us all to do better and we are here to make it, finally and comprehensively, happen."
Clark County messaged me, "The County is unable to comment on pending litigation."
The State of Nevada and City of Las Vegas Pro Tem Brian Knudsen have both not messaged me back regarding this lawsuit as of Tuesday night.
Campus for Hope CEO Kim Jefferies sat down with me in April shortly after she was announced as CEO to discuss the project. She says she understands the concerns many have, and says safety is paramount.
“Our security won’t have the authority to go off-premise, but local police will have that authority, so we’ll work closely with them," Jefferies said.
She says all unhoused people staying there will be referred by a county or city navigation center and have background checks completed. She envisions families and motivated people who want to improve their life being there.
As for now, construction is still expected to begin in September, with plans to open the Campus for Hope in the spring or summer of 2027.
