Introduction

Under Governor Joe Lombardo, Nevada’s housing crisis has only intensified. Nevada now ranks second-highest in the nation for cost-burdened renters and fifth highest for excessively cost-burdened homeowners. Home prices climbed to record highs, and the skyrocketing cost of housing has resulted in Nevada having one of the highest eviction rates in the country. Homelessness in Nevada has surged to its highest point since the Great Recession. 

Instead of taking serious action to ease these pressures, Lombardo made the crisis worse – vetoing key affordable housing bills that would have curbed predatory landlords from abusing tenants, cracked down on junk fees, and stopped Wall Street firms from pricing working Nevadans out of home ownership. Lombardo has consistently protected corporate interests while leaving Nevada families with fewer protections and higher housing costs.

As Governor, Aaron Ford will work hand-in-hand with communities and municipalities across Nevada to tackle the affordable housing crisis and help make housing more accessible for all renters and homebuyers. Attorney General Ford plans to confront the crisis from every angle. He’ll stand up to tariffs that threaten to drive up housing costs even further, crack down on Wall Street firms coming into Nevada and pricing working families out of their neighborhoods, and encourage new construction by working with municipalities to ease the permitting process and use vacant land.

Attorney General Ford believes Nevada should be the best place to raise family, to work, and to live. He also knows firsthand what it’s like to fight your way forward when the deck is stacked against you. That’s why he’s committed to making sure hardworking Nevadans aren’t forced to spend their entire paychecks just to keep a roof over their heads. As Governor, Ford will:

Section 1: Protect Homebuyers and Renters

Nearly half of Nevada’s renters are now excessively cost-burdened. Families who are doing everything right – working hard, trying to save, planning – are finding themselves priced out of the communities they’ve helped build. That’s because  corporate investors are buying up single family homes – contributing to the state's housing shortage – and landlords who are adopting price-inflating algorithms that push rents even higher.

Nevada needs a Governor who will stand up for homeowners and renters who are facing sky high housing prices. Ford will limit corporate investors buying single family homes and crack down on predatory landlords. No Nevadan should lose their home so a corporation can increase its profit margin.

• Limit Wall Street from buying up single family homes: Investors own about 15 percent of all the single-family homes in Clark County and more than 25 percent in North Las Vegas. As Governor, Ford will put Nevadan families ahead of Wall Street profits and work to give tenants the first chance to purchase a home before it’s sold. He will limit the number of homes corporate investors can buy each year and increase transparency around corporate ownership by creating a corporate landlord registry. 
  
  

• Ban the use of algorithms and AI to set rent prices: As Attorney General, Ford championed legislation to ban corporate landlords from using algorithmic price-fixing software that pushes rents higher – legislation Lombardo vetoed. As Governor, Ford will sign legislation to prohibit landlords from price fixing by using software and algorithms designed to keep rent prices high.
  
  

• Lower the cap on security deposits: With average rent at $1,970, Nevada law currently allows landlords to charge up to three times that amount – $5,910 upfront. That’s untenable for working families.  As Governor, Ford will cap security deposits at the equivalent of (1) month’s rent, bringing Nevada on par with states like Alabama and Kansas.
  
  

• Ban all “junk fees” and require full price transparency: Rent is expensive enough as it is. Nevadans shouldn’t have to navigate hidden charges. Nevada law currently requires the total amount of rent, including fees, to be presented in a tenant’s lease. As Governor, Ford will go even further to protect renters by banning extraneous “junk fees” not tied to real, measurable costs.
  
  

• Expand Nevada’s Rental Assistance: Ford knows rental assistance can be the difference between stability and eviction. As Attorney General, he has already used settlement funds to establish a rental assistance program. As Governor, he will redouble his efforts to  funding for programs that help cover the cost of security deposits, utility payments, and monthly rent. Programs like these are crucial to giving economic stability to everyday Nevadans as we work to address the driving factors making housing so expensive in the first place.
  

Section 2: Build More Homes That People Can Afford

For 70 years, Nevada was the fastest growing state in the nation. A booming population and skyrocketing construction costs from tariffs have pushed prices higher and higher. Today, only 6% of single-income earners in Southern Nevada can afford a home on their own. That’s unacceptable. 

As Governor, Ford will tackle the affordable housing crisis from all sides by making it easier to build new homes, seeking out opportunities for new construction, and working with local leaders.

• Accelerate Permitting for Affordable Housing Projects: Nevada can’t build the homes families need if projects get trapped in years of red tape. High fees and slow, complicated regulatory processes have deterred the construction of new housing in our state – especially new affordable housing. Ford will work with state and local government agencies to find and cut red tape at both the state and local levels that is detrimental  to responsible and sustainable growth in the housing market.
  
  

• Develop Vacant and Underused Land: Amid Nevada’s affordability crisis, 10,000 acres of land sits vacant in Las Vegas Valley that could be developed into new housing. Ford will work with local governments interested in  that land, with state support for planning, infrastructure, and essential utilities like water, sewer, and power – turning vacant or underused land into affordable and livable communities.
  
  

• Support First-Time and Public Service Buyers: Only 6.1% of residents in Southern Nevada can afford a home on their own.  That statistic alone shows how badly the system is failing every Nevadan who strives to own a home of their own. As Governor, Ford will bolster funding for down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers, teachers, first responders, military families, and veterans using refundable tax credits.
  
  

• Balance State and Local Needs: Nevada’s challenges look different in every community, and solutions must reflect that. In making sure we execute these plans effectively, local collaboration matters. Ford will set clear statewide goals and standards while giving local governments and stakeholders the flexibility they need to make decisions that work best for their communities on the ground.
  

Section 3: Use Federal Land for Affordable Housing

Nevada can’t solve its housing shortage without confronting the fact that the federal government controls 84% of the state’s land – far more than any other state. That imbalance makes it harder to build the homes we need. As Governor, Ford will work with Nevada’s congressional delegation and federal agencies to ensure that federal land sales prioritize affordable housing development. He will advocate for clear guidelines that balance housing with conservation, infrastructure needs, and safety, ensuring that each community benefits without sacrificing environmental protections.

• Partner with Nevada’s Congressional Delegation on Federal Land Sales: Ford will work with Nevada’s federal delegation to ensure our state has a real voice in Washington whenever federal land sales or transfers are on the table. He’ll push for a stronger state role in conversations with federal agencies and work with Nevada’s delegation to advocate for responsible land releases, as well as make sure housing needs — especially affordable housing — are front and center in every negotiation.
  

• Collaborate with Local and State Entities: Ford will work hand-in-hand with local governments to prioritize federal land for affordable housing projects, including fast-tracking applications for these uses.
  

• Balance Land Use with Conservation: Protecting Nevada’s natural landscapes and expanding housing opportunities shouldn’t be competing goals. Ford will fight to ensure that when federal land is made available for housing, a portion is set aside for conservation purposes.
  
  

• Increase Information with Federal Agencies: Ford will work with federal agencies and the Nevada congressional delegation to ensure that any federal land sale in Nevada has guardrails that require a certain amount of land designated for affordable housing. That means more transparency, more certainty for builders, and more homes Nevadans can actually afford.
  

Section 4: Stand Up Against Trump’s Reckless Tariffs

Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have raised prices across the board. In a state that already ranks fifth for most excessively cost-burdened homeowners, Nevada families are being forced to  absorb higher costs caused by tariffs on essentials like aluminum, steel, lumber, and even basic fixtures like bathroom vanities. A $1,000 increase in the price of a new home pushes an estimated 115,000 households out of reach of homeownership -- a price-spike working families cannot afford.  

In contrast to Governor Lombardo, who thinks Nevadans should “feel a little pain” from Trump’s tariffs, Attorney General Aaron Ford didn’t hesitate to push back, taking legal action to block tariffs that are raising costs on working families and forcing small businesses to close.  As Governor, he’ll bring that same steady, results-focused leadership – exploring every legal avenue and partnering with state and local agencies to blunt the impact of these costly tariffs on Nevada’s families and builders.