Home Ownership, Affordable Rental Housing Focus of July 28 Event in Winchester Community
Those interested in living in the resurgent Winchester community in the east-central part of the Las Vegas Valley may be surprised by its charms, intriguing history and plans for its future.
On Saturday, July 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, County agencies and partnering non-profit organizations are hosting a free event called the “Wonders of Winchester,” where one can learn more about what makes the area an attractive place to live. The event will be held at the Winchester Cultural Center at 3130 McLeod Drive, north of Desert Inn Road.
Winchester is receiving a boost as Clark County, through its Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), spearheads the repair of about 50 foreclosed and vacant homes.
About half of the homes will be sold to households eligible for the NSP by the non-profit developer, Housing For Nevada. The other half will be maintained as long-term affordable rental housing by the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority.
Those interested in learning about this project and how it fits into the wider Winchester community are invited to attend the July 28 event and enjoy a selection of finger food from local restaurants. The event will showcase the community’s charm and history and will include a photographic display of what Winchester’s Vintage Vegas days were like.
“When one thinks of ‘Old Vegas,’ the Winchester community certainly comes to mind,” said Commissioner Giunchigliani. “But it also is seeing a rebirth, and this project is just a small part of that.”
Giunchigliani touted the Winchester Cultural Center as one of the area’s major cultural amenities. It features a performance theater, art gallery and, opening this fall, a dance studio. The facility also hosts a desert demonstration garden and a skate park.
The acquisition of houses through the NSP program is underway and will continue through next summer. Houses will be brought up to standard for County building codes, health and safety, and energy efficiency. NSP funds are allocated by the federal government to Clark County with a goal of redeveloping and revitalizing communities hit hard by the foreclosure crisis while providing affordable housing opportunities. This project is one of many NSP activities managed and administered by Clark County.
Interestingly, local artists are being looked at to help spruce up the properties in this endeavor. The County has issued a local “call for artists” with “demonstrated artistic excellence.” The artists will be integrated into development teams to determine what improvements will be made. Options could include selecting color schemes, designing landscaping and creating new gates, block walls, front doors and garage doors as artwork. Each improvement will be considered in terms of durability and wide appeal and tailored to the needs of the particular house, officials said.
Clark County artists interested in working on this project must submit an application by 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 18. For information, contact Recreation and Cultural Programs Supervisor Patrick Gaffey at (702) 455-7030 or gaffeypj@ClarkCountyNV.gov.
To RSVP for the July 28 event, please call (702) 455-2269. The event is hosted by Commissioner Giunchigliani and the County’s Community Resources Management Division and Parks and Recreation Department.
The Winchester community is roughly bounded by Sahara Avenue on the north, Boulder Highway on the east, Desert Inn Road on the south and Industrial Road on the west. Within its borders are the Las Vegas Country Club and a stretch of the Las Vegas Strip that included the old Stardust and Sahara hotel-casinos and existing properties such as the Riviera, Circus Circus and the former Las Vegas Hilton, now called LVH. The Las Vegas Convention Center and the high-end Turnberry Place are also in Winchester.
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Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 14th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to more than 2 million citizens and 42 million visitors a year. Included are the nation’s 8th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to almost 900,000 residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.