Homeless camping ban in effect across Clark County, but Chair says there’s not enough beds for all unhoused

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - A homeless camping ban took effect across Clark County on February 1, but the head of the Clark County commission says there’s still not enough beds to accommodate all the people who are unhoused.

FOX5 told you about the hotly-debated homeless camping ordinance passed, last fall; numerous cities across the Valley and the country took the step to strengthen the bans to tackle the growing homeless crisis.

According to the ordinance, the unhoused must be warned to move their encampment before a citation or arrest occurs. A person must be offered an available bed; a person cannot be arrested if there is no bed available, or if the person is having a mental health emergency.

“We have [homeless] people that are resistant; then they have to face being arrested, or go to one of these [shelters],” Chair Tick Segerblom tells FOX5.

Segerblom tells FOX5, there’s just not enough beds for everyone on the streets, right now.

“It’s not enough for everybody,” he said.

The Clark County Point In Time Homeless Count breaks down demand and resources. On a given night in January 2024, there were 7,906 people experiencing homelessness; 4,202 people were “unsheltered,” sleeping in streets, cars or other makeshift shelters.

That single night, there were already 3,704 people in emergency shelters or transitional housing, with a respective 86% and 77% occupancy rate. Out of 4,379 beds, there were a total of 675 spaces available that night.

Clark County social services officials tell FOX5, the unhoused may be able to get shelter in various forms of housing: there is rapid rehousing, permanent “supportive” housing, or other kinds of housing available. On that single night, out of 4,634 beds in all types of housing, there were 703 beds available.

Segerblom said the County needs solutions to make more beds available and build more shelter space.

“Everybody comes to me and says, ‘we have too many homeless.’ We have a solution. Now we just need the resources,” Segerblom said, pointing to the sales tax proposal from November: consumers would see a 1 cent sales tax increase for every $8.

The proposed sales tax increase was shot down by Clark County commissioners and opposed by other business groups.

County officials tell FOX5, in November, the commission approved funding to open up 758 more shelter beds.

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