‘We’re forgotten': East Las Vegas locals discuss changes amid multimillion-dollar reinvestment

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Big changes are coming to East Las Vegas. It’s all thanks to a multimillion-dollar reinvestment in the area.

It’s a growing and thriving Latino community. But even Las Vegas Councilwoman Olivia Díaz who was born and raised there says the area has been underfunded for some time.

FOX5 heard from Díaz about what people can expect, as well as community members who sounded off on improvements they would like to see after visiting the area near a local grocery store on Bonanza Road and Pecos Road.

“Better parks would be good,” said one neighbor. “I definitely think hospitals. We definitely can use more hospitals around here,” said another. Since the FOX5 crew was near a grocery store, that seemed to be top of mind for another local. “We definitely need more grocery stores, especially affordable groceries.”

A map of East Las Vegas shows Owens Avenue acting as a border to the north, Charleston Blvd. to the south, Nellis Blvd. to the east, and Maryland Parkway to the west.

The area only has a handful of main grocery stores. The rest are mini marts.

Councilwoman Olivia Díaz says adding more stores is on her radar after hearing from people who live there.

“They’re kind of tired of all the fast-food chains. They definitely want to see more concerted efforts to bring sit down eateries or more grocery stores for example,” Díaz said.

They were popping up as the FOX5 production crew drove around the area.

Like a future La Bonita Supermarket in the old K-Mart building on Bonanza Road and Nellis Blvd.

“I know that will bring a lot of relief for people who want access to fresh produce and meats and all of the like,” Councilwoman Díaz said.

It’s part of the comprehensive 2050 Master Plan to improve the neighborhood, which was recently discussed at a city redevelopment meeting.

East Las Vegas was the first area picked for a focused plan.

According to the official write-up from the development department, the community faces a number of challenges like higher poverty rates, higher rates of crime, and overall lack of investment in infrastructure and services.

That doesn’t surprise a neighbor who’s lived in East Las Vegas for nearly 30 years.

“The changes have just been downhill. I used to be able to walk here and feel safe, and now it’s just like I have to drive, you know, just to make sure that I don’t get hit up by anybody or I don’t see anybody just using drugs on the street.”

Councilwoman Díaz says a Hollywood Area Metro Command Center will be coming near the East Last Vegas Community Center in about four years.

Councilwoman Díaz just hopes money doesn’t get tied up under new leadership.

“The last administration was very generous in offering a lot of infrastructure dollars to communities that were underfunded in the past,” Díaz said. “I hope that that kind of thinking continues to happen or else we’re going to continue to have to put a community like mine on hold.”

Even though it’s a long-term project, Councilwoman Díaz says she always welcomes feedback on changes to the neighborhood.

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