Governor Lombardo Urges Congress to Advance Nevada Lands Bills to Expand Housing

CARSON CITY, Nev. - Governor Joe Lombardo sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them to advance bipartisan Nevada lands legislation that would help address the state's housing shortage by making more federal land available for responsible development while protecting Nevada's natural resources.

The Governor called on Congress to advance the legislation, noting that the proposals have enjoyed broad local support for years but have remained stalled in Washington.

"Over the last decade, land access challenges have contributed to Nevada's housing crisis," wrote Governor Lombardo in his letter. "Without adequate and accessible housing, economic growth in both urban and rural communities is constrained."

Governor Lombardo emphasized that Nevada needs a balanced approach to public land management that supports housing, infrastructure, recreation, conservation, and long-term economic growth. Proposed legislation pending in Congress identifies areas for conservation and development, improves the federal land disposal process where appropriate, and helps communities plan for future growth while protecting Nevada's unique landscapes and wildlife.

"To be clear, I recognize the importance and value of retaining public lands, but there must also be reasonable, predictable, and efficient processes for land disposal under appropriate circumstances," continued Governor Lombardo. "Nevada has repeatedly turned to federal legislation to solve these challenges. Our congressional delegation has brought community-driven, community-specific, and Nevada-led solutions to Congress, and I would urge you to help ensure that these bills reach President Trump's desk."

Since taking office, Governor Lombardo has made expanding attainable housing a priority of his administration. He secured passage of the Nevada Housing Access and Attainability Act, streamlined regulations to accelerate housing development, worked with local governments and federal partners to improve processes and identify lands suitable for release, signed a historic data-sharing agreement with the Bureau of Land Management, and repeatedly urged both the Biden and Trump administrations to support the responsible release of federal lands to increase housing supply and strengthen Nevada's long-term economic growth.

Governor Lombardo's letter can be read here.

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