I was disappointed but not surprised to see the Clark County Council once again bow to pressure from local developers by easing the rules on open space for new multifamily developments. The Clark County development community is constantly blaming parks and open space on the lack of affordable housing, and it’s such a red herring.
Their current argument strikes me as especially classless and classist: to reduce landscaping and outdoor areas in multifamily projects which tend to house those with lower socioeconomic status. Those who dwell in multifamily housing are also less likely to be within walking distance of a park or open space, per Clark County data. And even if you can walk to a park in Clark County, odds are the sidewalk abruptly ends, or there are no curb cuts because for decades developers have had to do the bare minimum in Clark County for park connectivity and livability.
There are some developers who are integrating open space, trail connectivity and recreation in their plans, and I applaud them, but most of the designs I’ve seen are all for homes costing $500,000 or more. I guess only kids whose parents are high earners get to know what it feels like to play outside.
