Secretary Turner, Secretary Burgum Visit Underutilized Federal Land for Affordable Housing Development in Southern Nevada
May 19, 2025 / Source: HUD
NEVADA – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner and U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) Secretary Doug Burgum visited Southern Nevada to further the discussion about increasing affordable housing opportunities through development of underutilized federal land. Secretary Turner and Secretary Burgum were welcomed by Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo and Representative Mark Amodei (R-N.V.). The leaders joined a roundtable with stakeholders including representatives from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), local elected officials, developers, housing organizations and members of the conservation community. The conversation emphasized the need for swift, coordinated action and smart agreements to address developmental barriers and provide greater flexibility to expediate federal land transfers for residential development.
Secretaries Turner and Burgum then toured BLM-managed lands slated for conveyance for housing. They discussed the process and availability of underutilized federal land that can be used for affording housing.
“The need for more affordable housing in our country requires new partnerships and bold, creative thinking to make the American Dream of homeownership a reality for more individuals and families,” said Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner. “I’m proud to be working alongside Secretary Burgum on this important initiative leveraging underutilized land suitable for residential development. Together, we will reduce layers of bureaucracy, unleash American ingenuity and create more homeownership opportunities in communities across our great nation.”
“America is a nation of opportunity, and that opportunity is no more apparent than in the vast lands right here in Nevada,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “Interior is working with Secretary Turner and Housing and Urban Development to secure a new future for Nevada’s housing supply that will put the state in a better position to work with local communities and utilize its land for resource and urban development. In unlocking pinpointed federal lands, we have the opportunity to create smart developments that expand the housing supply and tackle the affordability crisis.”
“Nevada is a state of opportunity and promise, but for far too long, our housing options haven’t reflected that,” said Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo. “By releasing more federal land, we will finally be able to begin building at the scale that Nevadans deserve and need. I’m grateful for the partnership of Secretary Burgum and Secretary Turner as we take this critical first step to bring long-term relief to Nevada families seeking attainable housing.”
“Without addressing Nevada’s affordable housing crisis, we can’t unlock the full economic potential of our state,” said Representative Mark Amodei. “I appreciate Secretary Burgum and Secretary Turner’s swift leadership in establishing the Joint Task Force on Federal Land for Housing. With strong cross-agency federal support, we can bring the right people to the table to not only discuss but also implement lasting policies that reshape access to affordable housing across our state.”
The joint visit underscores progress under the March 2025 HUD-DOI MOU, which established a formal partnership to explore and implement strategies for utilizing federal lands to address the nation’s housing affordability crisis. Continued collaboration between federal, state, and local partners remains key to advancing the American Dream of homeownership.
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