Casa Rosa Gives North Las Vegas a Wedgie

Well, okay. It's more of a wedge issue, but I'm guessing it feels like a wedgie to the North Las Vegas Housing Authority.

It's pretty hard telling the difference between Nor'Town councilmembers if you look at their voting records. Most issues they face are pretty straightforward and pretty dull. Arguing over ten feet versus five feet of desert landscaping around the newest Quickie Mart clone just isn't that exciting, and it doesn't count for much on the old campaign bio.

The Casa Rosa scandal hwever, that has popped up like mushrooms in a tenement ceiling, has provided councilgal Shari Buck a chance to distance herself from her potential rivals for the mayor's chair in elections next spring.

In case you've been living under a rock, or inside a mold-encrusted apartment under the jurisdiction of the Nor'Town housing authority, here's a quick, and biased (natch) recap.

The Nor'Town housing authority recently handed management of its properties to the Las Vegas housing authority because the fed department of Housing and Urban development said the Nor'Towners were doing a stinky job. The Las Vegas guys inspected the Casa Rosa apartments and found all sorts of awful things: mold and mushrooms growing all over the place, broken locks, electrical boxes that throw sparks, broken staircases, and other nastiness. (RJ)

Now, bear in mind that most of the North Las Vegas City Council actually sit on the North Las Vegas Housing Board. In particular, Mayor Montandon, Stephanie Smith, and Robert Eliason are on the board, with Councilman William Robinson sitting as chair. (NLVHousingBoard)

Two of these are presumed mayoral wannabes: Smith and Robinson.

However, the other mayoral wannabe, Shari Buck, isn't on the board, and she took advantage of that to attack the others, to whit:

Conditions such as those found in Wilson's home are deplorable, North Las Vegas City Councilwoman Shari Buck said on Friday.

"It just raises questions about how a situation could have gotten that bad without the (housing authority) board members knowing," she said. "That's shocking to me."

Ah, yes! How could it have happened--especially since Smith and Robinson are members?

But Buck, the only member of the city council who doesn't also serve on the housing authority board, said board members should have known about substandard conditions years in the making. (RJ)

No doubt, no doubt. But one can only wonder if everyone on City Council, the final authority in Nor'Town, won't all have to share the blame of the travesty at Casa Rosa.

Nonetheless, it will be entertaining to see how Smith and Robinson respond. So far they apparently want to blame underlings for leaving them, like Casa Rosa residents, in the dark.

Comments

[Ken]

I agree, this looks bad for the others. The challenge is that all three of the presumed candidates have issues, aside from the obvious issue that Shari Buck is the anti-Christ. Councilwoman Smith is well meaning, but she just isn't consistent enough. And don't get me started on the Mayor Pro Tem. My guess is that they end up splitting the anti-Shari Buck vote and Shari skirts out of the Primary.

What we need is someone solid to come from outside of City Hall. If his health is OK, State Sen. John Lee would be good. I also think Ned Thomas should run. Ned Thomas rules. Another option is Richard Cherchio, but I don't know where his head is at.

Just my thoughts. Feel free to offer your own suggestions.

[Leilei]

Its a sad situation that people are so clouded by politics and forget the situation at hand. The Casa Rosa tenants are living in unsuitable conditions and only NOW being addressed?!

You mean to tell me, NO ONE from the Las Vegas City Council aka "majority" North Las Vegas Housing Board EVER stepped foot on this property? So if that's the case, who proposed Casa Nova to be "demolished" in January 1, 2009? Someone must've been aware of the conditions!! (duhhhh)

Secondly, when the Authorities-That-Be requested an "immediate relocation"...that doesn't mean next week!!!! These "Landlords" should be held accountable for their actions!

Question: Where's all the money?! Obviously wasn't applied to maintenance and upkeep being addressed in this article.

Answer: The Nevada State Landlord/Tennant Law speaks for itself!