The future of Windsor Park residents, facing uncertainty due to ground sinking in their neighborhood, may move toward stability following recent actions by the North Las Vegas City Council. Yesterday, the council unanimously approved rezoning for new home construction, addressing a critical need for residents affected by land subsidence caused by water extraction from an underground aquifer. This issue has impacted the historically Black community for over 30 years, with recent legislative efforts to prevent tax increases related to their relocation proving unsuccessful.
Although the Nevada Legislature did not pass a bill last month to prevent tax increases for the community, there are signs that the situation may be improving. The developer Frank Hawkins has voiced optimism regarding the pace of the project, “We’ll be able to start grading in August, but that depends on the city and how quickly they can work through the plans,” he told 8 News Now. The city’s expressed support indicates that these plans could advance more quickly than previous commitments suggested, a view reinforced by the City Council’s decisive action to rezone the proposed development area.
Residents who have endured the sinking and shifting of their neighborhood over the decades expressed both relief and measured skepticism at the Council meeting. Nancy Johnson, who has been part of Windsor Park for 46 years, shared, “You know, we get promises made, and then the next day, we read in the paper that there’s something different," in an interview obtained by 8 News Now. Past setbacks have made residents cautious in their response to the news, but the unanimous council vote and the developer’s commitments offer some optimism, with plans to relocate residents to new homes by December 2026.
Developer Hawkins has outlined a few remaining hurdles before physical work can begin, involving the review and approval of critical documents such as the demolition plan, tentative map, and grading plan. He remains confident that funding from the state government will be forthcoming, stating, “I’m sure the state is going to come with the money, but we’re going to build the houses, and that’s what we signed up to do," Hawkins articulated to 8 News Now.
If these plans adhere to the projected pace, construction could begin by the end of the current month, as also confirmed by North Las Vegas City Council's vote to rezone and rename the area as "The Windsor Park," according to News 3 LV.
