Vegas residents warn homelessness 'getting worse and worse’ as Trump gets tough on combating crime

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: President Donald Trump's recent executive order aims to combat crime related to homelessness across the United States, but cities such as Las Vegas are facing a crisis as encampments overtake communities and strain local resources.

According to the most recent data from the Southern Nevada Homeless Continuum of Care, Las Vegas has seen an upward trend in homelessness, with Clark County experiencing a 20 percent increase in 2024.

Officials warn of rising Las Vegas homeless encampments

Robert Marbut, the former federal homelessness czar under Donald Trump’s first administration, told Fox News, "It's progressively gotten worse and worse and worse, and there was sort of an idea that they tried a lot of gimmicks in the beginning."

The rise in homelessness comes as Clark County officials attempt to address the crisis but reportedly face obstacles. While acknowledging that Las Vegas has the necessary funding, they admit the city lacks a concrete plan.

Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom said, according to News 3 Las Vegas, "I mean, we have the resources but we do not have a specific plan." He continued, "We have lots of resources. But we are not proactive, we really respond. So, unless somebody calls and tells us what is going on, a lot of times we have so much going on in the county that we do not have the ability to be there."

Marbut noted that the problem of cities having resources but no effective plan is not new.

"I only lost one project [in two decades] because of money. Every other city that decides not to do something, it’s the lack of political will of the leadership," Marbut told the outlet.

He also pointed to two key groups within Las Vegas' homeless population that particularly concern local officials: individuals living on the streets and those frequently cycling in and out of hospitals.

"They'll move from the street to jail, to the emergency room, back to the street, under a river, into a rescue mission, back to the street, back to jail," Marbut explained.

He added, "And that group has a lot of people trying to say, ‘We just need more housing, we need affordable housing.’ This is a group [that], even with affordable housing, can't keep their house."

Robert Marbut says failed programs fuel homelessness crisis

Speaking to Fox News, Robert Marbut reflected on his experience addressing homelessness in the region over the past four years.

He said, "They were saying, 'We just want to keep building more affordable housing and we want to keep giving away free housing to people who are experiencing homelessness.' But it didn't work."

Marbut noted that homelessness in Las Vegas continues to climb each year, even as local leaders focus resources on the city’s heavily trafficked tourism areas.

"They are putting money into the street-level because of their self-interest. That's what's motivating them, and if that's what it takes to get funding – to fund a good model – OK, go for it," he said.

The city previously tried offering vouchers for free food and housing, an approach Marbut described as ineffective.

"Clark County and Las Vegas kept doubling down on a program that wouldn't work. They kept doubling down, they kept putting more money in," he said.

Marbut added, "They kept, from my understanding, counting on the federal government money and some of their local money – there was somewhere between two and a half to four times more funding, depending on how you measure it, and it didn't make a dent. In fact, homelessness went up. And sometimes when you have a bad program and you fund it with more money, it actually makes things worse."

The problem has grown more visible in recent weeks, with one neighborhood on edge after a homeless encampment cleared from an empty parking lot reportedly reappeared within days.