Downtown construction projects and the University of Reno, Nevada’s ongoing expansion into surrounding neighborhoods have left little room for lower income residents and small businesses, who feel increasingly pushed out by soaring costs.
For the past 15 years, three streets east of UNR’s campus on the corner of Denslowe Dr. and Valley Rd. Valley Market & Liquor has served the local and student populations in the area, but its time might be ticking. Store clerk, Manny, who prefers to withhold his last name, says the neighborhood has changed dramatically in recent years.
As the university expands, the need for student housing intensifies. Down Enterprise, a street north of campus, there are four student housing apartments, one of which was built within the last year. This area is generally perceived as more affordable than the so-called luxury apartments that were recently built up northwest of UNR’s campus. However, the Enterprise apartments are not immune from Reno’s soaring housing costs.
Since 2009 Valley Market & Liquor has been serving the community near UNR’s campus and downtown Reno residents.
“I have seen a lot of regulars come and go since housing costs started rising near campus and the area here is college students and city locals,” Manny said.
During the interview, Manny spoke to a store regular about rising rental prices in the neighborhood. The Valley Market regular told him he was moving to Texas with his girlfriend for cheaper rent after being temporarily homeless due to a lack of affordable living options here in Reno.
“There are a lot more homeless people up here now. If there is one thing you should know its crackheads, homeless, and thugs,” Manny said.
The migration of Reno’s working class and disenfranchised communities to neighborhoods and apartments northeast of UNR’s campus is an observable phenomenon for UNR graduate student Sam Sheridan, who lives in an apartment on Enterprise Rd.
“These apartments are not being developed by locals. These chain, big brand apartment complexes owned by companies in Texas, like my apartment, is kinda annoying because it doesn’t cater to students in this specific area. There’s a lot fewer students living here than there were before,” Sheridan said.
Evans Ave. divides campus and the surrounding neighborhood construction is re-routing traffic to pave campus roads
Down Enterprise, a street north of campus, there are four student housing apartments with one built within the last year.
Further south downtown, the years-long pre-pandemic redevelopment project spearheaded by Jacobs Entertainment, now known as Reno Neon Line is promising a vibrant, entertainment-centric corridor. The Reno-Sparks Tenant Union opposes the project saying it has already removed 582 motel rooms, previously a last resort for many locals in and out of homelessness. Currently, many of the bought out and bulldozed lots remain empty or have been redone as parking lots.
In response to these concerns, Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill emphasized the area’s ongoing efforts to address the affordable housing crisis.
“We are updating our housing zoning codes to ensure that more affordable housing can be developed,” Hill wrote back in an email. Jacobs Entertainment did not respond to a request to comment.
An image from above shows the empty lots sitting in the Jacobs Entertainment project.
Upscale housing located behind Enterprise Rd. over ooking Evans Ave.
When Sheridan was asked about all the new student housing apartments and development projects, his voice choked with frustration as he described the affordability in the area.
“The luxury apartments are all new since I’ve been here, and even though you would think it would drive prices of apartments where I live down, it seems they’ve all just decided to go up in price,” Sheridan said.