The Troubles Facing Nevada's Master Planned Communities

Las Vegas and Southern Nevada are chock-full of planned communities. The region is also struggling with some of the harshest declines in property values in the nation. Though planned communities are seeing some sales, they are mainly in trouble.

1 minute read

May 17, 2009, 11:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"Planned communities have long been part of Southern Nevada's landscape, fueled in part by BLM auctions of federal land. Developers of Park Highlands, led by the Olympia Group that paid $639 million for 2,675 acres in November 2005, plan to build nearly 16,000 homes once they emerge from bankruptcy protection, their attorney Richard Holley said May 11.

The master-planned communities are paying the price for the sharp drop in demand for new homes. In 2006 at the end of the building boom, 35,406 new homes sold, but that dropped to 19,446 in 2007 and 9,965 in 2008, according to SalesTraq. Through this year's first quarter, 1,105 homes closed, putting the region on pace to have fewer than 5,000 new-home sales by the end of the year.

Despite these sluggish sales for new homes, planned communities are taking a bigger chunk of the overall sales than a year ago.

In 2008 only 45 percent of new-home closings were in planned communities, including 42 percent in the first quarter. In this year's first quarter, 54 percent of the closings were in planned communities - typically defined as large tracts under the control of a single developer and select homebuilder partners."

Friday, May 15, 2009 in Las Vegas Sun

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view of red brick multi-story power plant building in Pittsburgh, PA.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower

A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

July 4 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Cyclist on protected bike lane in middle of street in Washington D.C. with Washington Monument obelisk visible in background.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”

The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

July 4 - Streetsblog USA

Blue and silver Amtrak train at small station.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train

The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.

July 3 - New Orleans City Business