Nevada HAND's Sunrise Ranch in Henderson Sets Aside 60 Apartments for Young Adults Aging Out of Foster Care

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

Nevada HAND opened Sunrise Ranch with a grand opening on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The complex has 144 apartments on a site of nearly 8 acres, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, which put the project cost at about $51 million. The property includes a computer lab, a fitness center, a library and a playground.

The big headline is the set-aside. Sixty of the 144 apartments are reserved for young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. KTNV reported that 35 young adults from foster care had already moved in, and the developer is still looking to fill the other 25 set-aside units. Residents in the program are connected through Clark County's Step Up program.

The rest of the complex is filling fast. The Review-Journal reported that a spokeswoman said the property is almost fully leased. The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority also awarded the project 33 project-based vouchers. Those vouchers are tied to specific apartments and help lower-income renters pay rent.

Nevada HAND President and CEO Audra Hammernik told KTNV the set-aside was intentional, describing the team's attitude as "we're all in." One of the first residents, Laajhanae Jones, is working to finish her diploma. "It feels really good," she told KTNV. Her social worker, Adriona Smith, described the process of getting her placed as "a lot of paperwork," with the goal of getting her into a home.

A quick note on unit count: one part of the KTNV story said "nearly 150" apartments, while another part and the Review-Journal both said 144. We are using 144.

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

Turning 18 is hard for anyone. For a young person in foster care, it can be scary. There may be no parent's house to move back to and no one to co-sign a lease. KTNV reported that a local nonprofit, Olive Crest, says 60% of children who phase out of foster care end up homeless. That is a heavy number, and it is why a stable first apartment matters so much.

The scale here is real. KTNV reported that about 3,000 children are in Clark County's foster care system on any given day. The county's extended foster care program, which started in July 2025, serves about 400 young people ages 18 to 21 each year, and roughly 100 turn 21 every year. Sixty apartments in one complex is a meaningful share of that group.

This also matters for Henderson renters in general. The fact that a 144-unit complex was almost fully leased so quickly shows how much demand there is for lower-cost rentals in Henderson. Rents in the southeast valley have climbed over the past several years, and new affordable supply gets snapped up. Every affordable unit that opens takes a little pressure off the rest of the rental market.

For neighbors along Boulder Highway, a new, well-kept complex with a playground, library and fitness center is a visible upgrade. Boulder Highway has seen a lot of change over the years, and new housing is part of how that corridor is being reshaped.

Background and History

Nevada HAND is a nonprofit that builds and manages affordable housing in Southern Nevada. Sunrise Ranch is its first project with a dedicated program for young adults aging out of foster care, according to KTNV.

The program runs alongside Clark County's Step Up program. According to Clark County's website, Step Up is run by Clark County Social Service for young adults who turned 18 while in foster care in Nevada and were not adopted or reunified with family. It helps with rental assistance, move-in fees, deposits and move-in kits. It also helps with school and job goals, offers monthly bus passes and graduation incentives, and gives each person a case manager. The Department of Family Services refers young people into the program.

Clark County also added extended foster care in July 2025, which lets young people stay connected to support until 21. That means more young adults are reaching their early 20s with a case worker in their corner, but they still need a place to live. Sunrise Ranch puts housing and that support system together.

The project-based vouchers are another piece. The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority awarded 33 of them to Sunrise Ranch. Unlike a voucher a renter carries from place to place, a project-based voucher stays with the apartment. That helps make sure a set number of units stay affordable for lower-income households.

What Happens Next

The first thing to watch is the last 25 set-aside units. Nevada HAND said it is still working to fill them, and the pipeline runs through social workers and the Step Up program. As those units fill, Sunrise Ranch will become a working test of whether pairing housing with foster youth support can keep young adults stable.

The second thing to watch is whether other developers copy the model. If Sunrise Ranch shows good results, other affordable projects in Clark County could set aside units for foster youth too. With about 100 young people turning 21 in the system each year, according to KTNV, there is room for more.

The third thing is Henderson's rental pipeline. Henderson has several affordable and mixed-income projects in the works, including on newly released federal land. We covered one of those land deals in a related story at the top of this page. How fast those projects open will shape rents in the southeast valley over the next few years.

Questions People Are Asking

Can anyone rent at Sunrise Ranch? The 60 set-aside units are for young adults who aged out of foster care. The rest of the complex is affordable housing, which usually comes with income limits. News reports did not list the exact limits or rents. Contact Nevada HAND directly through its Sunrise Ranch website to ask.

How does a young adult get one of the 60 units? KTNV reported that residents are connected through Clark County's Step Up program, often with help from a social worker. If you are a former foster youth, Clark County lists the Step Up main line as (702) 455-0468, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where exactly is it? Sunrise Ranch is on Boulder Highway in Henderson, just north of Galleria Drive and near Broadbent Boulevard.

Who paid for it? The Review-Journal put the cost at about $51 million. The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority awarded 33 project-based vouchers. A full breakdown of every funding source was not in the reports we reviewed.

What "Aging Out" Really Means

Most young people do not move out on their own and stay out on the first try. Many move back home for a while, or call a parent when the car breaks down or rent is short. Young adults leaving foster care often do not have that backup. When their time in the system ends, they may have to find housing, income and transportation all at once.

Renting can be especially hard. Many landlords want a rental history, a credit history, a co-signer and a deposit. A 19-year-old who grew up in foster care may have none of those. That is why a set-aside like the one at Sunrise Ranch matters. It removes some of the hardest barriers to getting a first lease, and it pairs housing with support through Step Up.

Stable housing also makes the other goals possible. It is much easier to finish school, keep a job and save money when you know where you will sleep every night. That is the bet behind this program: give young adults a solid base, and more of them will build a stable life.

How Affordable Rentals Like This Get Built

Affordable apartments cost about the same to build as market-rate apartments. Land, labor and materials do not get cheaper because rent is lower. To make the math work, projects like Sunrise Ranch usually stack several funding sources together, such as public loans, grants, tax credits and rental subsidies.

Project-based vouchers are one of those tools. The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority awarded 33 of them to Sunrise Ranch, according to the Review-Journal. Because those vouchers are tied to the apartments, they give the owner steady rent support while keeping the rent the tenant pays within reach. Nonprofit developers like Nevada HAND also manage their properties for the long term, which helps keep them affordable for years instead of a short window.

What This Means for Henderson Renters and Buyers

Sunrise Ranch leasing up so fast is a clear signal. According to the Review-Journal, a spokeswoman said the complex is almost fully leased, shortly after its grand opening. When 144 new apartments fill that quickly, it tells you there are many more people looking for lower-cost rentals in Henderson than there are units.

For renters, that means it pays to act fast when a new affordable property opens. Get on interest lists early, keep your paperwork ready, and ask about waitlists even if a property looks full. For buyers, steady rental demand is one reason many Henderson neighborhoods have held their value. People want to live there, whether they rent or own.

It also shows why new supply matters along older corridors like Boulder Highway. Each new complex gives the area more homes, more neighbors and more reasons for shops and services to invest nearby. Over time, that can change how a stretch of road looks and feels.

Ryan's Take

This is one of my favorite housing stories of the year. A home is the base for everything else. It is very hard to finish a diploma, hold a job or save money when you do not know where you will sleep next month. Setting aside 60 apartments for young adults who grew up in foster care gives them a fair shot at a normal start. I hope we see more of it.

From a market view, Sunrise Ranch leasing up so fast tells me Henderson still has deep demand for lower-cost rentals. That lines up with what I see every day. Renters in Henderson are stretched, and many want to buy but are not ready yet. More rental supply helps them save. For homeowners in Henderson, steady rental demand is also a sign that the area stays desirable, which supports long-term home values.

What You Can Do

If you are a young adult who aged out of foster care in Nevada, call the Step Up program at (702) 455-0468 and ask about housing help. If you already have a social worker or case manager, ask them about Sunrise Ranch. Spots are still open in the set-aside.

If you want to help, there are good ways to do it. Local foster care groups often need mentors, donations of household items for young adults setting up their first apartment, and families willing to foster. We covered how to get involved with Clark County foster care in a related story at the top of this page. Something as simple as a set of pots, pans and towels can make a first apartment feel like home.

If you are a Henderson renter looking for lower rent, ask Nevada HAND whether any non-set-aside units or waitlists are open, and check with the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority about voucher programs. If you are renting now and thinking about buying, start planning early. Talk to a lender, check your credit, and look into down payment help. Many programs in Nevada help first-time buyers with down payments and closing costs.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime. Ryan Rose | Real Broker, LLC | 702-747-5921 | ryan@rosehomeslv.com | rosehomeslv.com