Nevadans grapple with punishing rent hikes even as economy rebounds
Nearly every morning for the last 27 years, Carlos Padilla would slip on his white double-buttoned pastry chef uniform, lace up his non-slip black kitchen shoes and head to work at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
But when the pandemic hit, Padilla went from a full-time position to unemployed, leaving his uniform in the closet until the casino reopened months later and he returned part time.
Even as Padilla and his wife and two children pinched pennies, rising grocery and gas expenses, COVID hospital bills and a more than $300 increase in rent over the last year forced the family to dip into savings intended for a future down payment.
The family looked for alternatives after their landlord said rent would increase by another $200 to a little more than $1,600 a month, but couldn’t find a cheaper place and re-signed for another 18 months.
“We’re hoping that things get a lot better between now and…
