Nevada’s Excluded Communities: Key Findings from a COVID-19 Community Impact Survey

The survey highlights key issues facing these communities and underscores the need for policy solutions that are both responsive to this urgent moment and center those most impacted. Make the Road Nevada conducted in-depth surveys with nearly 150 Nevadans in July 2020. The survey findings reveal widespread financial instability and hardship among Nevada’s most vulnerable residents:

• A staggering 70% of all survey respondents—and 86% of estimated undocumented individuals—reported that they or someone in their household lost a job or income since the coronavirus crisis began.
• Widespread financial hardship is severely impacting community members’ ability to secure basic necessities like food, medicine, and utilities. Half of those surveyed—and 82% of undocumented respondents—are worried they will be unable to pay for utilities and other bills. More than one-third are concerned about having enough food.
• The pandemic has been disproportionately impacting Nevada’s communities of color who were more likely to report contracting and losing loved ones to COVID-19 and less likely to have health insurance and access to care.
• Government support is not reaching those who need it most. Only 24% of survey respondents have received unemployment insurance from the government in the past month and only 62% qualified for the government cash assistance. Latinx and Black respondents were significantly less likely to have received any government support and undocumented respondents are completely excluded from relief.
• The survey found that one in three renters were unable to pay rent this month and a startling 60% are worried about being able to pay rent next month. As Nevada begins easing the eviction moratorium, these already precarious renters are likely to face high rates of eviction in the coming weeks and months.Download the report to read more.