LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — For Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick, the groundbreaking for Rebecca Place marked a moment she said nearly brought her to tears — a sign, she believes, that more Southern Nevadans could soon have a realistic path to owning a home.

“I always think that if you want to own a home, you should have an opportunity, and I run into so many people, ‘You know what, I don’t think I can get there.’ Now, I run into people who say, ‘I think I can get there,’” Kirkpatrick said.

Rebecca Place is a 30-home development planned near Rebecca Road and West Tropical Parkway. The homes are estimated to cost around $300,000, far below the recent median price for single-family homes of $470,000, according to Las Vegas Realtors.

The project is aimed at what officials describe as the “missing middle” — families who make too much to qualify for low-income housing but still struggle to afford higher-priced homes.

Homebuyers at Rebecca Place will be limited to households earning between $68,000 and $85,000 per year.

“We love to call it attainable housing because we think their salary should have them attain homeownership,” Kirkpatrick said.

The development is expected to be the first in Nevada built through a community land trust, or CLT. Under the model, the land is owned by the community while the home is owned by the individual, who also pays a ground lease. When the home is resold, it cannot be sold for market price — a restriction the county says is designed to keep the home affordable for the next buyer.

During a visit to the site in the early stages of development, Shannon Mitchell, a nurse who was at a park across the street, said housing costs have become out of reach for younger adults.

“It’s not affordable for my children, 22 to25 years old. They’re paying more rent than what I pay for more my mortgage,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell said she supports the concept and the opportunities it could create. “That’s a good idea for the county, a good idea for opportunities for the families in between,” she said. The project could be in place by late summer.

Some residents have raised concerns about how the development could affect home values. The county said the homes cannot be sold for market value, so they should be assessed accordingly.

Kirkpatrick said the project is meant to offer long-term stability for families who may be able to move in by the end of the year.

“Kids today can’t see the forest through the trees on maybe ever owning a home. This has a piece in it. You can pass it down to your family,” she said.