LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — As temperatures rise, FOX5 hears from more viewers dealing with air conditioning problems at home.

For tenants, those issues can quickly turn into questions about safety, repairs and what to do if a landlord doesn’t respond.

Nevada Legal Services said it also sees a spike in tenant complaints when it gets hotter.

Attorneys there said tenants do have rights, but warned that there are certain steps people should take — and others they should avoid — because making the wrong move in Nevada can lead to serious problems.

‘Pretty common, especially in the summer’

John Brogden, a senior attorney with Nevada Legal Services, said air conditioning issues are one of the most frequent problems he sees when the weather heats up.

“It’s pretty common, especially in the summer. We get a lot of air conditioning issues,” Brogden said.

MORE: No AC for 24 days: Las Vegas family reaches out to FOX5 for home warranty help

Brogden said extreme heat in Southern Nevada can put extra stress on homes and apartments, making repairs a common issue this time of year.

Two key categories: habitability vs. essential services

Brogden said Nevada law generally breaks these types of problems into two categories: habitability issues and essential services issues.

“There’s a lot of overlap in the language of the two statutes, but the way that I look at it is essential services,” Brogden said. “It’s something that, without it, that unit’s pretty much uninhabitable… like you would not want to live there.”

He said habitability issues can be problems that still affect a tenant’s ability to live safely in a unit, such as a slow leak coming through the wall.

The difference matters because it can change how a tenant should respond.

Withholding rent can be risky in Nevada

Brogden said one of the first things many people consider is withholding rent, but he warned that can be risky in Nevada.

“In which case, the landlord may or may not fix the issue and the person is out on the street for however long,” Brogden said. “The eviction process here is very quick. It’s not like California.”

For a habitability issue, Brogden said tenants may have to wait 14 days for a landlord to make a reasonable effort to fix the problem.

And if a tenant chooses to withhold rent, Brogden said it is not as simple as just not paying.

“If it’s a habitability issue, they are required to put that money into escrow with the court,” Brogden said. “At the time they file their answer and say, ‘Hey, this is the reason I withheld my rent.’ It’s not that I just don’t want to pay my rent. So, they have to, in good faith, give that money to the court.”

Essential services: 48-hour window (excluding weekends/holidays)

When it comes to an essential service, Brogden said landlords are generally required to take a reasonable step within 48 hours — not including holidays or weekends.

Other options may include paying for certain repairs and deducting the cost from rent or, in some cases, terminating the lease — which can be complicated.

What tenants should do first

Brogden said the first step in either case is to notify the landlord in writing, contacting them using the method outlined in the lease, if available.

He emphasized that every situation is different and whether something counts as a habitability issue or an essential services issue depends on the facts of the case.

Brogden said tenants should get legal advice — including through Nevada Legal Services — before taking action.

Nevada Legal Services warning: Don’t use AI for legal demands

Nevada Legal Services also warned tenants not to rely on AI chatbots to draft legal claims or demands to landlords.

Attorneys said they have been seeing more of that and that chatbots can misstate Nevada law, hurt a tenant’s credibility or create problems later in court.

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Anthony used staff time, government equipment to promote ‘Protect Women’s Sports’ task force

• Ethics commission voted 3-2 against Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony.
• Anthony says he should be allowed to advocate for issues he feels passionately about.
• Ethics commission director says government resources can’t be used to promote personal projects.

A Nevada ethics panel fined Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony $3,000 over use of state resources to promote a task force to keep trans athletes out of women’s sports.

Anthony, a Republican, is running for reelection.

The March 18 vote against Anthony was 3 to 2 by the Nevada Commission on Ethics.

In addition to the fine, he’s required to obtain ethics training within 60 days and develop a social media policy for his office.

Anthony created the “Task Force to Protect Women’s Sports” in late 2024 after the Nevada women’s volleyball team made national news by refusing to play San Jose State University for having a transgender player on its team.

“I decided I was very passionate about protecting female athletes,” he testified before the Nevada Legislature in February 2025. “I wanted to support the University of Nevada, Reno volleyball team who came out very courageously on their stand. That is why I created this task force.”

Anthony’s official government X account shared posts about task force events, and staff from the state’s Office of Small Business Advocacy — under Anthony’s authority — sent out emails about the task force. Anthony’s chief of staff testified the task force was not a function of the office.

The ethics commission’s vote served to “admonish the lieutenant governor for his actions in violation of the ethics law,” its motion said.

The Reno Gazette Journal contacted Anthony and his attorney, the ethics commission and Lindsey Harmon, a reproductive rights advocate who made the initial ethics complaint, for comment. None immediately responded.

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Stavros Anthony’s defense of his actions

Anthony’s attorneys argued in legal filings that he did not violate any state laws “because there are no statutes, rules, regulations, policies or other authority prohibiting Mr. Anthony from advocating on political issues, supporting political causes, or from forming the Task Force.”

They added he had no financial interest in the task force, and that elected officials should be allowed to advocate for political positions.

“Under such a standard as urged by the Director (Ross Armstrong of the ethics commission), a public officer, for example, speaking at an official function or writing in official correspondence, stating that he or she is passionate about such issues as veterans’ rights or health care could be found to have violated ethics laws,” his attorneys wrote in a filing.

Ethics director’s argument against Anthony

Armstrong responded in a filing that the case was not about being able to advocate for causes one believes in.

“It’s about the undisputed use of specifically allocated taxpayer funds through staff, time, property and equipment on his significant personal interest rather than the government interests of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Office of Small Business Advocacy,” Armstrong wrote. “Doing so violates the Ethics Law.”

He noted that Anthony’s government staff used state email systems to set up and coordinate efforts of the task force, promoted it on their government X feeds, and created talking points, press releases and other materials supporting it.

Armstrong added Anthony “used influence over subordinates to benefit the Task Force.”

Mark Robison is the state politics reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal, with occasional forays into other topics. Email comments to mrobison@rgj.com or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Tax season is underway, but some Latino families in the Las Vegas area say they have questions and concerns before getting started — and trust is a central part of the conversation this year.

Organizers at Southern Nevada Tax Assistance say their goal is to help families file safely and correctly. But this year, they say they are seeing something different: hesitation.

Hesitation and distrust on the rise

Nonprofit organization Somos Votantes, which focuses on helping Latinos in the community, says it is hearing from more families who are unsure who they can trust when it comes to filing.

“That’s why Southern Nevada Tax Assistance — they’re a group of IRS-certified volunteers,” said Angel Lazcano.

Somos Votantes held a free filing event Wednesday to connect families with trusted, no-cost help. Volunteers said the stress of tax season is something many in the community have long felt.

“Personally, growing up, I’ve always heard how much, how stressful it is around this time of year, especially getting closer and closer to tax day,” one volunteer said.

Ghost preparers a recurring threat

That concern is not new. Connie Buckley, founder of Nevada Tax Assistance, said every year scammers known as ghost preparers target people who may not fully understand the filing process or whose first language may not be English.

“They create fraudulent tax returns. People don’t know what to expect on their taxes, so they don’t know that it’s wrong. And then two or three years later, the IRS sends them a letter that says something’s not right here,” Buckley said.

Fears about sharing personal information

For many Latino families, concerns this year go beyond scams, with some expressing fears about sharing personal information when filing.

Buckley addressed those concerns directly. “The recommendation always is — let me put it this way — when you get your tax forms from your employer, like the W-2s, the 1099s, those are also transmitted to the IRS. So the IRS knows that you made money and they are expecting to see your tax return to reconcile that,” she said.

Buckley also warned that choosing not to file can create larger problems. “If you owe taxes, there are a lot of penalties that they will assess against you, against what you owe. And now you’ve got yourself into an even bigger hole than you would have been in if you just filed your taxes when they were due,” she said.

Organizers say that no matter a person’s status, filing taxes remains important, and they want to make sure families can do it safely. Free tax filing help is available across the Las Vegas Valley for those who need it.

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