For Americans who can afford it and the workers who make it possible, summer is a time for pools, beaches, lakes, and water parks — a cooling down of the Great American Machine. Unless you’re looking for the next generation of NBA stars making their professional debut. For this, one must brave the desert heat.

The Boring Co. is snapping up real estate along planned extensions of its underground Las Vegas Loop in what some observers say is an investment with unclear prospects of a return.

The ongoing government shutdown is threatening to disrupt Las Vegas tourism, a vital economic sector for the city. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported that 3.3 million people visited the city in November, with 2.1 million arriving by air. Any disruption in air travel could significantly impact tourism and the livelihoods of locals dependent on it.

The recent government shutdown and economic uncertainty have many potential homebuyers questioning whether now is the right time to purchase a home. While Las Vegas home prices have dipped slightly, a new report reveals that homeownership remains out of reach for many local families.

Housing in Las Vegas has become increasingly unaffordable over the past two decades, according to Prof. Nicholas Irwin, research director at the UNLV Lied Center for Real Estate.

Tonya Harvey is always on the go as a freelance photographer, and when she needs a quick pick-me-up, she’ll order a kids’ meal. “I don’t want to waste the whole workout for the morning, but I’m hungry in between gigs and its just enough, gets you through one gig to the next,” Harvey said. “I don’t do it everyday.” And she’s not alone. Lightspeed Commerce surveyed around 44% of adults who order from the kids’ menus at restaurants.

A recent study by the UNLV Lied Center for Real Estate reveals that prospective homebuyers in Las Vegas need to earn $119,000 annually to afford a median-priced home, estimated at around $400,000.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted at the housing emergency declaration during a Labor Day interview with the Washington Examiner. While Bessent hasn’t offered specifics, he told the Examiner that standardizing local building and zoning codes and decreasing closing costs are some options. The Treasury Department did not respond to requests for an interview for this story.