I wonder how much this has to do with the fact that the Reno-Sparks area has a LOT of undeveloped land with no single family homes or apartments around it.
One of the biggest challenges in my area, the San Francisco Bay Area, is that most people agree that we need more housing and places for homeless people. But, no one wants housing for the homeless next to where they live.
Every neighborhood fights it, and undeveloped land is hard to find. So it’s got to be next to someone.