Corporate Landlord Billionaires Jacking Up Housing Costs for Nevadans are Bankrolling Lombardo, O’Donnell
As corporate landlords price Nevadans out of home ownership and into debt, Joe Lombardo and Marty O’Donnell are raking in max out contributions from the worst offenders while their campaigns collapse. Lombardo is taking tens of thousands of dollars from a Blackstone-owned real estate investment trust after vetoing legislation to curb corporate homebuying. Meanwhile, O’Donnell is accepting contributions from Blackstone’s billionaire founder, who is tied to Jeffrey Epstein and whose firm was accused of “wreaking havoc” in communities by helping fuel a global housing crisis. Blackstone notably owns thousands of homes across Nevada and profits from high housing costs.
Contributions from corrupt billionaires who jack up costs for Nevada families are nothing new for Lombardo and O’Donnell. In addition to taking Blackstone’s donations, Lombardo – who vetoed legislation to lower housing costs, protect renters, and prevent Wall Street firms from pricing Nevadans out of purchasing a home – has raked in nearly $39 million from real estate mogul Robert Bigelow.
And after traveling to Texas and Arizona to kiss Donald Trump’s ring and then receiving contributions from Blackstone’s Founder and CEO, Stephen Schwarzman, it is clear there are few out-of-state corporate landlords with ties to Jeffrey Epstein whom O’Donnell won’t suck up to.
The Nevadan: How corporate landlords are bankrolling these Nevada Republicans
Key points:
- Donors affiliated with corporate homeownership have funneled millions to Nevada Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s bid for re-election, and thousands to help Trump-backed Republican Marty O’Donnell oust US Rep. Susie Lee (D) in Nevada’s 3rd District.
- Corporate homeownership has been a contentious debate in Nevada, but Lombardo has halted every attempt to regulate the industry.
- Lombardo vetoed the effort in 2023, and in 2025, he took a new approach: he asked State Sen. Ira Hansen (R) to kill the bill by voting no—despite Hansen supporting the bill, and saying he was obeying the request “very reluctantly.”
- Blackstone Real Estate Partners reported owning over 8,400 homes and apartments across the state in 2026. An apartment income real estate investment trust limited partnership (REIT LP), also known as AIR Communities—a Blackstone subsidiary—owns at least 12 housing complexes in Nevada.
- In just two days, Lombardo racked up $25,000 from the Blackstone-owned REIT, according to his third quarter campaign finance filings.
- Real estate investor Robert Bigelow donated $2.5 million to the Better Nevada PAC, $6 million to the Republican Governor’s Association Nevada PAC in support of Lombardo, and over $200,000 to Lombardo’s campaign.
- In total, Bigelow has spent nearly $39 million to support Lombardo’s gubernatorial campaigns since 2022. Bigelow also made appearances in Nevada’s governor race in 2022. Democrats criticized Lombardo for taking Bigelow’s contributions as he evicted Nevada families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- On Sept. 30, Blackstone’s founder and CEO Stephen Schwarzman donated $3,500 to Marty O’Donnell, who’s challenging US Rep. Susie Lee in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District. Schwarzman’s wife, Christine, gave O’Donnell an additional $3,500.
Read full story here
###
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
