“A City in Crisis” takes an unflinching look at how the greater Reno, Nevada area has grappled with its housing and homeless crisis. Though focused and primarily shot during the global pandemic, the footage goes back as far as 2010 through early 2024. This documentary reveals how the number of people without shelter who have died each year skyrocketed from 2016 to the present. Despite a massive infusion of government dollars invested into the problem, many say the housing and homeless crisis has only gotten worse.
“A City in Crisis” is produced by journalist and educator Bob Conrad, who has been reporting on homelessness in Washoe County for nearly a decade.
Find the film on IMDb.
Awards
- Official Selection, New York Film and Cinematography Awards, 2024
- Official Selection, Arpa International Film Festival, 2024
- Second Place, Coverage of Underserved Communities, Nevada Press Association, 2024
- Official Selection, Cannes Remember the Future World Film Festival, 2024
- Award of Merit, Accolade Global Film Competition, 2024
- Honorable Mention, International Indie Film & Screenplay Festival, 2024
- Honorable Mention, LA Underground Film Forum, 2024
- Honorable Mention, New York Film and Male Actor Awards, 2023
Testimonials
- “What a powerful film.” –Jodi Miller, Night Off The Streets, Carson City
- “Powerful and disturbing.” –Elaine, Reno
- “Everybody needs to see this documentary. Everyone needs to understand the crisis of homelessness in the Washoe County area.” –Edwin Lyngar
- “Your film covered a very complex issue confronting not only our community, but so many others, as well. We struggle to balance humanity, economic challenges, community needs and expectations. The take-away for me after viewing was the reminder of there being no easy answer, coupled with the very obvious need to continue to explore options and to think creatively, to include and educate all of our community about the challenges.” –Nettie
- “We need to do better, and I hope this documentary will hopefully inspire individuals to ask, ‘Am I doing enough? Have I done enough?’” –William Mantle, Reno
- “I think this film is critical for anybody living in our community. How we deal with this issue will define our community for generations to come.” –Ben Castro, Reno Initiative For Shelter and Equality
Director’s statement
As difficult and painstaking as it was to make this movie, it is critical that the struggle to document a growing, complex homeless problem pales in comparison to the harsh experiences of those most affected by skyrocketing housing prices. Reno, my adopted hometown since 1990, allowed the problem to get out of control; or, to be more precise, allowed the problem to get to the point where it has become untenable to succesfully manage and, consequently, has gotten, as one of the interviewees in the documentary noted, “much worse than we could have ever imagined.”
Despite efforts, such as building one of the largest homeless shelters in the country, the homeless situation continues to adversely affect the most vulnerable: veterans, people of color, older adult, those suffering from mental health and addiction issues and those simply in need of a stable place to stay.
While many say Reno’s problems are nowhere close to other West Coast communities, they are front-and-center in the minds of those who want to avoid becoming like other major metropolitan areas. It’s a fair comment – that Reno is not as bad as San Francisco, for example – but it’s also a sentiment that attempts to divert attention from the very real suffering experienced by far too many in our community. This documentary seeks to illumate the issue in a way that is less easily dismissed.
Showings
Past screenings
- Reno Little Theater, July 17, 2024
- St. Peter’s Episcopal Church screening, April 2024
- Holland Project public viewing, August 2023
- Reno Automobile Museum invited screening, August 2023