Architecture master’s students designed and built the under-1,000-square-foot homes on Corby Street.
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) — Two new homes on Corby Street in the Benson neighborhood are part of a student-led effort to help tackle Omaha’s affordable housing shortage. City leaders estimate the city is about 30,000 affordable units short of what will be needed in the coming years.
The homes were designed and constructed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln architecture master’s students over the course of more than a year.
The “Corby Home” measures 800 square feet with one bedroom and is priced at $190,000.
The “Benson Home” is smaller at 618 square feet with one bedroom and is listed for $150,000.
Designed for aging in place and middle-income buyers
UNL architecture master’s student Paulina Garcia said the project was inspired by a housing gap she identified for people who want to remain in their homes as they age.
“We were going in trying to understand what we needed to think about when designing homes for age-ready and really understanding what the crisis was here in Omaha,” Garcia said.
UNL Professor of Architecture Jeffrey L. Day said the homes are designed to serve a wide range of buyers.
“We think of it as supporting maybe from 60% of area median income to 120% of area median income, so it’s for middle income folks,” Day said.
Construction methods aimed at reducing long-term costs
Day said the homes include design features intended to reduce both upfront and long-term costs.
“We have shallow foundations that allow us to reduce the amount of concrete in the house — saves some costs, it also helps build in some efficiencies,” Day said. “We’re also using structural insulated panels for the walls, which they’re in sandwich panels of insulation and plywood that are extremely energy efficient.”
One home sold, one on the market
A buyer has already purchased the Corby Home, while the Benson Home is currently listed on the market.
Garcia said the project reflects the type of work she hopes to continue throughout her career.
“This lot was just one lot, and we introduced two homes, and it’s kind of like a gentle density introduction to Omaha,” Garcia said. “We would like to continue that because, I mean, we feel like as of now it’s been a success with the way it’s been specifically responding to the problems that people have been dealing with in Omaha.”
City Councilman Pete Festersen said he hopes to see more projects like this across the city as Omaha works toward adding more than 30,000 additional housing units over the next five years.
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