LINCOLN — A revised proposal targeting bedbug issues in Omaha’s public housing moved a step closer to passage Friday in the Nebraska Legislature.
The measure is part of a broader package advanced by the Legislature’s Urban Affairs Committee, which passed to the second round with little opposition.
State Sen. Terrell McKinney, who chairs the committee and represents North Omaha, said the proposal reflects a compromise.
“I think it’s a good compromise,” McKinney said. “I definitely would like to further hold OHA accountable, but you fight your battles and sometimes you have to know when to say, ‘Okay, we can get this much and maybe next year we could come back and try to get something more.’”
Avoiding Another Veto
McKinney has pushed for legislation requiring Omaha’s public housing authority to take stronger steps to improve living conditions for low-income residents, many of whom have raised concerns about infestations. A class-action lawsuit was filed last year.
Omaha Housing Authority officials have said they have taken multiple steps to address the issue. A board member previously told lawmakers that the agency is about 90% federally funded and already heavily regulated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Officials also warned that repeated failures in federal inspections could lead to funding cuts.
McKinney said recent discussions with Gov. Jim Pillen’s office led to key compromises aimed at avoiding another veto after a similar proposal was rejected last year.
Earlier versions of the bill included stricter requirements for reporting, disclosure, and inspections. McKinney said the current version still meets his goal of improving housing conditions.
He added that the proposal would give the City of Omaha the option to regulate the housing authority.
The city has previously objected, with City Attorney Matthew Kuhse arguing that the housing authority is a separate legal entity and that additional oversight should come from the Legislature, not the city.
Inland Port Authority Expansion Included
The legislative package also includes a proposal from State Sen. Loren Lippincott to expand the number of Municipal Inland Port Authority districts in Nebraska from five to eight.
These quasi-governmental agencies aim to boost economic development and job growth and have the authority to issue revenue bonds.
An effort by State Sen. Mike Jacobson to block the expansion failed. He argued the state should not “saturate the market,” noting that the existing five inland port authorities are not yet fully operational.
Currently, Nebraska’s certified port authorities are located in Omaha, Bellevue, South Sioux City, North Platte/Lincoln County, and Fremont/Dodge County.
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