South Dakota is not the only state tackling the housing crisis, Nebraska is too.
A new measure making its way through the Nebraska Legislature would create a single state housing agency, in part to address what has become a crisis for Nebraska’s lowest- income workers.
Senator Justin Wayne of Omaha has introduced the housing bill. He says the current approach to housing isn’t working, and he believes a single agency can create a unified strategy for fixing a problem felt by people in all parts of the state.
Wayne says creating a Department of Housing and Urban Development would help streamline government by coordinating state efforts already under way, but currently operating in silos.
As Nebraskans lost jobs through no fault of their own during COVID and struggled to pay rent and avoid evictions, state officials left 120-million federal dollars meant for rent and other housing relief on the table by failing to turn in an application. Wayne says a new single-minded agency will make it easier for officials to keep their eye on the ball.
