- Omaha has about 1,609 individuals experiencing homelessness.
- The issue gained attention after a man was injured while seeking warmth in a dumpster.
- Mayoral candidates are being questioned on their plans to tackle homelessness.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
City’s The growing number of homeless individuals is a top concern for many of our neighbors, especially after a man was injured while seeking warmth in a dumpster last week. KMTV reached out to every mayoral candidate about how they plan to address the issue.
Watch Hannah's story:
In Omaha about 1,600 individuals are homeless, and the number appears to be growing, according to the U.S. Department of housing and Urban Development, Omaha has the fastest growing homeless population of any metro in the country.
“We are the fastest growing city for homeless in the country, currently we have people living under bridges, tents, cardboard boxes, and most recently, in a dumpster. That that that person was almost killed last week we, we have to approach homeless different and the the homeless people and make sure that they have the opportunity to get the services that they so dearly need right now,” said Mike McDonnell.
Tuesday, KMTV reporter Hannah McIlree met with mayoral candidates John Ewing, McDonnell, and Jasmine Harris to discuss solution. KMTV contacted Mayor Jean Stothert’s campaign and office, and have not heard back yet.
Ewing was on the board of Sienna Francis House for six years. He believes they should assist organizations already fighting to end homelessness.
“You need to look at affordable housing, you need to look at shelters and increasing capacity. You need to look at the importance of living wage jobs. You need to look at mental health. You need to take all of those factors into consideration and develop a comprehensive plan,” said Ewing.
McDonnell said if elected mayor he would look to other cities that have successfully decreased homelessness. And plans to have a designated area in the city where unhoused residents that may choose not to enter a shelter can live and receive resources.
“I want to approach it like a FEMA type approach where you have a designated area where people can go and they can camp but there's also services available,” said McDonnell.
Harris put her focus on public safety and affordable housing. She says incentives should be provided so developers will choose to build affordable housing.
“We have a homeless coordinator, in the mayor's office right now. I want to make sure that that position is staffed and resourced like it needs to be. It is going to take a, multi-front approach to address the, Homeless, you know, public health issue that we have,” said Harris.
According to U.S. HUD Omaha currently sits at 102nd for the number of people who are experiencing homelessness. However, per capita the city is 21st.
“We have a lot of organizations and individuals housing advocates who are really passionate about,, you know, getting our population housed, and we need to make sure that they're at the table because I've always said people who are closest to the problems are closest to the solution and we can't create these solutions that we think are going to work if we have never experienced it,” said Harris.
Last week KMTV met with Scott Zimmerman and Mikayla Davey from the Peer Center, after a man was taken to the hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries-after being rescued from a WM garbage truck after seeking warmth in a dumpster.
They said with temperatures like this, many people have come in with severe frost bite.
“Doing it every day over and over and over again gets very difficult on a person so having a place to offer people to come and get out of the cold and especially if we can provide. Some resources and some support make a big difference, I know,” said Zimmerman.
Earlier this month the city accepted almost 6 million dollars from U.S. HUD to expand programs to reduce and eliminate homelessness.
In a statement Mayor Stothert said the housing and services are the solution to end homelessness:
“It will take collaboration, with our local and federal partners to implement thoughtful, compassionate, and intentional plans. The solution is possible; and it will take time.”
Zimmerman said there are many reasons why an unsheltered homeless person may choose not to go to a shelter. Some factors are not wanting to be separated from the significant other or pet, and mental health struggles. Because of this Ewing is urging neighbors to be empathetic.
“I think one of the things we have to be careful of is ever judging people when they're in unfortunate circumstances because we don't know all of the issues there could be some mental health issues there there could be some other issues with maybe things that go on in their life, so we just need to make sure that we're not judging,” said Ewing.
The 2024 the Homeless Services helped get 90 people off the streets.
