OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – Tenants in Midtown say they haven't had sufficient heat in over two years. Local leaders and legal experts say more needs to be done to protect tenants in Nebraska.
- Lack of clarity in laws put tenants in situations where they don't have many options
- Legal Aid and local leaders say more needs to be done to protect tenants
- City Council Member Danny Begley says he and others are looking for solutions
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
After tenants in an apartment building in Midtown said they have gone over two years without sufficient heat, KMTV has been speaking with local leaders and legal experts about what can be done in Omaha,
"This is your home there's a minimum standard that needs to be met and it's just not,” said Caitlin Cedfeldt, an attorney at Legal Aid of Nebraska, According to Cedfeldt a lack of clarity in Nebraska’s landlord tenant laws puts tenants in situations where they don't have many options.
"The combination of the market pressures of affordable housing plus the law not being super great for tenants as a matter of getting things fixed really putting tenants in these situations that are really shocking for us to hear about,” she said.
City Council Member Danny Begley met KMTV in Midtown, outside a building where David Barenz and his neighbors tell KMTV they've been without heat for two years.
Something more needs to be done for tenants in Omaha Begley said.
"They are paying their rent, they are people of goodwill, and the landlord lives in California and I'm sure he wouldn't want his daughter or mom or son or dad living in conditions where it's bitter cold out and you don't have any heat in your apartment,” Begley said”
More laws need to be in place to protect tenants according to legal experts.
Begley said it's something he and other local leaders are discussing.
"We will be having meetings soon on the upcoming legislative session to see if there's anything being done in Lincoln and how we can address it that way as well,” he said.
As for the tenants the Midtown building, according to Begley, the property owners of the apartment building have until February 10 to fix the heat.
