OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Five months ago, a vacant apartment complex near 48th and Sahler Streets caught fire. Months later, clean-up work looks to have stopped.
- Derek Goodwin has lived in the neighborhood for over 50 years and is concerned about safety.
- The situation is on the city's radar, but it cannot yet be demolished.
- Watch the video to hear how the city is addressing the issue and what neighbors have seen over the last few months.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"There is no saving this building, but it's not trash dumpster either," said Derek Goodwin, who has lived in the area for over 50 years.
Goodwin has seen enough.
"I've seen rodent infestation, I’ve seen kids actually going in there, I've seen people living in there," Goodwin said.
The building in its current state is easily accessible, windows broken, the doors previously boarded up, now open, and just behind the building, dozens of tires piled up, furniture thrown out and trash throughout the area.
"I've talked to the police, the neighbors have the called the city, I called North Star and so far nothing is being done,” Goodwin said.
Reporter Molly Hudson called Scott Lane, chief housing inspector for the City of Omaha. He says they have asked the building's out of state owner to secure the building and even encouraged the owner to sell it.
Now, wrecked by fire, the building's condition is even worse.
"I know we just put a demo order on it after the fire, and we are looking at what it would for us to put it to bid," Lane said on the phone.
The problem, a lack of money to tear down bigger buildings like this.
"We are kind of in an unfortunate holding pattern until we can determine can we afford to demolish it or not," Lane said.
While Lane says there has been conversation about increasing his budget, for projects like this, that won't be until at least 2026.
"This here is just an eyesore and it's dangerous," Goodwin said.
Lane says police are very aware of the situation and will continue to monitor and try to catch people dumping on the property.
