OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV)
- Local center say they're at capacity and low on funds to help
- Low-income famlies are afraid of losing their homes
- Video shows tents of people experiencing homelessness in Omaha
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A national spike in homelessness is reflecting in Omaha as the post pandemic help shortens and more families lose their homes
Many shelters I talked to say the cost of living is their biggest concern.
Omaha resident Shanel Minniss says,"Crying every night trying to figure out how to pay the bills, those are my only options or were on the streets."
She's a former South Omaha resident who says her hourly pay of $16.50 an hour is not enough to feed her family of three kids, including a baby.
CEO of Together Omaha, a non-profit that helps prevent hunger and homelessness, Mike Hornacek says rent increases are making it harder to make ends meet for those with lower-paying jobs.
Nationally, it's estimated homelessness increased 12% in 2023, from what Hornacek sees. "Those numbers are extremely conservative like you should probably double those numbers, because it doesn't count people couch surfing," he says.
Across the country, the report says shelters are overwhelmed.
Program director Willie Austin at New Visions , a nonprofit helping those experiencing homelessness, says they've seen the same.
"We are now resulted to having them sleep on our dining room floor," he says.
Pastor Chelsea Salifou at Heartland Hope Mission in South Omaha says there are days when every shelter is at capacity. "There are many limited shelter beds open for families and so that can be challenging for us," she says.
The City of Omaha is passing along thousands of COVID recovery dollars to these non-profits. Their directors tell me, that will help, and the commitment Omaha is showing towards affordable housing.
