After years of talk and promises, the Omaha Housing Authority apartment development was finally granted federal money

M. N.September 23, 2022

OMAHA, Nebraska – After years of discussion and promises, a struggling Omaha Housing Authority apartment complex is now on the verge of improvement.

As promised, the Southside Terrace Apartments near 30th and T Streets would be redeveloped, and government authorities presented a large cheque to assist fund the transformation.

$50 million, not $5 million, not $10 million, not even $20 or $25 million, $50 million, is one of four grants that HUD is awarding to towns around the nation, according to Adrianne Todman.

Adrianne Todman, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, brought optimism and a large check to Omaha in order to begin the rehabilitation of the Southside Terrace Apartment complex in South Omaha.

Southside Terrace Apartments is the final significant housing development constructed by OHA. The complex consists of 358 units over about 10 city blocks.

This area has a history, much of which is marked by crime and bloodshed. Some families have lived here for centuries, and they believe it is time for change.

Hawa Hassan stated, “My mother has lived here for more than 15 years, and she is quite concerned about the neighborhood; she does not want my children to grow up here because she seen us do so, and the area is not at all secure or safe.”

There are proposals to make modifications to the homes in Southside Terrace. The government barracks will be demolished and replaced with a mixture of multifamily apartments and townhomes.

“The proposal calls for between 800 and 1,100 new units, which will evolve over the following six years of the grant,” said Joanie Poore, CEO of Omaha Housing Authority. “Our aim is to engage with the partners and have a mixed-income approach.”

The old brick structures will be destroyed and gradually replaced. Once the reconstruction is complete, current inhabitants can opt to be permanently relocated or return to the neighborhood.

Officials from the OHA have stated that they will ensure that the adjustments also benefit the nearby Indian Hills area. This, according to Omaha’s mayor, Jean Stothert, is an opportunity for enduring change.

Stothert stated, “Our transformation strategy is a commitment to affordable housing education and accessible services. What could be more vital than quality, safe housing services to help individuals achieve and a family-friendly neighborhood environment?”

Federal officials wrote a large payment to assist with the transformation’s financing.

Local and federal authorities gather to celebrate at the Southside Terrace Apartments, with federal officials finally fulfilling a promise made to the inhabitants of these apartments years ago.

Todman: “I recognized, based on my experience in public housing, that I’m about to move into a neighborhood that has likely been repeatedly assured that change will occur.”

“Being a two-time recipient of choice neighborhoods implementation grants says a lot about Omaha and our amazing partners, and I think that’s something to celebrate,” said Stothert.

Omaha has prior experience in this field. The Seventy-Five North highlander development is a mixed-income community in North Omaha that replaces an expansive OHA housing complex plagued by crime.

The residents of Southside Terrace hope that their future will be brighter than their past.

“In the future, I want them to strive to ensure the safety. Hassan stated, “There are too many shootings, too much violence, and kids are seeing things they shouldn’t see at a young age, just as I saw things at a young age that I shouldn’t have seen.”

The $50 million grant, according to officials, is in addition to the close to $200 million in local investments and contributions.

The funding stipulates that the project must be completed within six years and at a cost of more than $350 million, according to OHA officials. The award also stipulates that the project must be completed within six years.