Nebraska Passing On Aid Likely To Benefit Renters in Lincoln And Omaha

(WOWT Omaha NE April 2, 2022) Nebraska’s most populated areas stand to gain more rental assistance funds even as the governor declines to apply for additional federal aid that would be available to all Nebraskans.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Treasury outlined how it will reallocate funds not applied for, distributing them to areas that are running out of funds and those demonstrating the greatest need — but also prioritizing keeping those funds in the same state as much as possible.

This means that because Omaha and Lincoln were able to apply separately for the federal rental assistance funds, the state’s urban populations stand to benefit from Gov. Pete Ricketts’ inaction on the second round of funding.

The government’s $46 billion rent relief program helped about 1.36 million renters. A report from Eviction Lab found it had a big impact on low-income and Black neighborhoods in particular, with those areas showing the largest reduction in eviction filings last year.