Omaha Rejects Ordinance to Ban Homeless Encampments on City Property
The Omaha City Council has decisively voted against a proposed ordinance aimed at banning homeless encampments on city property. This decision brings an end to a lengthy debate on how best to address the increasing number of encampments throughout the city.
Originally introduced by Councilman Brinker Harding, the ordinance required law enforcement or first responders to offer individuals living in encampments the option of relocating to a shelter before facing a citation or arrest. Violations could have resulted in penalties of up to $300, 30 days in jail, or both.
An amendment to the ordinance introduced a diversion program to prevent citations from leading to imprisonment, a change that garnered wide support among council members. Despite this, the ordinance was defeated with a two to five vote.
“I introduced this because I do care about others,” Harding stated prior to the vote. “Not only do I care about the people that are in these situations, but I also care about the people who live around these situations.”
The rise in encampments led to numerous complaints to the mayor’s hotline over the summer, igniting public discussions among law enforcement and civic leaders, who had differing views on resolving the issue.
In response, Mayor John Ewing suggested an alternative approach. In collaboration with the nonprofit Threshold Continuum of Care, he introduced a pilot program designed to connect homeless individuals with local agencies offering emergency shelter, mental health services, and long-term housing. Residents of encampments would be informed seven to 10 days before their relocation.
Ewing criticized Harding’s proposal as too expensive and a strain on the Omaha Police Department, which is currently facing a shortage of officers. He highlighted that housing someone in jail costs approximately $170 daily, potentially exacerbating the cycle of homelessness.
During an emotional public meeting last month, Omaha residents shared their views on the ordinance, with many expressing concerns about the perceived “criminalization” of homelessness.
Ewing’s Chief of Staff Tom Warren read a statement from the mayor during the council meeting, reiterating his opposition to Harding’s proposal. “It is our opinion that this proposed ordinance would criminalize homelessness, and quite frankly, the criminal citation would lead to a physical arrest,” Warren conveyed.
The city is now looking to Threshold Continuum of Care to spearhead the pilot program, primarily developed by Jason Feldhaus, the executive director of Threshold.
Councilman Ron Hug, who supported Harding’s proposal, decided to support the mayor’s plan instead. “If we were moving forward today without the mayor’s proposed plan, I’d be voting for this,” Hug remarked. “As much as I’d love to support this, I think it’s more prudent to let the mayor’s plan run its course.”
