City of Omaha is investing $800,000 to finance vacant home demolitions in both North and South Omaha.
On Monday morning Mayor Jim Suttle and members of his Landlord Taskforce gathered outside a vacant house on north 31st Avenue in Florence. The house was then torn down, ridding the community of an eyesore.
The taskforce has made a number of recommendations to help rid the city of vacant homes that are breeding grounds for criminal activity. The taskforce has also proposed legislation that provides financial incentives for property owners to repair homes that are rundown or unsafe and a City Ordinance allowing landlords faced with problem tenants to assign their eviction rights to the City.
In addition to the vacant home demolition, the taskforce is expanding the City of Omaha Closed Property Ordinance, making it easier for the Omaha Police to remove trespassers and problem tenants.
The group has restarted the Neighborhood Scan Project, which helps neighborhood associations and other community groups track deteriorating properties and work neighbor-to-neighbor to minimize code and nuisance violations.
The Taskforce has also brought the City Planning, Fire, and Police Departments together for the first time to exchange the latest information on vacant properties.
