- Residents at Omaha Housing Authority buildings say bed bug infestations remain a serious problem.
- A bill requiring landlords to warn tenants and hire licensed exterminators was vetoed by Governor Pillen.
State Senator McKinney is now working on a possible veto override vote.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
At Jackson Tower, frustration is mounting. One resident says she’s had enough of the bed bugs—and she’s not alone. This comes after Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen vetoed a bill that would have held landlords accountable for properly treating infestations.
For months, tenants at Omaha Housing Authority towers have spoken out about the worsening bed bug problem.
"I've had to battle bugs severely, when I first moved in," said DevlynChockley.
Delvyn Chockley has lived in Jackson Tower for six years. She says the bugs have left her with bites, ruined clothes, and infested furniture.
"I mean this place should be torn down and rebuilt… that’s what needs to be done… from the tip, from the very bottom— just tear the ground up from around it," Chockley said.
Chockley says she felt hopeful when lawmakers passed a bill that would’ve required landlords to notify tenants and hire licensed exterminators. But when Governor Pillen vetoed the bill, her hope disappeared.
"It irritates me, it makes me feel that the governor doesn't care—that we don’t have enough money," she added.
Governor Pillen defended the veto, saying the bill created overlapping authority with existing city and federal housing regulations. In a statement, the Omaha Housing Authority said:
"The Omaha Housing Authority supports Governor Pillen's veto of LB 287, the bill creates unnecessary and redundant regulations."
OHA also called the bill an unfunded mandate and urged lawmakers to collaborate with them on broader housing solutions in the metro.
"I don’t want to live in this nasty [place] I don’t wanna die here. I'm scared the bugs will feed on me— it’s disgusting," Chockley said.
Senator Terrell McKinney told me he’s actively working to bring the bill back for a potential veto override vote.
In Omaha, I’m Melissa Wright.
