- Omaha City Council voted against a proposal that would have fined people living in homeless encampments on public property.
- Councilmember Brinker Harding emphasized the ordinance aimed to connect people with resources — not criminalize homelessness.
- Advocates say the focus should now shift to long-term solutions like affordable housing, job access, and mental health support.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A controversial proposal to create new fines and penalties for people living in homeless encampments on public land has been voted down by Omaha City Council members — ending weeks of heated discussion and community pushback.
The proposed ordinance had been at the center of debate for more than two months, drawing attention from local organizations that work closely with Omaha’s homeless population, including the Stephen Center.
“If there has been a good thing about it, it’s that now I look forward to doing the work — and working as a team to make an impact," said Chris Knauf, with the Stephens Center following Tuesday’s decision.
Councilmember Brinker Harding and others clarified that the measure was never meant to criminalize homelessness but rather to connect people with resources through diversion programs.
“This is the humane thing to do,” Harding said. “It helps get people the help they deserve — it gets the help to the people that need it.”
Still, advocates argued that real progress requires a broader approach — one that tackles affordable housing shortages, job access, and mental health support head-on.
“This is something that requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and I’m very happy to see that council seems to agree,” said Knauf.
For now, community leaders and outreach organizations say they’re hopeful this renewed attention will lead to long-term solutions for Omaha’s growing homelessness crisis.
In downtown Omaha — I’m Melissa Wright.
