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City concerned homeless can access vacant Crossroads buildings

City concerned homeless can access vacant Crossroads buildings
Posted at 5:24 PM, Aug 03, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-03 18:49:35-04

The City of Omaha is taking steps to make sure a property manager is stopping homeless from getting into the former Best Buy and Bag N' Save buildings that are part of the Crossroads Mall development.

Omaha's Property Maintenance Appeals Board met this week to discuss the property at 75th & Dodge St. just west of Crossroads Mall. The planning department has had concerns about homeless people living on the property or breaking into the buildings.

"Main Street Partners" runs the property and says they have Frontline Security patrolling the area at least 3 times a day, use security cameras, and motion sensors to keep people away.

"It's going to eventually be a part of the Crossroads redevelopment so it's very important for my client to make sure it's secured and safe and hopefully it will move along in the redevelopment plan with Crossroads," said Jim Lang, a representative for Main Street Partners.

In about the last year, there have been almost dozen calls related to vagrants and at least two people arrested or cited for trespassing.

The board decided to layover the discussion for six months and get another update then.

The Crossroads Mall redevelopment still doesn't have a definitive plan so it will likely be years before the buildings are demolished.