BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) – "If we had the option for transitional housing, it is not just providing them a safe shelter but it'd also giving them the services they need right on site," said Tanya Gifford said.
- Local nonprofits advocate for the Bellevue motel to be turned into transtional housing.
- This comes after the owners were arrested and charged with sex and labor trafficking.
- Nonprofits say transitional housing is needed since Sarpy County does not have a homeless shelter.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Sarpy County nonprofits are working together to find a way to turn a boarded-up Bellevue motel into transitional housing.
The city of Bellevue gave notice to the motel owner that they have until Tuesday to contact the city or action could be taken on condemning the property. This comes after the owners were arrested on charges of sex and labor trafficking.
"If we had the option for transitional housing, it is not just providing them a safe shelter but it'd also giving them the services they need right on site," said Tanya Gifford, executive director of Lift Up Sarpy County.
Gifford said there aren't any homeless shelters in the county. Last year, the organization spent over $40,000 on hotel bills for neighbors needing a temporary space.
"We could invest it in here and have that programming in place and help with employment, I think it is a whole win for the county," Gifford said.
The nonprofits want the motel to serve neighbors facing homelessness, veterans and domestic violence survivors. It could also be used as a central location for neighbors to find other resources they may need.
"A lot of times what we see with homelessness is the sooner we can get them reestablished the sooner we can get them back into some type of housing they do better and there's less of a chance of them becoming chronically homeless down the road," Dave Gifford, founder of All Seaons Foundation said.
According to Gifford, there are grants available for nonprofits to revitalize properties, making this the best option when it comes to trying to open transitional housing in the county.
