Innovative Shelter Solutions for the Homeless
What are the real costs
Here is some information we found online about spending costs in regards to the homeless in our community. Please help us with fact checking.
The annual spending by the city of Omaha and Douglas County on homelessness is complex because funding comes from a mix of sources, including local budgets, federal grants, and nonprofit organizations. However, specific figures reveal significant costs across various services.
Douglas County
In May 2024, reporting on a Douglas County Sheriff's Office budget presentation revealed the substantial cost to the county's justice system.
Jail costs: Douglas County spends approximately $1.2 million per month, or $14.4 million annually, to treat and house homeless or housing-insecure individuals in its jail.
City of Omaha
The city of Omaha receives and distributes federal and philanthropic funds to local organizations.
Federal funds: As of early 2025, Omaha had received about $7 million in federal funds for homeless services.
Homeless Services Coordinator: In 2022, the city used American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to create a Homeless Services Coordinator position, spending $200,000 over two years. The position is intended to be moved to the city's general fund budget afterward.
Emergency Solutions Grant: Past COVID-19 relief efforts saw the city allocate Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV) funds to various non-profit groups, such as Siena Francis House, Together, and Heartland Family Service.
Encampment cleanup: Cleaning up homeless encampments costs the city about $1,900 per site.
Partner organizations
Nonprofit organizations that receive public funding play a significant role.
Open Door Mission: Reported total expenses of over $27.8 million in fiscal 2023, with 85.4% going to food, shelter, and programs for people experiencing homelessness and poverty.
Threshold (formerly MACCH): This regional coalition received an $8.5 million federal grant in late 2024, dispersed over three years, to fund programs for homeless youths aged 16–24 in Douglas, Sarpy, and Pottawattamie counties. This breaks down to about $2.85 million per year.
HEAL: This Omaha street medic group had a budget of $25,000 in 2024.
United Way of the Midlands: Awarded more than $2 million to 36 agencies to address housing needs for the 2022–2024 grant cycle.
Broader costs
The financial burden extends beyond budgeted services and affects the entire community.
Healthcare providers, such as Nebraska Medicine, spend significant amounts of money when unhoused people use emergency rooms for medical issues.
The affordable housing crisis in Omaha and Douglas County is also a major factor, with only 35 affordable rental units available for every 100 low-income households.
We need a more humane and cost-effective solution
Community-Centered Shelter Solutions
The Mandan Park Neighborhood Association in Omaha is dedicated to addressing issues in Omaha like homelessness, with compassion and innovation. Leveraging extensive community knowledge and military solutions, we propose creating humane shelters that provide safety and dignity for the homeless. Our approach combines the strategic use of vacant properties with the deployment of large, durable tents designed to withstand varying weather conditions, ensuring comfort and security for those in need.
Comprehensive Services That Make a Difference
Our project proposal encompasses site selection, shelter installation, and ongoing support services tailored to the unique needs of the homeless population. By utilizing vacant properties, we would maximize the use of underutilized urban spaces, transforming them into welcoming environments. Our team proposal is inspired by the efficiency and practicality of military preparations, which would allow efficient, safe and hygienic services.
Unique Approach and Commitment to Sustainability
What sets our proposal apart is our innovative fusion of military precision with community-centered care. Our shelters are not just temporary solutions but stepping stones towards stability, providing a foundation where individuals can regain independence. We prioritize sustainability by using eco-friendly materials and promoting community engagement, ensuring shelters are both humane and environmentally responsible.
Omaha Youth Homeless Programs
Here is some information we found online regarding Omaha youth homeless programs. We appreciate any help with fact checking.
A $8.5 million federal grant awarded to Threshold CoC, or the Continuum of Care for the Omaha metro area, funds several programs focused on preventing and ending youth homelessness. The funding was received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through its Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). The grant, which provides roughly $2.85 million annually for three years, supports the following types of programs:
Housing solutions
Rapid Rehousing: Provides short-term rental assistance and services to help youth move into permanent housing quickly. This program is a crucial part of the effort to make youth homelessness "brief and episodic".
Permanent Supportive Housing: Provides long-term housing assistance combined with supportive services for youth with a disabling condition.
Transitional Housing: Offers a structured, safe environment for youth to live in while they work toward finding permanent housing.
Host Homes: This innovative program places unhoused youth with trained volunteer host families, which offers a safe place to stay while the youth receive assistance and work toward independence. This is designed to serve as a less formal alternative to traditional shelters.
Supportive services
System Navigation: Offers guidance and resources to help young people navigate the often-complex network of services and aid available to them.
Services for "couch-surfing" youth: The grant specifically addresses the needs of "couch-surfing" youth, or those who are in unstable shared living situations but not on the street. Threshold recognizes that this group is also highly vulnerable to homelessness.
System-level programs
Homeless Management Information System (HMIS): This grant supports the database used to collect client-level data on the services provided to people experiencing homelessness. This data is essential for understanding the scope of the problem and evaluating the effectiveness of the programs.
Coordinated Community Plan (CCP): Threshold, in collaboration with local partners and youth with lived experience, developed a CCP to guide the implementation of these new programs. The grant funding is used to put this plan into action.
Equitable Strategies: The funding is intended to create new strategies that are equitable and specifically assist vulnerable young people, including those who are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), LGBTQIA+, and differently abled.
Collaborative efforts
The grant recipients and partners for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program include a coalition of regional organizations, such as Youth Emergency Services (YES), who work directly with unhoused youth in Douglas, Sarpy, and Pottawattamie counties.
Integrating Military Expertise for Effective Shelter Solutions
The Mandan Park Neighborhood Association is proposing a unique approach to addressing homelessness by combining military knowledge with community-driven initiatives. Utilizing vacant properties, the association proposes large, durable tents designed with military-grade materials, ensuring safety and longevity. This strategic integration of military precision streamlines the setup and maintenance processes, providing efficient and humane shelter options for those in need.
Transforming Vacant Properties into Vibrant Community Shelters
Our proposal focuses on revitalizing unused spaces within Omaha to create welcoming environments for the homeless population. By repurposing vacant lots and buildings, the proposal not only offers immediate shelter but also fosters a sense of community and security. This approach maximizes existing resources and minimizes environmental impact, showcasing a commitment to sustainable and compassionate urban development.
Empowering Through Compassion and Expertise
Beyond providing shelter, the Mandan Park Neighborhood Association proposal emphasizes empowerment and dignity for individuals experiencing homelessness. Our team’s emphasis on military logistics ensures organized and efficient shelter management, while community engagement efforts promote social integration and support services. This holistic model sets us apart, demonstrating our dedication to creating humane, effective, and lasting solutions to homelessness in Omaha.