AARP Nebraska Helps Bring Age-Friendly, Affordable Housing to Omaha

AARP Nebraska has been working diligently to bring age-friendly, affordable housing options to the Omaha area. In December 2022, Omaha City Council voted to approve the Housing Affordability Action Plan (HAAP). This is a victory for securing a range of housing options to accommodate the growing needs of Nebraskans as they age so they can stay in their homes.

AARP Nebraska worked with the city of Omaha as they drafted the plan, emphasizing the need for the city to make zoning changes to allow for age-friendly housing solutions, such as Missing Middle Housing and a greater availability of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) which are small houses or apartments residing on a single-family residence's property lot.

Missing Middle Housing includes a range of housing options such as duplexes or townhomes that are midsized and often more affordable. It is referred to as "missing" because few have been built since the 1940s due to zoning restrictions.

AARP Nebraska was pleased many of these AARP-supported recommendations were included in the city’s action plan. AARP members in the Omaha area engaged in a local advocacy campaign encouraging the Omaha City Council to approve the plan.

In 2023, the city of Omaha asked AARP Nebraska to participate as a member of the Advisory Committee, which is now working to implement the zoning and policy recommendations contained in the HAAP. These recommendations place a particular emphasis on making age-friendly housing options more readily available in Omaha.

According to AARP Nebraska’s 2022 Vital Voices survey, 84% of Nebraskans age 45 and older say staying in their homes as they get older is extremely or very important to them. To do so, they need access to age-friendly, affordable housing which is why AARP Nebraska is committed to continuing to advocate on this issue for Omahans aged 50-plus.