Addressing Omaha's housing affordability challenges in its urban core will require more than a single investment, program or organization. It will take strong partnerships, innovative solutions, and a shared commitment to removing barriers that make it difficult to build the homes our community needs.
That's why Front Porch Investments partnered with ULI Nebraska and the City of Omaha to convene a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) focused on accelerating affordable housing production in Omaha's urban core. Now, we're pleased to share the final report and recommendations that emerged from that work.
The panel brought together local and national experts in housing development, finance, planning, and public policy to examine one critical question: What will it take to produce more affordable housing in Omaha’s urban core?
While funding remains an essential part of the solution, increasing housing production will also require streamlined development processes, expanded access to capital, innovative tools, and stronger collaboration across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors.
The report comes at an important time for Omaha. Our community faces a significant shortage of affordable housing, and demand continues to grow. At the same time, Omaha has demonstrated a willingness to act. The City's historic $40 million affordable housing commitment, announced in partnership with Front Porch Investments in 2025, created momentum and established affordable housing as a community priority.
The TAP recommendations build on that momentum.
Among the report's key findings are opportunities to simplify zoning and permitting processes, improve coordination among public agencies, expand financing options for developers, and leverage philanthropic resources to support deeper affordability. The panel also emphasized the importance of supporting both large-scale developers and smaller, incremental developers who are helping bring new housing opportunities to Omaha's neighborhoods.
Perhaps most importantly, the report encourages a broader, place-based approach to development that focuses not only on creating housing units, but also on strengthening neighborhoods and expanding opportunities for residents.
At Front Porch Investments, we're already working with partners to move several of these recommendations forward. This includes leading the creation of a public-private implementation committee and participating in an effort to review a key housing development tool, Tax Increment Financing (TIF), to better support affordable housing outcomes.
The release of this report is not the end of the conversation. It is the beginning of the next phase of work.
Affordable housing challenges are complex, but Omaha is uniquely positioned to make meaningful progress. By bringing together developers, lenders, policymakers, philanthropic organizations, and community leaders, we can create the conditions necessary to produce more housing, improve affordability, and strengthen our neighborhoods in the urban core for generations to come.
We are grateful to ULI Nebraska, the City of Omaha, the panelists, and all of the stakeholders who contributed their expertise and perspectives throughout this process.
Read the full report here.
