Governor Pete Ricketts recently issued an executive order to create The Governor’s Task Force on Housing.The top priority of the Task Force is to ensure that Nebraskans displaced by the flood can readily find adequate and affordable housing.
The severe rainstorms and rapid snow melt in March caused 81 of Nebraska’s 93 counties to declare disasters.Hundreds of houses flooded and are no longer safe to inhabit.Many Nebraskans and Nebraska communities are in need of safe, affordable, permanent housing so that they can return to normal.
“Towns across Nebraska lost hundreds of homes due to the flood,” said Governor Ricketts.“I’m grateful that friends and relatives have stepped in to give shelter to families displaced by the storm, but we know these families need a longer-term solution.The Task Force will have the expertise and coordinating capacity to provide more permanent housing options in those communities hit hardest by flooding.”
“Nebraskans who are still living out of suitcases after the flood need access to a more stable housing arrangement in their communities,” said Dave Rippe, Director of the Department of Economic Development (DED).“The Task Force will be able to evaluate the need for housing quickly, gather partners who can address the challenge, and pull together resources to get the job done.”
The Task Force will work hand-in-hand with local entities and vested stakeholders to examine housing and critical infrastructure resources in flood-impacted areas to identify opportunities for individuals and communities to remodel, rebuild, and rethink.
DED and the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority will co-chair the Task Force, and together with the Governor, will determine its membership.