Council Weighs Blight Designation for Midtown
Omaha officials are considering declaring part of Midtown extremely blighted, a move that could extend tax increment financing for future projects.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in City Hall
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The Omaha City Council is considering designating a zone from 24th to 36th streets, between Dodge and Pacific, as extremely blighted. The area includes the Midtown, Field Club and Leavenworth neighborhoods.
Why it matters
The designation could make approved future projects eligible for up to 20 years of tax increment financing instead of 15, and could open the door for redevelopment in Omaha's Midtown area. It does not approve any specific apartment complex.
The designation would extend eligible tax increment financing from 15 years to up to 20 years for approved future projects. The source does not say whether the council will adopt the designation.
The players
Omaha City Council
The Omaha City Council is the legislative body of Nebraska's largest city, responsible for zoning, tax incentive and redevelopment decisions within city limits.
Bob Perrin
Bob Perrin is a longtime resident who has lived at the corner of 36th and Pacific streets for five decades in the Midtown area.
The details
A developer has approached the city about a housing project near 24th and Dodge streets, though the proposal does not involve approving that apartment complex. The city designates areas block group by block group, using criteria including income, unemployment, infrastructure and housing stock, with the goal of encouraging affordable housing and homeownership.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 10, 2026: City Council meeting with a public comment period beginning at 2 p.m.
Legal Context
The proposal applies Nebraska's blight designation framework, which lets cities use tax increment financing to fund redevelopment in areas with high unemployment or poverty. Extending the TIF term from 15 to 20 years would give developers a longer funding window in Midtown.
Residents in Midtown, Field Club and Leavenworth can weigh in during the public comment period at the November 10 council meeting. Homeowners who have rehabbed houses in the area may be affected by how future redevelopment and affordable housing projects are financed.
The takeaway
Residents who want to influence the outcome can attend the Tuesday council meeting and speak during public comment. Watching how the designation criteria are applied block by block shows how neighborhood status shapes financing options.
What happens next
The City Council will hold a public comment period at its Tuesday, November 10, 2026 meeting at 2 p.m. before any action on the proposed designation.
Further reading
For more on how local officials decide these zoning questions, see City Hall coverage of council business.
Live Poll
Do you trust local government to designate neighborhoods as blighted fairly?
