Omaha Mayor Proposes Outreach Pilot, Opposes Camping Penalty

Councilman Brinker Harding has proposed an ordinance making camping on public property a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $300 fine and 30 days in jail, and more than three hours of public testimony — including from formerly unhoused outreach worker Rose Krekelberg — left its passage uncertain. Mayor John Ewing Jr. opposes criminalizing encampments and announced a six‑month pilot with Threshold Continuum of Care to speed and coordinate outreach, expand staffing including weekends, give encampments 7–10 days' notice before closure, and connect people to housing, treatment and other services. Threshold said it needs about 30 days to set policies and roughly 3–6 months to implement the pilot and gather data. Ewing urged the council to reject or remove Harding's ordinance while the pilot proceeds. The plan responds to hundreds of complaints about recurring camps and accompanies other local efforts, including the sheriff’s calls for community assistance, as leaders seek a longer‑term strategy that balances public concerns and support for people living outdoors.