LINCOLN- The Nebraska Legislature gets a “low” score for progress so far this year on improving affordable housing options, State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha said Wednesday during an annual housing justice and lobbying event that drew about 100 advocates to the Unicameral. “We are not keeping up,” Vargas said, adding that Iowa spends twice as much as Nebraska on affordable housing.

Carol Bodeen, director of policy for the Nebraska Housing Developers Association, was among others who offered a grim update: “We do feel concern.” Their remarks come on the heels of a recent survey in which state legislators boosted affordable housing to among the top two priorities warranting action, said Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, who chairs the Legislature’s Planning Committee.

Affordable housing, as defined by the federal government, is that in which the occupant is paying no more than 30% of gross income for housing costs, including utilities. Bodeen and others told the group that the increased cost to build new homes, low inventory of existing homes and out-of-state investors scooping up used houses to rent have put homeownership out of the reach of many Nebraska families.

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