Omaha City Council Plans Review of Housing Code Rules

The Omaha City Council will consider major changes to the Nebraska city’s housing code inspection and enforcement regulations just two weeks after a fatal fire in a south Omaha boarding house killed two people.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the City Council will discuss the changes at a meeting Tuesday. The timing is coincidental, as the changes are part of a proposed settlement to a federal lawsuit that landlords filed against the city.

The proposed ordinance would establish standard procedures and deadlines for inspections, violation reports and follow-up inspections. It would also set specific deadlines for repairs based on the severity of violations.

The inspection and enforcement changes would primarily affect landlords, but would also apply to private homeowners when complaints are filed against their properties.