Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert addressed the topic of homelessness after a tent went up in flames in the Old Market. A man barely escaped the fire near 13th and Howard Wednesday night.It’s the same encampment neighbors voiced their concerns about last week.KETV Newswatch 7 caught up with Stothert after her town hall Thursday night. She said the city’s goal is to prevent homelessness and find shelter for people without it.”A lot was caught on camera. The fire department and police department are investigating that, and I hope we get to the bottom of that,” Stothert said about the fire.The site of the fire left behind a shopping cart, a charred chair and ashes. “What happened last night, if anybody intentionally caused a fire or set fire to someone homeless, that’s a tragic situation that I feel terrible about and it should not have happened,” Stothert said.Tamara Dwyer, the city’s homeless services coordinator, said she’s received several reports about the encampment. “What we do typically is we go directly out to that location and talk to the people that are unsheltered, because that’s really the focus is we want to connect with the people that are unsheltered on the streets and figure out what we can do,” Dwyer said.Rob Mattea lives nearby. He said he knew about someone living by where he parked his truck, which is now damaged by Wednesday night’s flames.”I talked to the city office, the mayor’s office about it. They said they look into it,” he said.The mayor said the city won’t be able to comment on Mattea’s complaints until the investigation is over. But she said the topic of homelessness is complex and that the city is listening.”You can’t just bring a shovel out there and move them because they’re going to go somewhere else. You’ve got to take care of these people that are unsheltered and find out what can we do to help,” Stothert said. Stothert estimates there are about 60 encampments in Omaha. She said she does not want to criminalize homelessness but to get unhoused people the help they need. The Omaha Downtown Improvement District has resources for people experiencing homelessness here. Get the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert addressed the topic of homelessness after a tent went up in flames in the Old Market. A man barely escaped the fire near 13th and Howard Wednesday night.
It’s the same encampment neighbors voiced their concerns about last week.
KETV Newswatch 7 caught up with Stothert after her town hall Thursday night. She said the city’s goal is to prevent homelessness and find shelter for people without it.
“A lot was caught on camera. The fire department and police department are investigating that, and I hope we get to the bottom of that,” Stothert said about the fire.
The site of the fire left behind a shopping cart, a charred chair and ashes.
“What happened last night, if anybody intentionally caused a fire or set fire to someone homeless, that’s a tragic situation that I feel terrible about and it should not have happened,” Stothert said.
Tamara Dwyer, the city’s homeless services coordinator, said she’s received several reports about the encampment.
“What we do typically is we go directly out to that location and talk to the people that are unsheltered, because that’s really the focus is we want to connect with the people that are unsheltered on the streets and figure out what we can do,” Dwyer said.
Rob Mattea lives nearby. He said he knew about someone living by where he parked his truck, which is now damaged by Wednesday night’s flames.
“I talked to the city office, the mayor’s office about it. They said they look into it,” he said.
The mayor said the city won’t be able to comment on Mattea’s complaints until the investigation is over. But she said the topic of homelessness is complex and that the city is listening.
“You can’t just bring a shovel out there and move them because they’re going to go somewhere else. You’ve got to take care of these people that are unsheltered and find out what can we do to help,” Stothert said.
Stothert estimates there are about 60 encampments in Omaha. She said she does not want to criminalize homelessness but to get unhoused people the help they need.
The Omaha Downtown Improvement District has resources for people experiencing homelessness here.
Get the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
