Nebraska Commission on Housing and Homelessness Presents 2026 Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund Awards

Two projects honored for using State housing funds to change lives and transform communities

The Nebraska Commission on Housing and Homelessness (NCHH) has announced two recipients of the 2026 Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund (NAHTF) Award. The annual award was established in 2018 to recognize organizations and projects that have leveraged Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Funds to create high-quality, affordable housing.

This year’s honorees are Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, Inc. and the Village of Bertrand.

“In rural and urban communities across Nebraska, there is a concerted effort to increase the availability of affordable housing," said Maureen Larsen, director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED). “Thank you to the housing development organizations, municipalities, and other partners who are collaborating with the State to create high-quality housing. In particular, congratulations to Habitat Omaha and the Village of Bertrand on their award-winning achievements!”

Administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, the NAHTF is one of Nebraska’s largest annual resources for affordable housing development. Since 1996, the program has supported the construction or rehabilitation of thousands of homes throughout the state, while assisting nonprofits and local governments in their mission to address housing needs.

DED announced the most recent round of NAHTF recipients in September 2025. The agency awarded $9.9 million to assist 17 housing projects throughout Nebraska. The funding will support the construction of more than 296 housing units.

This year’s NAHTF awards celebrate projects undertaken with program awards made by DED in 2021 and 2022. Award-winning NAHTF organizations were announced in Lincoln during the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority’s Innovation Expo housing conference. Ashley Milner with REMAX Concepts and NCHH Commissioner Judy Pederson were on hand to present the awards.

About the 2026 NAHTF Awardees:

The Village of Bertrand received a NAHTF award of $525,000 in 2022. Using the funds, the village transformed a former mobile home park into Bertrand’s first new housing development since 2008. Completed in May 2024, the single-story building includes five, 950-square-foot units, each with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a combined kitchen/living area, and full-size laundry. The design meets Nebraska Fair Housing Act requirements, including accessible doorways, adaptable controls and switches, and reinforced bathroom walls for future grab bar installation.

All units were leased by June 2024, serving a mix of young professionals entering the workforce and retirees downsizing from single-family homes. The project transformed an abandoned site into a high-quality asset that now provides five households with affordable, modern homes. This thoughtful approach demonstrates how small communities can creatively repurpose existing land, stretch limited resources, and deliver impactful housing solutions.

Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, Inc. (HFHO) received a NAHTF award in the amount of $820,000 in 2023, supplemented with a cash match of $300,000, to construct 10 of the 85 affordable homes within the Bluestem Prairie development. HFHO’s Bluestem Prairie project revitalized the long-vacant and condemned site of the former Wintergreen Apartments in North Omaha, located near 51st Street and Sorensen Parkway, into 85 newly built affordable homes with shared amenities, modern floor plans, and multigenerational designs.

All Bluestem Prairie homes are being sold to first-time homeowners earning 80% or less of the area’s median income. With support from the State through the NAHTF and Middle Income Workforce Housing Fund, as well as from many private funders, Bluestem Prairie has now become a reality after being in the works for more than five years. Bluestem Prairie is home to a diverse group of families with different backgrounds, sizes, and dreams to make their own impact on the Omaha community. Along with the 85 new affordable homes, the neighborhood’s revitalized Myott Park includes a new playground, outdoor sports courts, walking and biking trails, and park benches to enjoy the new landscaping. Bluestem Prairie is not just a development, it is a community of families realizing the dream of homeownership in a historically underinvested area of Omaha.