Groundbreaking Date Set for Aging-Ready Small Homes in Omaha, Nebraska

Two innovative OurStory home designs are coming to life on a 4,770-square-foot residential lot in the heart of Omaha, Nebraska’s historic Benson neighborhood. The homes are designed to meet the needs of an aging population, while also appealing to younger, first-time buyers. Groundbreaking for the homes will be held 10 a.m. Monday, June 2 at 5804 Corby St.

Omaha is facing a housing crisis. Douglas County needs roughly 100,000 new homes by 2050, with nearly 32% for older adults, according to a recent assessment prepared by ECOnorthwest for AARP Nebraska. Many older adults will be on fixed incomes, needing smaller, affordable homes that don’t exist today. The OurStory project — a joint venture led by Partners for Livable Omaha (Livable Omaha) and the UNL College of Architecture FACT studio — is creating that market.

Key benefits of the homes include:

• Designed for real life — Accessible, durable, low-maintenance and stylish
• Long-term savings — Energy-efficient technologies help minimize energy waste and are better for the environment. By using less energy, owners enjoy lower utility bills
• Future-proof — All-electric, high-performance and designed for changing weather risks. Easy to adapt the home to meet the lifestyle and accommodation needs of occupants at all stages of life
• Radically efficient — Prefab SIPs panels cut build time by 55%, cost less and outperform traditional framing
• Customizable — A catalog of adaptable designs for single-lot infill housing, ADUs, cottage courts and cluster developments is under development.

“Older adults living in Omaha’s established neighborhoods urgently need new housing options for aging in place,” said Jessica Scheuerman, executive director of Livable Omaha. “At the same time, many younger, first-time buyers are priced out of the same market.”

Both demographics are looking for affordable, sustainable and flexible options. OurStory is answering that call with a design for aging in place, rapid construction and seamless integration into Omaha’s existing neighborhoods.

“We’re not just designing homes — we’re creating a system. A smarter way to build that’s adaptable, affordable and built for life’s changing needs,” said Scheuerman. Read the full story here.