(Omaha, NE) -- All Legacy Crossing families now have a caseworker to help them after the apartment complex was shut down by the city of Omaha earlier this week.
In a Wednesday afternoon update, the city of Omaha announced that only 12 apartments at Legacy Crossing remain to be checked for occupants. The city says that the owner of the complex, Vukota Real Estate in Colorado, has placed the property into receivership. The local contact is now Access Commercial. The city says inspectors have asked Access Commercial to bring a locksmith to the property, located near 105th and Fort, to determine if those apartments are rented or vacant. Once that happens, the city says it will turn the property over to Access Commercial.
On Monday, Mayor Jean Stothert announced that they began evacuating residents from the 17 building complex. “Six days before Christmas makes this a very difficult decision, but we must be proactive. The residents deserve safe housing, and we must act now to prevent tragedy,“ said Mayor Stothert.
Stothert says recent code violations include no heat, collapsed ceilings, raw sewage in standing water, rodent and cockroach infestations, water damage and mold, and water-damaged electrical wiring. “These conditions are the failure of the owner to provide routine maintenance and repairs, and vandalism to vacant apartments,” said Mayor Stothert.
The city also says that Heartland Family Service has now connected with the majority of households (154). The City had originally estimated there could be 162-165 occupied apartments. City leaders say all families have a Heartland Family Services caseworker to identify long-term housing and other needs. The first three families have already moved into new, permanent housing, while 11 more are in the final stages of renting new apartments. Other residents are also in the process of renting new apartments.