Omaha council to vote on 2027 budget, CIP and development

The Omaha City Council is scheduled to meet Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Legislative Chambers at 1819 Farnam Street to consider final revisions to the city’s 2027 budget, adopt the 2027–2032 Capital Improvement Program, and act on a range of public safety, housing, and development items, according to the meeting agenda.

Proposed 2027 budget revisions and adoption

Councilmembers are set to vote on a series of resolutions (2026-0699 through 2026-0706) that would revise the mayor’s recommended 2027 budget by shifting a total of several hundred thousand dollars among service programs, parks and facilities, traffic engineering, and community service programs. Individual changes include increases such as $50,000.00 for Heartland Hope Mission, $40,000.00 for Food Bank of the Heartland, $30,000.00 for Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, $25,000.00 each for the Omaha Parks Foundation and Aksarben Curling Club, and various smaller allocations for organizations including Youth Emergency Services, Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation, Nebraska Center for Workforce Development, B&B Sports Academy, North Omaha Music and Arts, Georgia's House of Hope, Blue Bucket Project, Native Omaha Days, Omaha Irish Cultural Center, and the Nebraska Lawyers Foundation-Douglas County Self-Help Legal Center. These increases would be offset largely by decreases in Other Budgetary Accounts Misc-Contingency Liability Expense or by a $40,000.00 reduction for One Omaha, the agenda states.

The council is also scheduled to consider Resolution 2026-0707, which would revise the 2027 budget by decreasing General Fund property tax revenues by $4,368,417.00 and increasing sales tax revenues by the same amount, described as a decrease in the General Fund property tax mill levy and an increase in General Fund sales tax revenue. Adoption of the full 2027 City of Omaha budget, incorporating any revisions approved at the meeting, is set for a vote under Resolution 2026-0698. The 2027–2032 Capital Improvement Program is scheduled for a separate up-or-down vote under Resolution 2026-0682.

Development and financing items

On development financing, the council is slated to hold a public hearing and vote on the 2501 Center Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Redevelopment Project Plan at 2501 Center Street (Resolution 2026-0466), which proposes demolishing two existing buildings and constructing a new apartment complex with 180 units and 18 residential townhome units, for a total of 198 affordable housing units leased to income-qualified households, with up to $3,613,528.00 in TIF. The applicant has requested postponement of that item. The council is also scheduled to consider the Drury Plaza Hotel Redevelopment Plan at 501 South 10th Street (Resolution 2026-0634), which proposes an eight-story, 210-room hotel with structured parking, meeting space, a fitness center, indoor pool, and a third-party restaurant, along with designation of the site as an Enhanced Employment Area and authorization of a general business occupation tax up to $7,550,000.00; the Planning Board and Planning Department recommend denial, and written communications both in support and in opposition are attached, according to the agenda.

Public safety and infrastructure contracts

Several public safety and infrastructure contracts are on the consent agenda for resolutions, including $75,730.24 for a replacement bullet trap at the Omaha Public Safety and Training Center (Resolution 2026-0687), $170,140.00 for concrete speed bumps at various locations (Resolution 2026-0688), $10,170,264.00 for the Compost Relocation - Phase 2 Project (Resolution 2026-0689), and $5,680,000.00 for construction of Fire Station #70 (Resolution 2026-0690). Additional items include a $239,327.60 change order for Forest Lawn Creek storm sewer work, engineering agreements for Center Street Safety Improvements, the Municipal Annual Certification of Program Compliance to the Nebraska Board of Public Roads Classifications and Standards for 2026, improvements along Blue Heron Parkway in S.I.D. #617 – Majestic 178, and purchase of three 2026 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs and two 2026 Ford Maverick XL trucks for the Omaha Police Department totaling $152,251.00.

Contracts, grants and agreements

The agenda lists public hearings and second readings for a series of ordinances involving multi-year contracts and grants. These include barricading services from Iowa Plains Signing, Inc. dba Todco (Ordinance 44793); a storm sewer maintenance agreement for Coventry South Phase 3 at 209th Street and Coventry Drive (Ordinance 44794); an increase in a food concessions contract with Cash-Wa from $95,478.36 to an estimated $300,000.00 for various parks and facilities (Ordinance 44795); a $90,807.00 contract with The Waldinger Corporation for winterization and spring turn-on of seasonal facilities (Ordinance 44796); acceptance of a $174,415.00 FY 2025 State Homeland Security Grant (Ordinance 44797); an interlocal agreement on keno lottery proceeds with Saunders County through May 14, 2031 (Ordinance 44798); a $342,228.00 STOP Violence Against Women Grant program with $269,671.00 in grant funds and $72,557.00 in matching funds (Ordinance 44799); and a $438,913.00 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Ordinance 44800).

Land use, subdivision and zoning items

Land use and subdivision items scheduled for future hearings include rezonings, overlay district expansions, plats, and subdivision agreements for projects titled Midwest Maintenance (southeast of 29th and Q streets), South Omaha Replat 36 (northwest of Missouri Avenue and 20th Street), North Streams (northeast of 202nd Avenue and N Street), and Cedarhurst of Omaha (northeast of 168th Street and Grand Avenue). The agenda also notes an assisted living special use permit request at 5117, 5123, and 5129 North 106th Street for KCBEYOND, LLC, along with related rezonings and overlay boundary changes.

Liquor licenses, school resources and property deals

• New and expanded liquor license applications are scheduled for public hearing and vote for Kidlavie at 3001 South 144th Street, Suite J09; Frozen Vines at 4849 North 90th Street, Suite A; Crystal Jade at 843 North 98th Street; and an expansion of the 879 Bar at 415 and 413 South 13th Street (Resolutions 2026-0683 through 2026-0686).
• Ordinances on first reading outline proposed agreements for school resource officers and associate school resource officers with Omaha Public Schools, Elkhorn Public Schools, Millard School District, and Westside Community Schools for the 2026–2027 school year, with reimbursement structures and estimated ranges specified in Ordinances 44805 through 44811; communications in opposition are attached for the Westside Community Schools contract.
• Ordinance 44812 would approve a gift agreement and lease agreement related to the Central Library property and facilities, and Ordinance 44813 would authorize a real estate purchase and sale agreement for city property between 16th and 17th streets and Mike Fahey and Cass streets to Builders District III, LLC for $7,820,000.00.
• The council plans an executive session under Item 78 to discuss labor negotiations, personnel matters, and litigation.
• A pre-council meeting is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. the same day in the Jesse Lowe Conference Room to discuss agenda items and receive departmental updates; members of the public will have one minute to speak about items being considered at the 2:00 p.m. meeting.

This brief was generated from a public document. Source: https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-content/uploads/images/2026-08-25a4.pdf