Problem Statement

Lincoln does not have enough affordable rental housing for the 31,0001 households who earn less than $40,000/year, and affordable housing remains scarce all over Lancaster County. “Affordable” means the monthly rent payment amounts to 30% or less of a household’s total income. This impacts seniors with fixed incomes, families with young children, people with disabilities, people recovering from addiction and mental illness, those at risk of homelessness, people in the community who work for minimum wage, and others. If they are able to find affordable housing in Lincoln at all, people living at or below this income level are being pushed to neighborhoods that are further and further away from job opportunities and essential services like hospitals and supermarkets.

The largest provider of affordable housing in Lincoln is the private market; however, due to mounting economic pressures like higher property taxes and insurance rates, inflation, and increased labor and material costs, many “mom & pop” landlords are either forced to sell their properties to large corporations or raise rents. These rising rents have led to economic strains on tenants, with evictions in Lancaster County increasing by 40% from 2020 to 2023. In addition, service agencies like the Lincoln Housing Authority are not receiving enough aid from the state and federal government to compensate for increased demand.

Solution Statement

With the recognition that pre-eviction mediation will not solve all of Lancaster County’s affordable housing problems but that it will positively impact the housing stability of the most vulnerable among us, Justice in Action recommends the following: To increase housing stability by supporting a pre-filing eviction mediation program. Mediation serves both renters and owners by providing equal opportunities for both landlords and tenants to avoid instability and costly evictions.

Pilot Program to Launch

At our 2025 Nehemiah Action, The Mediation Center agreed to partner with Justice in Action to implement a pilot program for pre-filing eviction mediation in Lancaster County. Three local property owners have already agreed to participate in the pilot and over 20 volunteer mediators have been recruited! Sign up for more information about participating as a property owner or a mediator below. 

Read the Full Affordable Housing Research Reports

Affordable Housing Steering Committee

Rev. Kirstie Engel, First United Methodist Church-Lincoln

Father Robert Magoola, St. Mark’s on the Campus Episcopal Church

Andrew Varsanyi, South Street Temple