Friends of Refugees

A U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program Watchdog Group

Archive for the ‘Omaha’ Category

Omaha officials crack down on slumlords who endanger refugees & other low-income residents

Posted by Christopher Coen on October 26, 2011

Slumlord

Omaha elected officials have finally had it with the 4,000+ unresolved code violation cases in the city involving substandard living conditions that endanger low-income, immigrant and refugee populations. Certain landlords – the slumlords – have been ignoring violation notices and failing to make repairs. An article in the Omaha World-Herald tells more:

An alliance of Omaha churches and community groups celebrated Tuesday after the City Council unanimously approved measures to increase fees for city building permits and inspections.

The council’s action, proponents said, helps end a years-long battle to better enforce building code violations that blight neighborhoods and endanger tenants…

…About 30 members of the group Omaha Together One Community filled part of the council chambers as seven of its members testified in favor of the amendments.

Rundown properties damage neighborhood property values and attract crime, they said. They argued that code violations create substandard living conditions that endanger low-income residents or immigrant and refugee populations.

“We know that many owners respond by fixing the problem. Our concern is with those who do not,” said OTOC member Susan Kuhlmann of Omaha.

“They ignore the (violation) notice and fail to make the repairs. Despite any follow-up city reinspections, there is no additional fee. So what’s the incentive to repair the property?”…

…Rick Cunningham, city planning director, said the higher fees were needed for his department to better cover inspection costs and promote more fee collections from property owners who ignore them…

…Cunningham said there are more than 4,000 unresolved code violation cases in the city… Read more here

Posted in housing, housing, substandard, Omaha, reform, safety | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Somali Bantu refugees in Omaha decry lack of police action after assaults

Posted by Christopher Coen on January 31, 2011

More than 100 Somali Bantu refugees in Omaha did a sit-in protest at their public housing office to complain about the lack of security at their housing complex as well as a lack of action by police. The refugees report that they are regularly beaten by nearby residents of another apartment, and police have failed to follow-up on the matter. A story in the Omaha World-Herald details more about the protest.

Refugees from war-torn Somalia and their families packed a South Omaha public housing office Tuesday morning to plead for protection after a recent series of assaults and incidents.

The two-hour protest by more than 100 people at the office of South Side Terrace drew Omaha Housing Authority officials, a police officer and eventually City Councilman Ben Gray of the OHA board.

Mohamed Hassan, director of the Somali Bantu Association of Nebraska, urged the people to protest because they were frustrated with what they said was a slow response from authorities…

…“(The refugees) come from work, they are beaten,” Hassan said. “They came from school, they are beaten. There is no safety and security. We came here for peace. We did not come here to fight.”

He and witnesses said people have seen the attackers run out of a South Side apartment and beat people, then run back in. They said they’ve told police, but officers haven’t followed up.

Omaha Police Department Capt. Kathy Belcastro-Gonzalez called the reports concerning, saying police would meet with the residents, OHA and the schools “to ensure that we are responding appropriately.”… Read more here

Posted in dangerous neighborhoods, housing, Omaha, police, safety, Somali Bantu | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

What’s going on with Sudanese youth?

Posted by Christopher Coen on December 7, 2010

There is an interesting article in the Alternet about the Sudanese community in Nebraska. This is the single largest group of former Sudanese refugees in the US. Many of the Sudanese youth are fighting and joining gangs. Reasons for this disturbing trend include their families’ migration from a homeland in conflict, a difficult to adapt to (completely different from their own) US culture, parents who no longer discipline their children due to US laws against beating children, to youth dropping out of school after schools place them in grades way above their education level. In addition this second generation of immigrants has learned English much more rapidly than their parents and are able to manipulate their parents’ interaction with other members of the community, such as school officials and the police.

..early 8,000 miles away from the violence in Darfur [and southern Sudan], Sudanese residents of Omaha are experiencing their own share of turbulence in this unassuming Midwestern city. And they’re fed up with it…

…Bruce Ferrell, a retired Omaha police officer, is the chairman of the Midwest Gang Investigators Association estimates that there are three Sudanese gangs in Omaha right now (More claims there are fourteen.) Ferrell said the first gangs in Omaha began in 2004–MJ, a Nuer acronym for “Dog Pussy,” and Afrikan Pride. Others followed, like MOB, GBLOCK, 402 (the area code for eastern Nebraska), South Sudan Soldiers, and TripSet. Gang members are mostly Nuer and Dinka, and, predictably, live in low-income neighborhoods. They are the children of refugees or are refugees themselves, coming from camps in Ethiopia, Egypt, and beyond, but ending up adrift in the middle of America…

…”They’re doing graffiti, they’re wearing colors, they’re identifying by specific group names, they’re participating in crimes that are against rival Sudanese gangs. We’re seeing that more [in the past year].”… Read more here

I think what is good about South Sudanese is that they have a strong identity and pride in their culture. Sometimes pride can also be a downfall – for us all – as in the old proverb “pride does often go before the fall”, but I think what’s happening here is a generation who doesn’t yet know who they are. Are they South Sudanese or America? Trapped between? Its a hard road to travel.

Posted in alienation-isolation, Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, men, mental health, Nebraska, Omaha, police, school for refugee children, South Sudanese, suicide, teenagers, teens, young adults | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

 
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