[Raphael07]

With development reaching northward I think it will be much better

[nephthys]

I think it will be about the same.... hopefully NoDo doesn't take it over. Sorry but id rather North O keep it's rich African American roots. Maybe it will get more tourists when the Malcolm X birthsite is completed. I think N 24th has cleaned up alot but seriously.... strip malls and silly stuff you will find in west Omaha needs to stay in west Omaha.

[Raphael07]

Of course it will keep its heritage, just like Dundee did.

[Happygolucky]

After working in North Omaha for the last 15 years I really think that things will get worse.
The reason is, you do not have the same type of economics that started the North Omaha Way of life... back in the 20's 30's and 40's meat packing plants employed the majority of the residents and you had good jobs where a man could support a family and the woman could stay home....well fare was not an issue...........fast forward 30 years those jobs are gone, well fare is a way of life (a circle of life for some), crime is getting worse and worse every year, single parent homes are the norm, School drop out rates are are getting higher, business owners are afraid to invest in the area, community leaders are not working for the people(just for themselve and ego's).

Sorry for the rant....
I know there is good in NO, but it is getting harder to see.

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by Happygolucky

After working in North Omaha for the last 15 years I really think that things will get worse.
The reason is, ..................crime is getting worse and worse every year, single parent homes are the norm, School drop out rates are are getting higher, business owners are afraid to invest in the area, community leaders are not working for the people(just for themselve and ego's)..

Nice post...

I really believe that the primary way this specific community (the NO area) will survive is for the NO community itself to rise up and take responsibility.

You say "crime is getting worse"... well when are all the good people in that area going to stand up and say enough is enough. Most neighborhoods self regulate themselves and work with the police... this neighborhood continues to hide and assumes the police can fix it all. They blame society and make it all a governmental issue. Grow up and take personal responsibility and partner with government, not depend on government.

You say "single parent homes are the norm"... well when are people going to take responsibiliity for themselves? When will the men become men and quick screwing around (literally) and abandoning their responsibilities... on the flip side when will the women become responsible and close their legs for the moment until there is a committment from the man. This neighborhood assumes they can keep up the behaviors and just make society and government responsible to solve it through social programs. Grow up and take personal responsibility and partner with government, not depend on government.

You say "School drop out rates are are getting higher"... well if the previous two things would happen then you would have a neighborhood of responsible people and intact families... but people don't see the ramifications of their selfish decisions and because of that the high school drop out becomes another societal/government problem. Grow up and take personal responsibility and partner with government, not depend on government.

You say "business owners are afraid to invest in the area"... well, "duh"... if the neighborhood cared enough to stand up to the crime issue and showed they actually cared then maybe someone outside the community would see that and care enough to invest... but if the neighborhood itself doesn't care about itself then why should an outside business person care. Grow up and take personal responsibility and partner with business, not blame business.

You say "community leaders are not working for the people"..... well where are the community leaders from that specific neighborhood community? That specific neighborhood community needs to develop some of its own leaders to become the imputus of others starting to stand up for themselves. I do disagree that the broader community leaders don't care - there is so much money in this metro area that flows into all kinds of government and private social programs to try and help that neighborhood.... Grow up and take personal responsibility and support local leaders, not depend on outside leaders.

I would love to see the likes of Bill Cosby, Justice Thomas, Herman Cain, and a few other straight talking responsible black leaders come to town and work with the neighborhood's current black leaders and successful private programs (like Chief Warren and the Urban Legue) to help that NO neighborhood begin standing up for themselves to stand up against the crime and to get the families functional and to spark some entrepenuership... Start taking personal responsibility and truly partnering with government and business instead of using and blaming government and business.

Only if the NO community stands up for itself and becomes part of the solution will the neighborhood have any hope of turning around while keeping its rich historical heritage.

[j.steimer04]

From what I have read before, Omaha is supposed to edge out Chicago as the highest populated city in the midwest within the next 50 years at the rate Omaha is growing and other cities around are shrinking.

[Raphael07]

Where did you read this?

[j.steimer04]

I came across it somewhere online, but it was like 6 months ago and I have no idea where.

[voiceofreason2]

Wow, ye of little faith. North Omaha is a great place! I have lived here 3 years now, and those of you who do not live here and keep choosing to make it something it is not is so sad. The majority of the people who live here are wonderful hard working people, and unfortunately there are a few who live down here who make the news at night for foolish things that they do.
Of course West Omaha has no crime, wife beaters, child abusers or shootings. Oh wait, the only school shooting was in Millard South, but that doesn't count. The Mall shooting at the Westroads, was something else, but oh, that kid couldn't have come from anywhere but North right?
Get real people. The 99.9% of people who live here are great people. The stereotypes must stop. What North Omaha does not have is a lot of faith, or money, as income is somewhat different over here. We need to bring more business here, and not make blighted areas elsewhere, when there are horribly blighted areas here. (Old Mill was a fantastic example of politics gone awry when big Corporations are already building.)
Also the Cross Roads and trying to add one of the wealthiest neighborhoods east of 72nd street as blighted? The City should give the breaks only to Corporations that come to the areas that are really blighted and quit masking what they think are blighted areas. One only has to drive down certain streets to know this. Unless the City keeps the favortism out of politics, North Omaha will never see what it's true potential could be. And until the average person doesn't start taking an interest in all of this, then nothing will ever change. We are a City, not just an area. Help make the City as a "whole", a better place for all. Don't let this happen again.

[voiceofreason2]

I live in North Omaha, and I am only going to touch on one of your absurd, biased opinions. Yeah, if I hear a shot outside my house, which has never happened, I am going to run outside to see what is going on and take my Smith and Wesson and blow them away. Yeah I am going to look out and risk getting myself shot because of the very few idiots out there. Give me a break. The people who know who do this are the ones involved. And it is very few of the many good people who live over here. So please, don't pretend you know everything about an area you don't even care about. When was the last time you actually came out here to see what has been done? Did you complain about Old Mill being termed as blighted, and The City actually almost had Fairacres termed blighted. Now tell me about how it is "us" that keeps this area down. Greed, politics, and negative attitudes, certainly aren't helping us down here. So until you walk the walk, don't talk the talk. We down here don't need it, or want it. Believe what you want, but you are wrong!!!