Omaha Land Bank Introduces New Ambassador Program
The Omaha Municipal Land Bank recently launched a new program aimed at helping to get the word out about its efforts and recruit future board members.
The Land Bank Ambassador program was announced at the Sept. 8 meeting of the agency’s board of directors.
The land bank’s board members are appointed by the mayor, but its small staff is asked to help identify qualified candidates — which can pose a challenge.
“Outreach is an issue for us,” Executive Director Shannon Snow said. “Our hope is we can create some friends that know what we do and spread our mission and diversify our board in the process.”
Snow said the land bank’s staff are looking for geographic, district and ethnic backgrounds.
The technical requirements of serving on the land bank board require volunteers who meet professional requirements outlined by state law and city ordinance and who are familiar with be practices. The agency is also seeking to ensure it is prioritizing the needs of residents in traditionally redlined and low-income communities.
“This program is one of a few like it in the country that is really aimed at board diversity and shaking that up,” Snow said.
The yearlong program runs through July 2022, and the inaugural class of ambassadors will help bring in the next class.
“We are going to educate them so they can help educate the rest of the community,” Snow said.
Sessions will focus on topics such as Omaha Municipal Land Bank operations, including acquisitions and dispositions; an introduction to the public process; affordable housing policy considerations; understanding tax lien certificates and the foreclosure process; and training on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Ambassador Jewel Rodgers, who represents District 2, said it was important for her to apply because it prepares her for future contribution to the land bank. She earned her master’s degree in real estate development with a concentration on sustainability from New York University before returning to Omaha.
“The program was recommended to me because of my interest in real estate development and my commitment to the Omaha community,” Rodgers said. “The land bank needs qualified applicants to contribute to their board and in some cases that requires specialized training in housing-specific diversity, equity and inclusion. So, this was a way to ensure that I was prepared for what the future might bring.”
Rodgers, who has previously purchased property from the land bank, said some of the agency’s goals include growing its social media presence, establishing new relationships with organizations that share the land bank’s mission and increasing community participation in land bank events.
“All of those goals require not only great communication but deep connections with diverse groups of people,” she said. “That’s something I think I can contribute to.”
Many ambassadors also work in commercial lending, banking, real estate development and realty, or have gone through specialized training, such as Spark CDI’s Developer Academy.
Rodgers said the Omaha Municipal Land Bank can help community-focused residents and small developers reshape their communities by providing access to land and resources that one may not have access to otherwise.
“The band dank model drastically cuts down land costs and prioritizes resident-buyers, which, on a larger scale, contributes to closing the wealth gap,” she said. “In addition, when given to the right people, this access can aid folks who want to help provide quality affordable housing, safe and engaging entertainment, or inclusive community spaces.”
Learn more about the land bank at omahalandbank.org.
Members of the 2021-22 Ambassador Program class are:
• Clarice Jackson, Voice Advocacy Center (District 1)
• Courtney Vaughn, Mutual of Omaha (District 1)
• Katie Kresha, City Sprouts (District 1)
• Nichelle Horton-Brown, Endeveren Family Medicine LLC (District 1)
• Gwendolyn Knave, TD Ameritrade (District 2)
• Jewel Rodgers, Noddle Companies (District 2)
• Tanesha Burns, Greater Tomorrows/Lincoln Financial Group (District 2)
• Tiba Brown, ExNihilo Development LLC (District 2)
• Traéa Bowden, Omaha Housing Authority (District 2)
• Andrew Wesely, Ayars & Ayars Inc. (District 3)
• Angel Starks, Team Locale with Nebraska Realty (District 3)
• Jennifer Bauer, Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. (IPG) (District 3)
• Tamara Dwyer, MACCH (District 4)
• Zach Reinhardt, Burlington Capital (District 4)
• Joe Zadina, Lamp Rynearson (District 5)
• Isaiah Ang, Farm Credit Services of America (District 6)
• Barbra Dohmen, TitleCore National (District 7)
• Roman Dimaksyan, RabFak Construction (District 7)
• Autumn Evans, City of Omaha (Outside City Limits)
• Melissa Glenn, First Nebraska Bank (Outside City Limits)
• Shane Stratman, Security National Bank (Outside City Limits)
User login
Omaha Daily Record
The Daily Record
222 South 72nd Street, Suite 302
Omaha, Nebraska
68114
United States
Tele (402) 345-1303
Fax (402) 345-2351