Nebraska Rent Relief: What Closed, What Is Left, and How Evictions Work

How Nebraska rent relief programs ended

Nebraska ran its pandemic rent help in several separate pieces, and each one ended on its own schedule.

• The first state program. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) ran the first round of ERA for counties outside Douglas and Lancaster. The governor's office set a final application date of September 9, 2022, and the state declined the second round of federal money at that time.
• The second round. Nebraska later accepted second-round ERA funds, and NIFA ran that program. NIFA's Emergency Rental Assistance page now says the program has closed and all funds have been distributed.
• Lincoln. The city ran its own ERA program. The city's housing and utility assistance page says the money was spent by June 2025 and the last day to apply was June 15, 2025.
• Omaha. Omaha also received its own federal allocation. Like every ERA program, it could not continue past the federal deadline.

The U.S. Treasury's ERA page confirms that the last federal period of performance ended September 30, 2025. In other words, no Nebraska ERA program can reopen. If a website or caller offers to "get you approved" for Nebraska ERA for a fee, it is a scam.

NIFA now points renters to Nebraska.FindHelp.com, a ZIP code search for rent, utility, and food programs. It is a good second search after 211.

Lincoln and Lancaster County help

When its ERA program closed, the City of Lincoln published a list of local agencies that still help with housing costs. Here is what the city's page says each one offers:

The Community Action Partnership is also the non-legal partner of the Tenant Assistance Project. The project lists its tenant support line as 402-875-9354. Start there if you have a court date in Lancaster County and need help finding money to catch up.

Two other city offices matter if your problem is the unit itself. The Lincoln Commission on Human Rights takes housing discrimination reports at 402-441-7624, and the Department of Building and Safety takes housing code complaints at 402-441-7521. Nebraska law bars a landlord from raising your rent, cutting services, or threatening eviction to punish you for reporting a code violation.

Omaha and Douglas County help

Omaha has more agencies than any other part of the state, but no single rent fund. These are the main doors:

• 211. United Way of the Midlands runs 211 for Nebraska. Dial 2-1-1 or 866-813-1731, text your ZIP code to 898211, or use live chat from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Ask for "rent assistance," "eviction prevention," and "utility assistance" separately.
• Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership (ENCAP). The community action agency for Douglas and Sarpy counties. It helps families in crisis and runs food programs, including the Bellevue pantry. Ask what emergency help is open this month.
• Douglas County General Assistance. Nebraska counties must help residents with very low income who have no other source. Ask the county what its current rent limits and rules are.
• Charities. The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities both serve Omaha. Use the Salvation Army location finder and the Catholic Charities USA help finder. Our guide to Catholic Charities rent assistance covers what to bring.

Charity help usually covers part of one month. Tell each group what others have pledged, and ask them to pay the landlord together so the full balance is cleared.

Greater Nebraska and statewide options

Outside the two big counties, help is thinner, but it reaches every county:

• Community action agencies. A network of community action agencies covers every Nebraska county. Ask 211 which one serves your county, and ask that agency about emergency rent and deposit help.
• County general assistance. Rules and amounts differ in every county. Call the county board office and ask how to apply.
• Rural Response Hotline. Farm and ranch families can call 1-800-464-0258, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., for financial, legal, and mental health referrals.
• DHHS benefits. SNAP, ADC cash, and LIHEAP energy help do not pay rent, but they free up cash for it. Our Nebraska hardship program guide covers iServe applications and how those programs work.

LIHEAP follows federal rules nationwide: income up to 150% of poverty or 60% of state median income, and crisis help within 48 hours, or 18 hours if a life is at risk. If you have a shutoff notice, say so when you apply.

Vouchers and long-term rent help

If rent is too high for your income month after month, a Housing Choice Voucher or public housing can cap your share at about 30% of income. Expect a wait. The Omaha Housing Authority handles public housing intake and Section 8 at its central office, 1823 Harney Street, with the intake entrance at the back of the building. Lincoln and many other Nebraska cities have their own housing authorities; ask 211 or HUD which one serves your town.

Apply to every list that is open near you. Keep your contact details current with each one, because housing authorities drop people they cannot reach. Our guide to tenant-based rental assistance explains how vouchers and similar programs work.

Nebraska notice periods

Nebraska's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act sets the notices a landlord must give before filing an eviction. Legal Aid of Nebraska's 2025 Landlord and Tenant Handbook summarizes them this way:

The notice must be in writing and state that the tenancy is ending, why, and how many days you have. A notice is not an eviction. You do not have to leave when you receive it, but you should act during the notice period. Legal Aid suggests asking for a repayment plan in writing, for example paying an extra $100 a month for three months on a $300 balance, and keeping a record of every offer you make.

The handbook also explains that notices can be sent electronically only when the lease clearly says so and both sides agreed. Otherwise, expect a paper notice by hand or mail, and send your own letters to the landlord on paper, keeping a copy.

From complaint to sheriff: the court timeline

If the notice runs out, the landlord files a complaint for "restitution of premises" in county court. The handbook lays out what happens next:

1. Hearing date. The court sets a hearing 10 to 14 days after the complaint is filed (Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 76-1441, 76-1446).
2. Papers. A sheriff or constable hands you the summons and complaint or leaves them at your door.
3. Answer. You may file a written answer on or before the hearing date. The Nebraska Judicial Branch has a general denial answer form, and your county court clerk may have one too. Even without a written answer, you can tell your side at the hearing.
4. The hearing. Be early. If you are not in the courtroom when the case is called, the judge can enter a default judgment against you.
5. Judgment. If the landlord wins, the landlord can ask for an order directing the sheriff or constable to remove you within 10 days. Removal can happen the next day or any time in that window (§ 76-1446).
6. Appeal. You have 30 days to appeal to district court. The handbook says the sheriff cannot remove you during the appeal if you pay the court the money you owe and then pay each month's rent to the court (§ 76-1447).

Common defenses listed in the handbook include a missing or incomplete notice, waiver (for example, the landlord signing a new rental agreement after the notice), discrimination, and retaliation. A landlord who changes the locks or shuts off your water, gas, or electricity without a court order may owe you damages.

Deposits. A security deposit cannot be more than one month's rent, plus a pet deposit of up to a quarter of a month's rent. After you move out and give your new address, the landlord has 14 days to return the deposit or send a written list of deductions (§ 76-1416).

Mediation centers by region

Mediation is a private meeting where a neutral person helps you and your landlord reach your own agreement, such as a payment plan or more time to move. Legal Aid's handbook notes that a judge or landlord may suggest mediation on the hearing day. You do not have to agree to anything, and you keep your right to a hearing. If you do sign an agreement, the judge reads it in court and both sides must follow it.

You can also contact a center before a case is filed. The Nebraska Office of Dispute Resolution approves six mediation centers, each covering part of the state:

Ask the center whether it handles landlord and tenant disputes, what it charges, and whether it can meet before your court date.

Legal Aid and the Tenant Assistance Project

Legal Aid of Nebraska lists eviction, illegal lockouts and utility shutoffs, unsafe conditions, security deposits, and Section 8 terminations among the housing problems it handles. Its call for help page says the online application is unavailable right now, so apply by phone:

• Statewide AccessLine: 1-877-250-2016, Monday and Wednesday 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday 1 to 3 p.m. (Central Time). Spanish is available.
• ElderAccessLine (age 60 and over): 1-800-527-7249, weekdays, in all 93 counties.
• Native American AccessLine: 1-800-729-9908.

In Lancaster County, the Tenant Assistance Project (TAP) offers free, limited-scope representation on the day of the eviction hearing to tenants earning up to 80% of area median income. Eviction hearings there are usually held Monday through Thursday mornings at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30. TAP's help is limited to the eviction part of the case and the hearing day itself, so call Legal Aid for anything beyond that.

If an eviction does end up on your record, see our guide to second chance apartments that accept evictions before you apply for a new place.

Related guides

• Nebraska hardship program
• Kansas rent relief
• Iowa rent relief
• North Dakota rent relief

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Program funding and court rules change, so confirm details with the agency, the court clerk, or a lawyer before you act. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with NIFA, DHHS, the City of Lincoln, or any government agency.