LINCOLN- Breaking off from the stance of his predecessor, Gov. Jim Pillen has accepted around $48 million in federal rent aid that had been set aside for Nebraska's 91 smaller, more rural counties. Previously, Gov. Ricketts had turned down the pandemic-related funding, which eventually prompted the federal government to shift the original allocation of $120 million elsewhere around the country. State officials are now set to work on building a disbursement program for the reduced funding, which is expected to begin vetting applicants by September.

"Gov. Pillen recognized that housing stability and affordability issues still exist across rural Nebraska, outside of its cities," said Laura Strimple, a Pillen spokeswoman, in a press release, "Applying for these funds will address those issues." Proponents of the rent aid were relieved and grateful following the news of Pillen's acceptance. "I'm very, very happy that we've seen the light and accepted the money," said Erin Feichtinger, policy director of the Women's Fund of Omaha, "There is a real need for housing assistance in those 91 counties."

In 2022, the funds were denied by then-Gov. Pete Ricketts, who claimed that the pandemic was over and that Nebraska should guard against becoming a "welfare state." State senators who disagreed with Ricketts' sentiment sought intervention from the full Legislature, but fell one vote short of overriding the gubernatorial veto. The Nebraska Investment Finance Authority is set to handle the distribution process of the newly-accepted funding.

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