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Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, Inc.
3040 Lake Street Omaha, NE 68111
124 S. 24th Street, Ste 230 Omaha, NE 68102
https://www.onelfs.org/; https://salembc.org/; https://urbanleagueneb.org/
https://www.facebook.com/OneLFS, https://www.facebook.com/urbanleagueneb/, https://www.instagram.com/urbanleagueneb/, https://www.facebook.com/salembcomaha/
Chris Tonniges
Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, President and CEO
Chris.Tonniges@onelfs.org
+1 (402) 979-5533
Yes
Union at Lake Street Agency Team -Lutheran Family Services (LFS), Salem Baptist Church, and Urban League of Nebraska have formed a collaborative vision “Union at Lake Street” for consideration of funding under LB1024. Chris Tonniges President & CEO, LFS Chris serves LFS both in a leadership capacity and as a former client who has adopted three children from the Agency. Prior to joining LFS, Chris enjoyed a 22+ year career in banking serving in roles supporting investment, lending, sales, and management. This background positions Chris well to lead from a different perspective through LFS's Striving to Thriving Housing Program. Mosah Fernandez Goodman COO & VP of Legal, LFS Mosah serves LFS as COO & VP of Legal, overseeing all operational facets of the Agency, including Legal, I.T., H.R., Quality Improvement, and Facilities. Mosah came to LFS after serving at several organizations, including serving as one of the key contributors in the development of the Gavilon headquarters in downtown Omaha. Amy Finnegan Carolus CFO, LFS Amy serves LFS as CFO overseeing all financial‐related functions, including Accounting, FP&A, Billing, and Investments. Amy came to LFS after serving at several nonprofit organizations and brings a wealth of knowledge about Health and Human Services finances and program-supportive housing development and management. Donna Magnuson Chief Program Officer, LFS Donna serves LFS as CPO overseeing all programs and related services. Donna came to LFS having served as an executive leader across multiple organizations and has a 30+ year history of working with and for marginalized populations. Her record of developing and maintaining programming will be vital to the successful outcomes of the populations served. Wayne Brown, J.D. President and Chief Executive Officer, Urban League of Nebraska Recently named CEO, Mr. Brown has served as the Vice President of ULN Programs for the past four years. In this role he had primary responsibility for managing Urban League of Nebraska's programming in Education and Youth Development as well as Employment and Career Services. Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus Senior Pastor, Salem Baptist Church Pastor Bachus received a BS in Elementary Education from Emporia State University, Master of Divinity from the School of Theology of Virginia Union University - Magna Cum Laude, and the Doctorate of Ministry from the United Theological Seminary of Dayton, Ohio. Pastor Bachus was recognized as a top 20 young pastors to watch in the nation by the African-American Pulpit Journal (Summer 2005) and will celebrate his 12th Anniversary as Senior Pastor of Salem and 32 years of preaching. Consultants and Development Expertise LFS has formed partnerships with property development experts who will serve as the consultants for each element of the Union at Lake Street. Sam Hurley, CPA - CFO, Annex Sam Hurley serves as the CFO for The Annex Group and is an Indiana licensed CPA who brings vast public accounting and real estate knowledge to the role. Hurley plays a key role in standardizing accounting procedures, outlining best practices, deal structure and sourcing financing. Prior to joining The Annex Group, Hurley served as a senior financial analyst for a multi‐family housing developer and a real estate tax consultant. Ryan Clark - VP of Development, Annex As VP of Development, Ryan Clark leads the development effort for new student, workforce, and affordable housing opportunities within The Annex Group long term strategy. Ryan has over a decade of experience in the real estate development industry including multi‐family, healthcare, implementation of tax abatements and establishment of TIF districts. Patrick Falke - Co-Founder & Principal, Attego Group Patrick and the Attego Group, provide owner representation and project management to nonprofit organizations pursuing capital expansion. With over 25 years of experience, Attego provides a positive experience, through fairness, equity, and collaboration.
The organizational charts of Lutheran Family Services, Salem Baptist Church, and Urban League of Nebraska are attached to show the leadership structure within each agency. Also attached is a Board of Directors list for Lutheran Family Services and Urban League of Nebraska.
Lutheran Family Services (LFS) is a state-wide organization serving individuals in over 18 locations across Nebraska and Southwest Iowa, located in urban and rural communities. Clients served come from all levels of society and income levels. The emphasis for clients served is on those who are at or below the poverty level. Special populations served by LFS include refugees and immigrants, military and veterans, seniors, and both children and adults that carry a behavioral or mental health diagnoses. LFS is an experienced provider of health and wellness services, including coordinated behavioral health care, broad spectrum of mental health and substance use services, including crisis response, county corrections, and specialty court engagement. LFS facilitates a Center for Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), ensuring that all clients are provided information and opportunity to receive services across the comprehensive programs available at LFS and partners like Urban League of Nebraska (ULN). In 2022, LFS was awarded $8 million in SAMHSA grants to continue CCBHC-Lincoln and add a CCBHC in Fremont, NE. LFS has extensive experience resettling refugees into Nebraska. Resettlement services use person-centric approach that assist families in working toward self-sufficiency including short- and long-term case management and employment services; working with employable adults to find that first job in the US regardless of English level. Most closely related to this application, LFS is responsible for assisting newcomers in securing affordable housing, so individuals and families get a fresh start in a new home. LFS has a long history of collaborative development of programs and services, including an existing partnership with the ULN and a long history of owning property serving the client populations. Through owned property or partnership housing LFS has served its populations for over 40 years, assisting in the acquisition of safe and affordable housing for clients. The project proposed is a culmination of LFS programs, ULN Programs, and Salem Baptist food pantry to solve within a single location for almost all needs. Urban League of Nebraska was founded in 1927, and immediately started transforming lives. In the 1930s, the group focused on domestic and common labor employment opportunities. In 1946, efforts shifted to helping integrate union groups, promoting new housing construction for the African American community, and helping pass the open-occupancy law. Due in part to ULN efforts in the 1950s and 60s, the Omaha Housing Authority ended racial segregation in its low-rent federally subsidized public housing and agreed to a proposal of 700 new units. Major accomplishments in the 1960s and 70s included a push to hire more African American teachers in the Omaha Public Schools resulting in more teachers receiving an upgraded status to teach at the middle school and high school levels. Since the beginning, ULN has remained driven to help create meaningful employment for minorities. That determination helped drive the job landscape in Omaha forever and, in the 1980s, resulted in African Americans getting jobs as cab drivers, salesmen, elevator operators, in utility companies, and more. ULN continues to build a resilient North Omaha community by helping clients navigate their challenges and negotiate solutions through strategic partnerships. Salem Baptist Church has been a thriving congregation and source of community fellowship, education, and support for 100 years. Originally established at 26th and Franklin, the government slummed the area in 1935. Salem Baptist anticipated this and purchased and built a frame structure at 2741 Decatur. In 1941, the fellowship grew from 250 to over 1,000 and by 1971, they raised $380,000 to build a new church. Growth and engagement continue, leading to the current location with capacity of 1,300. Their strength in developing fellowship, capital, and construction is key for the project.
Union at Lake Street
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Capital project
The Union at Lake Street is a vision for block development at 30th and Lake, which would include: affordable and desirable multi-unit housing units; a new and expanded space for programs serving the community ranging from basic needs to services supporting the abundance of the North Omaha neighborhoods and communities; and a new and improved food pantry, anchored by retail space for local and small businesses to start or grow. The three-fold project is the combined vision of Urban League, Salem Baptist Church, and Lutheran Family Services. This unique and collaborative plan leverages the trio of agencies' equity in land, expertise in delivering holistic human services, and position in the community with the tremendous funding opportunity through the Omaha Economic Recovery to meet the whole person needs of the community long ignored. The Union at Lake Street is collectively requesting approximately $51.3 million in funding from the OER to support the development of three properties: LFS – affordable multi-family housing structure of approximately 150 units; Urban League of Nebraska – redesigned and expanded program space with the addition of 25,000 square feet of street-level retail space; Salem Baptist Church – renovation of their current food pantry, over 10,000 square feet which will include the repurposes of unused space for the benefit of the community. These properties and renovations will be controlled and operated by their respective agencies or through a collaborative partnership Their use, position, proximity to each other, and other resources will intentionally overlap to provide the community with services from basic needs and health services to personal growth and business opportunities to community and entertainment. The collaboration and execution of the three projects display partnership for a result that no one agency can do alone. The project will consolidate resources to construct and plan with the outcome of transformational and fundamental change rippling to long-lasting economic growth and a thriving community. If the full grant request is awarded, the project can be completed in an estimated 30 months to include final design and construction.
The project scope is estimated to have a 6-month Development period with 24 months of construction for completion within 30 months of the start date of the project.
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Fundamental Change (i.e., a proposal that will continue to elevate North or South Omaha's presence and perception within the region, significantly improving the lives of area residents through physical development) Long-Lasting Economic Growth (i.e., a proposal that will foster gainful employment opportunities and financial investment in the area, leading to the creation of generational wealth and widespread economic vitality in North and South Omaha) Transformational (i.e., a proposal that will help energize, recharge, or spur significant and favorable advancements in North or South Omaha's function or appearance)
Other Infrastructure (i.e., develop or improve broadband, business districts, roadways, sewer, etc.) Quality of Life (i.e., create or enhance natural spaces, mixed uses, parks, safety, etc.) Sustainable Community (i.e., create or enhance housing, services, education, civic uses, recreation, etc.)
Salem Baptist Church, ULN, and LFS are experiencing increased growth in recent years. As a team, each agency will build a block where the community can access services, be empowered, and assist in building community with the social and economic profit being reinvested locally. Through years of partnership, the Union at Lake Street will leverage each other strengths and resources to create a unique collaboration and block development, producing a more significant impact as a whole than separate, individual projects. Starting with Salem Baptist, the funds will renovate the current 10,000-square-foot food pantry. As this vision continues to sharpen, the second-floor space of the building can be designed for expanded use as a complement to the surrounding developments as this project takes the area from two anchor agencies to a vibrant community business and service district. Salem Baptist owns the large parcel as well as adjacent lots, which are currently vacant. As part of the Union at Lake Street partnership, LFS would build new multi-family housing, estimating 150 units of affordable and desirable mixed-income housing based on the LFS Striving to Thriving Affordable Housing Program. Through unique program design, LFS partners with a like-minded development firm, in this case, Annex, to build well-designed homes that are desirable and attainable for families and individuals below, at, and above the median income level. LFS has designed a tool for each development to draw mixed-income tenants as a sustainable model. The long-term benefit of LFS's nonprofit status allows revenue from rental units to be reinvested into the community by funding future programming and/or additional housing units. The final piece is the growth and renovation of the current ULN office. ULN has envisioned expanding its existing office space for almost ten years by adding additional stories for programs and office space for ULN activities, with the street level designed for retail use. We have included rendering from the earlier stages of the expansion in 2015. Most recently, in updating the community with this new vision, there is already interest from local and small businesses moving into those spaces to provide the current and future residences with potential private clinics, restaurants, a coffee shop, bowling, event space, and more. These retail bays could also serve as small business incubators. Urban League of Nebraska will use their expanded office space to grow the Financial Empowerment Center, which focuses major outcomes on homeownership and business ownership.
Union at Lake Street is the culmination of over 100 years of serving and growing services by listening to the needs of the clients and communities members of North Omaha. Inherently, the design, goals, and benefits of the Union at Lake Street collaboration align with the findings of the Visioning Workshop. Real Estate Market, Housing, Land Use: LFS has developed a Striving to Thriving program, which is designed for immediate impact to individuals by constructing and bringing affordable, quality housing units online. This directly addresses the decreasing rate of multi-family units identified as a weakness and opportunity from the North Omaha Visioning workshop. Depending on the level of funding available to the project other benefits to residents and the community can or will include: free or reduced internet, community space for not only the three agencies to access but also a meeting room or resource for the community, and additional retail/office space to drive economic activity in North Omaha. Further, Salem Baptist Church, Food Pantry, and Urban League are beacons in the community, and along 30th Street, the location contains vacant parcels. The Union at Lake Street would follow the SWOT opportunity of creating mixed-use, and increased office and commercial use of this vacant land. The greatest need identified for North Omaha in the Visioning Workshop were uses which include general business, office, and civic and cultural. ULN's expansion will create space for these types of usage with the unique bonus to attract, and focus on filling these bays with local, small, first-time, Black-owned, basic needs, general business, or retail value. From this funding request, Urban League of Nebraska would own and operate street-level retail or office bays without debt. Further investing LB 1024 money in the community and seeing the outcomes of a one-time investment continue to grow, generate, and benefit the communities and families of North Omaha. Connectivity: Urban at Lake Street will be within walking distance/on-campus access to housing, LFS, and ULN’s services, and the Salem Food Pantry. LFS's programs will be delivered from the ULN building. LFS, ULN, and Salem Baptist Church will be intertwined for mutual agency and community benefits, providing a net of community support that for whole person self-sufficiency leading to generational and transformation change. The location would also put the new residence within walking distance or short public transit to Charles Drew Health Center, grocery and pharmacy, and schools. The other renovations create opportunities for entertainment and attraction to bring new money into the community and help erase the still visible markers of the division of North Omaha and other Omaha communities. Transformative Economic Growth: External and remote land and ownership were identified as a threat, and recycling of economic investment into the community as a weakness in the North Omaha SWOT. A May 2022 reported a private Ohio company purchased 66% of the homes sold in North Omaha to operate as rentals but evicted current tenants then raised rent. This caused harm to the generations of Black families and community members.Union at Lake Street will positively impact North Omaha via the funding tool that allows LFS to construct such a building in the first place. LFS can leverage grant funding and private donations while using other financial tools to catalyze targeted development in various state programs. The units are designed to fit the community's needs through mixed-income rental units so those who live at or below poverty levels have the same access to units desired by those who can afford market-rate new rental, inducing enough revenue to reinvest for the long-term benefit of North Omaha.Thus, directly benefiting our local community rather than pricing out our neighbors and pocketing the cash.
LFS's proposal aligns with the strategic priorities of LB 1024. The Union at Lake Street will be located at the block of 3040 Lake Street and 3120 Lake Street within the Qualified Census Tracts identified by the Treasury department eligible for the use of funds. The COVID-19 pandemic, as recognized by LFS and the Federal and Nebraska legislature, caused widespread economic, social, and public health-related turmoil, which deepened existing disparities disproportionally felt in North Omaha. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the persistent harm caused by redlining. Without a place to live and meaningful employment, thriving and self-sufficiency are hard to obtain. Without access to employment, or employment that provides meaningful income, basic needs for individuals and families become out of reach. Without a safe home and financial stability, achieving physical or mental health is nearly impossible. LFS has recognized this through our expertise in delivering human services for 130 years via mental and behavioral health, family support, and refugee and immigration resettlement services. The Union at Lake Street will directly improve the LB1024 priority of economic recovery of North Omaha by focusing on housing needs as guided and prescribed by the North Omaha Community. Workforce and Community Health: Found in the Visioning Workshop and general local and national history, North Omaha has been disproportionally harmed by societal and systemic racism felt in the economy, housing market, and access to health care. Through the Social Determinants of Health, the Union at Lake Street partners understand that for individuals and families to experience transformational change, they need specific interventions for access to health care and basic needs, but also investment and opportunity to thrive in all aspects of life. Specifically, all three Union at Lake Street partners can provide access and connections to basic needs. Specific access to mental health resources was an opportunity and one that LFS can help fill through the expanded space of Urban League of Nebraska. LFS has been cultivating program expanding funding to bring more clinical and support services in behavioral health to North Omaha, and the only thing holding back growth is the space to place staff and clients. Also in the expanded office will be Urban League's career path programming and education for youth, mentorship, and the implementation of the Financial Empowerment Center. The goal of this programming aligns with reducing the threat of income disparity by seizing the opportunity to create career pathways on an individual level and growth education and access for those in the community to start and grow businesses.
By the nature of the construction and renovation projects at the heart of the proposal, there will be an increased need to hire subcontractors to complete the design. It is the intent and vision of this project to hire not just local subcontractors, but priority and emphasis will be put on hiring subcontractors that live or own businesses with the projects or nearby Qualified Census Tract to ensure when and where possible the LB 1024 funds of the program are being kept in the communities intended to benefit from the special funding.
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Through the development of street-level retail in the Urban League of Nebraska's building, there will be an ongoing opportunity for small businesses to start or grow and benefit from Urban League of Nebraska's Financial Empowerment Center.
The Union at Lake Street will improve the local neighborhood by creating an attractive micro community with affordable housing, access to community programs and services, nearby healthcare and access to basic needs, and a place to invest individual dollars in their community. Rather than traveling to already thriving neighborhoods to gather and entertain. This will all take place by developing the largely vacant parcels at 30th and Lake Streets.
The Union at Lake Street will improve the quality of life through safe, affordable, and attractive housing that can be accessed by those who are in need of safe and affordable units and those who might otherwise have to move out of their long-time neighborhood to choose a new apartment close to businesses and entertainment. Additionally, the services delivered at the Urban League of Nebraska office, by ULN and LFS, are designed with the long-term outcome of client-directed empowerment and thriving. Designing these developments for the neighborhood to live and thrive will uplift the entire area and community. To not only keep the neighborhood's dollars in the neighborhood but by attracting other Omaha residents to frequent and spend their business and entertainment dollars and injecting more dollars to the local and small businesses envisioned by the project.
The project and collaboration is a unique concept; the housing piece is a creative solution to available and sustainable housing for those living below the poverty level and those who are financially stable yet looking for the benefits of brand-new construction and apartments. One shouldn't have to move out of their community to obtain safe, affordable, or desirable housing that supports their basic needs, community, and entertainment. (Included in the attachments is a copy of the LFS Striving to Thriving model for a Sarpy County Proposal. Although the Union at Lake would be designed and built to suit the community and neighborhood's unique needs and landscape, the overall funding and delivery structure would be similar). Urban League of Nebraska's expansion and additional retail, community, and office space would allow for the drive and decision to lease those spaces to be innovative. Rather than driven solely by profit or revenue as a traditional developer, Urban League of Nebraska would be able to make intentional choices and marketing. For example, the focus could be access and entry to business space and opportunities to local, small, and/or first business owners. Additionally, some space could be utilized to incubate small businesses in tandem with the expansion of their Financial Empowerment Center. Building proximity to those that need it most, the collaboration will also allow those individuals to receive the most basic needs: sense of community, food security, attainable housing, economic empowerment and educational opportunities. While not certainly new this collaborative effort will remove barriers to access and provide for the expansion of services to more people in the area.
As the Union at Lake Street vision progresses into a reality, independently and together, the partnering agencies will develop metrics for short and long-term outputs that can measure the project's outcomes, impact, and success.
Undecided at this time.
Initial investment and outcomes will be vital in the continual investment for future projects like this in North Omaha and other Qualified Census Tracts.
Yes
Lutheran Family Services, the Urban League of Nebraska and Salem Baptist Church will all partner to design and construct the Union at Lake Street for the community. Urban League of Nebraska and Salem Baptist have been formal and informal partners in the community as long-term neighbors serving the community with aligned missions. LFS has partnered with ULN for over 20 years to allow LFS office space within the ULN office on Lake Street. LFS delivers behavioral health, and community-based family services, and both parties are excited to grow this partnership for the benefit of the community served. The Union at Lake Street has also communicated with Charles Drew Health Center, which will seek its own funding through LB 1024. Charles Drew Health Center and the Union at Lake Street agencies see the value in each other's projects and services and look to provide continued support and partnership.
There are current formal agreements between Urban League of Nebraska and Lutheran Family Service (LFS); LFS and Annex Development; and LFS and Attego Group.
No
The physical location is the land between Lake and Ohio streets on the north and south and bordered by 30th and 32nd streets to the east and west. Urban League of Nebraska is located at 3040 Lake Street with Salem Food Pantry west on the block at 3120 Lake Street Omaha, NE 68111. Currently, on the block are two lots not directly owned or known to be owned by ULN or Salem Baptist. As part of due diligence and formal planning, the project partners would consider impacts made to all surrounding conditions to ensure the program only benefits from start to finish.
Within one or more QCTs
Yes
Yes
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here is a current formal partnership with Annex, a development partner. Based on high level assumptions use square foot and estimated unit could Annex provided the estimated project costs.
No
The dollar amount requested is the entire estimation of developing the land, new construction, and renovation to completion of the food pantry building, Urban League office expansion for more program space with added retail space on the first/street level, and the new multi-family 150-unit building for LFS. The respective agencies already own the land and buildings, and as the project progresses, the budget may be adjusted. In the attachments is the current estimated proforma for the project. As the project and formal plans for each structure are designed, the Union and Lake Street project can better define exact cost estimates for the project. Current approximations are based on estimated square footage, 55,000 total square feet by current proposed use, office, retail, and food pantry. The developer and the project partners understand that this is preliminary and as we continue to refine the project a substantial drill down of feasibility and retail/commercial and number of units. Most of the land is zoned commercial or limited commercial.
The Union at Lake Street request would fully support all costs from design through construction completion of the renovations and new builds. The LB1024 would be allocated to costs of or like costs in the attached proforma. Should the minimum funding be awarded, the LB1024 would be the jump start funds that allow access to pursue other financing options where available.
Yes
If the proposal is awarded the full request, once construction is complete on the project, the proposal becomes self-sufficient and/or sustained in operations through the current development plans. Fully funding the proposals allows each entity to operate without debt, and each agency's expertise and direction of leadership and board of directors can put revenue and income directly towards funding programs and services for the community. The multi-family homes and retail space respective to LFS and Urban League can become revenue-generating equity owned and operated by nonprofits. Therefore, the income will provide a more sustainable nonprofit structure recycling the revenue back into the community and/or the ability to offer both housing and retail/small business space at a lower than market rate to provide access to a safe home and business prosperity.
There are no currently identified pending or secured funding sources for this project; however, there is a significant contribution to the project via the land value. Partners in the project currently own all of the land proposed in the project.
There are no other pending sources of funding. There is potential for other financing options to support the project however, capital from a grant would still be needed.
In order for the Union at Lake Street project to continue a minimum of $12 million in LB 1024 funding would be required. Of which $7,000,000would ensure the renovation and expansion of the food pantry and Urban League of Nebraska office/program and retail space in full. LFS would require at least $5,000,000 to continue the multi-family home development. In order to complete the housing building in full, LFS look for, pursue, and secure other funding sources. Options to consider would be Conventional Debt Financing, in which case the developer would seek conventional debt financing in accordance with reasonable market terms, anticipated to be 75% to 80% Loan to Cost, Loan to Value, or the lesser of both; Low‐Income Housing Tax Credit financing and/or raising additional funds through LFS and our Real Estate Investment Fund. Other avenues of funding, while a potential, may also add project cost or extend the completion date of the housing units.
To leverage the efficiency of this project all three structure would ideally be completed within the same timeline. However, as the specifics of the project move forward, the Union at Lake Street would be open to further discussion with the Special Committee, grant review, or other community partners that would allow the project to be subdivided.
Salem Baptist Church and Urban League of Nebraska will be contributing fiscally to the proposal through the value of the land used in the project. Lutheran Family Services is contributing fiscally through the use of its currently held contract and internal resources to leading group funding, development, and execution. Further, should the full award not be received LFS would reduce their award share to the minimum need to secure other financing such as LIHTC or 501(c)3 bonds where available and applicable to ensure Salem Baptist and Urban League projects were fully supported.
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Additional Location Documents (see application for list) Organizational Chart Plans and detailed descriptions, including pictures and a map of the site location/surrounding area Pro Forma