March 21, 2025 • 32 mins
Kirt Trivedi owns several hotel and apartment buildings downtown, and has watched Omaha's homeless community get larger and more dangerous over the years.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Scott VORGIEZ, I'm so happy to have in the studio
right now a local business property owner. If you've had
family and friends come into town for all the basketball
games last year, the baseball games every summer, or just
come visit us, or maybe you've taken a staycation, you
probably stayed in one of his properties, and he joins
(00:21):
us now. Kurt Trevetti is here on news Radio eleven
ten KFA being Kurt. Thank you so much for doing this,
Thank you for having me. We could talk at length
about all of your different properties and the property management
and how you got to do all this, and I
think we'll maybe address a little bit of that. But
as I've been saying here throughout the morning, as a
business owner, especially centered mostly around downtown Omaha, you like
(00:45):
being downtown, but some of the element down there is
getting to be worse and worse, and I keep phraising
it as indecent exposure and knife fights. Do you want
to go into detail about what it is that the
problem is downtown, what you're seeing.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
The problem has been growing for over a decade and
I've been trying to get as vocal as possible to
put attention on this matter. For quite some time. We're
in a fortunate situation. We're in the Midwest. We can
learn from the East and West coast and the other
Tier one markets.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
You said, you said, we're in a fortunate situation.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
We are extremely fortunate because we can learn these issues
have been going on for decades before it came to Omaha.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
In other larger markets.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
We can see what they've done, what works, what doesn't work,
and if we can just have a little bit of
humility and just implement what works into Omaha.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
If you're looking for a little bit of humility, you're
on the wrong radio. And the problem we're talking about.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Is the homeless population, and not all of them. No,
the effect of inconsistent law enforcement and also other items
will get into which creates public safety issues, major public
safety issues within the downtown district and it has spread
(02:06):
out west. As Sheriff Hansen said many times.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, you you say, will inconsistent law enforcement. Law enforcement
will say we don't really have the ability to do
anything as someone it's just homeless. But when it gets
into the problems that you're singing in decent exposure, threats,
a knife fight, you know, that kind of thing. When
you see these things come up here and your customers
(02:32):
at your businesses, and we'll talk more about your businesses
here in a bit. Do you tend to recognize the
same people doing the same things over and over again.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
When it comes to the downtown are absolutely And I
want to clarify one item. Law enforcement themselves is not
the issue. They are phenomenal. But the problem is law
enforcement is the reaction, and that's just how they're designed.
Let's prevent it before it occurs. And when law enforcement
does get involved, it's not the office themselves that are
(03:01):
not doing the equal enforcement. You can easily tell they
have gotten messages from above to to treat law abiding
citizens differently than criminal activity by the homeless that has
been evident for over a decade. Explain, for example, when
(03:22):
we have situations and you're gonna ask me about those
particular situations, and we call law enforcement, it's already after
the fact, the damage is done. Very rarely do they
ever get arrested. Very rarely do they ever are do
they go to the source of the problem. How do
you know that I've been a business owner downtown Oma
(03:44):
for twenty years.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
So someone comes along, he's exposing himself to kids in
the lobby of your hotel. The police go up and say, hey,
put that away and then leave.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yes, And they say they create a problem. Do a
bandon bar. So we are hospitality operators. We are not
professionally trained people when it comes to handling dangerous activity
by the homeless population or any other criminal. And so
they're saying, well, do a bandon bar doing this? How
many times can we do that after the fact?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
All right?
Speaker 1 (04:16):
So bandon barr means that you just when you see
this person come in there, you're supposed to say, Nope,
not you, you got to leave.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And we fill out a piece of paper, we send
it to the police apartment. That does nothing. All right,
let's done nothing.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Let's talk timeline here. So you own a series of
properties downtown, including some very very nice hotels.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
What do you run?
Speaker 2 (04:39):
We own and operate the Holiday and Water Park by
the ballpark, the Nickel Flax apartments by the ballpark, the
Holiday and Express at twenty fourth in Farnum, the Boutique
Hotel Even Hotel at twenty fourth in Farnum, and the
Hutmobile apartments in office right by twenty fourth and Farnam.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Very very nice properties.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
You've got people coming in town or any number of
things to see our world famous zoo, to see our baseball,
or like I said, we had March madness here in town,
staycation a year ago, staycations, whatever the case is, you've
got and I've done. I know that there are a
lot of families who, especially a couple of days ago,
we start getting a blizzard here in town, they just
(05:19):
take their kids and say, well, we don't have power,
We're gonna go stay at one of Kurt's places. We
go stay at the Holiday in water Park, and we
do a little staycation here in town and give the
kids a little vacation here on spring break. So I'm
sure that you've had all this going on. So you
got these families from wherever it is they come, they're
down there, they're checking into your hotel, they're going to
get their Continental breakfast or whatever. And there's a guy
(05:42):
who just wanders in off the streets, smells looks terrible,
and he's exposing himself. What are your employees supposed to
do about this?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
What I tell my employees is first and foremost, their
safety and the guest safety is paramount. Do not compromise
number two, I cannot pay you enough to be superman.
Do not engage. Immediately call the police. Obviously, try a
diplomatic request for them to leave. Rarely ever works. It
(06:13):
actually aggravates the issue much worse with the very simple
police can you leave? And they call, and we asked
them to call the police, and if it's a dangerous situation,
pick everyone in the back, just lock yourself in a room,
but please call the police.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
So you've seen the police show up, they talk to
you host daily. Yeah, and you say, the police say, look,
we didn't see it, so we can't do anything. But
you've got cameras in the lobby. Can't you say, here's
a security camera of this guy doing this.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
The security up, Sorry, the law enforcement of downtown Omar
are very familiar with our security systems. We just say
go ahead and get access and so forth. Now they
do a very good job. They do look at the
video and so forth. But the fact that they're not
catching it live while it's occurring, that's one problem. Number
two is this whole process of well, the hotel needs
(07:07):
to put in an abandoned bar form and that by
that process is done, we already have homeless people can
I just give you some examples. Please, defecating in the
middle of our lobby in a room full of parents
and kids.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
And that's not allowed right, not at your place.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
No, I would request if they use a toilet in
a private area. Another one is masturbating in public view.
They'll try they sneak in, and we found ways to
now credit limit this. They would sneak in and try
to find the view of young children and women and
just start masturbating. Then several occasions, very a lot of
(07:45):
different people just flashing. They'll find ways to sneak in
and they'll just flash people. About a year ago or
a little over a year ago, we had a pregnant
general manager. She's a tough woman and I'm very proud
of her. But she was going to a car after
her shift and she was slammed up against the wall
by a homeless person. And she was tough, so she
(08:07):
fought it off. That was another incident. We had a
knife fight in the middle of our lobby. Ones blood everywhere,
broken windows is a daily occurrence. People sneaking into our
public bathrooms, passing out high and drunk in the stalls.
This is a normal conversation. Urinating in the lobby. We've
(08:29):
seen that running up and down on the halls naked.
So what we have done to counter this is all
of our restrooms now have access codes. All of our
ATMs are now put behind locked doors. Our doors are
locked very early in the evening. You can't get up
in the upper floors without security keys. I feel bad
(08:49):
being a hospitality and being in the hospitality industry and
I have to treat my guests as if they're in jail.
Everything is. It's not fluid for them. They're trying to
come there for a good time.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Coming out and talking about this is I know some
people think that this is very brave. Some people probably
think this is very stupid. And I'm gonna tell you
why I say that here. As we continue our conversation
with Kurt Trevetti, He's got a series of downtown properties,
whether it's an apartment complex, the loft properties, the holiday
(09:21):
inns downtown. Based on what he's seen, We've got a
whole lot more to talk about. We'll do that next.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
Scott voices News Radio eleven to ten Kaby.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
A dangerous element of homelessness and lawlessness in downtown Omaha
and Kurt Trevetti knows that better than most. If if
if you've stayed, or if you've family or friends stay
in downtown Omaha, or you've got friends that live in
some of the great loft departments and apartment living downtown,
(09:52):
you probably stayed in his place Holiday Inns, for example.
That's Kurt Trevetti in downtown Omaha, and he's described a
situation where on a daily occurrence, you're having to call
the police. Yes, and you admit that that there's not
so much that they can do in all these different instances,
and you've had to go through a bunch of security measures. Now,
(10:12):
I said a moment ago that there are some people
listening to this thinking you're very brave for coming out
and talking about all this, and others who think that
it's incredibly stupid, because aren't you concerned by going out
to the media and saying, yeah, every single day at
my properties we've had knife fights and defecation on the
floor and in decent exposure and all the rest of
(10:34):
this stuff. Aren't you concerned this is going to make
your places maybe a little less desirable for people to
stay at.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
No, because we are taking the steps as business.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Owners and get a little closer to the microphone so
we can hear you.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
There, there you go.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Perfect, No, because as business owners, we are addressing it
at a very high cost to ourselves with security, with
limited restrictions and so forth. This is everyone in downtown. Yeah,
it's not just my business. You come out and say
this happening here. It's not like if you go a
couple of blocks away it's totally fine. No, no, no,
how come I don't hear any other business owners out
(11:09):
there saying what you're saying fear of what a certain
group of a certain demographic will respond to. I've been
saying this as loud as I can for the last
ten years. I've been called every name in the book,
a fear monger and so forth. But if they took
the time to hear my discussion, they would understand. We
are not anti homeless. Homeless is not an individual problem.
(11:34):
It is a Omaha problem. We are all responsible for
the solution. It is a real issue. Mental health is
a real issue. Drug abuse is a real issue. I'm
not against any of that. Facilities like Open Door Mission,
Cianna Francis, all of these organizations. Their mission is so
(11:54):
sincere and wonderful. But some of them are very effective
where they exist and not having a negative effect to
their community, and others are not. And there's a very
big difference on how they operate that leads to that
positive and or negative result.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Everyone has driven around town and they've seen a random
person here there panhandling or walking around. And I mean
everyone here in Omaha has seen that. My wife, I mean,
she's not from here, but we've lived here now for
over eighteen years. And it was a couple of weekends ago,
we're downtown for an event and we were just north
(12:31):
of Coming Street and I told her, I said, when
we're going to drive by the street, when you look
down that street, You've never seen this. I've never taken
her on this tour of Omaha. And she looked down
this street near twenty some whatever and coming and just
the tents and the people and those passed out on
(12:53):
the streets and so forth. It's crazy. And if you
just stay on some of the main streets in Omaha,
you don't see that.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
There are three situate times where you will not see this.
One is during CWS, two during Berkshire, and three when
I make enough complaints and copy enough people on my
emails that'll go and clean it up. But then it
goes back to normal.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Various city officials law enforcement officials have said, we're trying
to do the best we can here. What would you
think that the City of Omaha needs to do to
do a better job with it?
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Two simple things, And I've been saying it repeatedly. It's
not going to count. It's not going to cost the
city any extra money. One enforce the law equally for all.
If I'm sitting there and walk into a lobby, pull
down my pants and just defek into the lobby, I'm
in jail. And I'm telling you the legal recourse after
(13:53):
that will follow me for years. That doesn't happen with
the homeless population. That's crazy, not at all. We know
them all by first names.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
We I mean it.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
It's that sad number two. As a business owner or
a homeowner, we are responsible for our if influence and
effect to our neighboring community. We are If I constantly
overserve someone at my bar and we constantly see rex
and public endangerment around my facility, I'm in trouble.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
How Like your license taken away and this happens, and.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
It happens outside of my four walls, but I am
the source of it. How many nightclubs has Omaha shut
down because of their negative impact to the community?
Speaker 1 (14:38):
One?
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Many, oh many, Yes, if.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
You go back to here in the last couple of months,
I know there's one in particular.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Omaha has closed many of those places. So, when the
private sector and or business community has a responsibility that
is enforced by law on how they impact the community,
these homeless shelters and these nonprofits should be held to
the same standard. And I have a lot more information
on that. Their impact to the community has to be
managed by them. Now we understand that they're funded by
(15:09):
the private sector and donations. I assure you me included,
the private sector in the business community will stand up
if they take the responsibility on how they manage the
impact to the community. But for example, the Siena Francis
refuses to for the last over a decade refuses to
as well, it's outside of a four walls, we're not
going to do anything. I said about six or seven
(15:32):
years ago, before the pandemic, I went to a board
meeting at Santa Francis on this purpose. Everyone from the
city police department Sheriff's department, all the board of the
directors of for Santa Francis was there, and when I
had an opportunity to ask a question, I asked one
simple question, how much of your budget the millions you
spend every year expanding and.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
I applauded them for what they did.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
How much of your budget goes towards security for the
neighborhood because you were here and we will welcome you,
be quite in the room. And then I ask again
how much? And a gentleman speaks up, who sits on
the board of Santa Francis, Well, that's very expensive. And
I looked at him and said, that's the issue right there.
(16:14):
You spend millions, you receive millions from us, so you
guys can provide this service and improve the homeless situation
in the country, But you're not considered about even one
to five percent of that budget that we give you
to protect the environment that you're in and we are
supporting you.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
They say that if you're using, you can't be at
the Siena Francis house. That's trunk and they say, like, look,
if we find out that you're using, you're high, you're
drunk or whatever. You can't be in here, and it's
like three days or something, and so people then camp
out for two three days or whatever until they can
go back into the Sienna Francis house. That's wrong.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Well, let me clarify that first. So, first of all,
my company donates heavily to the Santa Francis. Anytime the
brand changes a brand of shampoo or this or that.
We have thousands of these things. We give it to them.
And you should see the look in these guys's eyes.
It makes them so happy. You just have the basic essentials,
and it makes me happy, and I will keep doing
it forever.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
But when you say if you're using, they don't let
you in. And so now people just kind of live outside.
They're a wet facility. So they're not a divet facility,
not what they say. They are a wet facility. I'm
there often. They don't even follow their own rules posted
on the doors. And I know this sounds very benign,
but it says, please don't smoke within twenty feet in
(17:36):
front entrance, Please don't letter.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
None of that is enforced. You go to the open
door mission.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
You don't see these issues because they are very black
and white We want to help you, but you have
to respect our facility and our rules. They don't have
the issue if Santa Francis does not enforce what they
are telling the public what their rules are.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
All I can tell you, Kurt Is that I've been
on the campus of the Open Door Mission and I
don't see the element camped out around it. I don't
see the parties during the day and the campouts during
the night around that facility. I do off of Coming
Street and just north of Coming there by the Santa
Francis House, and it's heartbreaking to see it. And I
(18:21):
thought the same thing that you did. Why is this
allowed to happen? So many people are there camping out?
They're living on private property. I don't know what there
is in terms of public property around that area, but
people and businesses have fled that area if they can,
and it's just lawless in there. I've gone and talked
(18:43):
with the people down there who I've gone on ride
alongs with Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson to talk to
these people when it's safe to do so. He gets
cursed at, spit on, yelled at you get out of here,
when you quit bothering me and share.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Henson truly cares about both sides of that equation. He's
very genuine. He is not anti homeless. That man is
really trying to help both sides of that ledger if
people actually took the time to sit and listen to him,
which I've had the pleasure of doing. His argument is
enforcement of the law and also let's help them with
(19:22):
the mental health issues.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
We talked about this a few weeks ago when it
was so icy cold, freezing thirty below wind chills, that
kind of thing, as that if someone is outside with
a gun to their head, the police can rightly say
you're a danger to yourself and others. We're dealing with it.
But if you're living outside when it's forty below zero,
I don't see where that's any different. You've got a
figurative gun to your head in this situation.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Absolutely, So.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
This is all stuff you've had to deal with as
a business owner. Can you hang out for one more
segment with me?
Speaker 3 (19:50):
All right?
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Kurt Travetti with us here He runs what a property
manager owner?
Speaker 3 (19:56):
What do I call you? I'm the president of an
hotels and we do.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Have some apartment apartments and hotels downtown in this area
we're talking about here in downtown Omaha. He's our guest
for one more segment here on news radio eleven ten
KFAB Fox News Update. Next, Scott goes, You said, I've
been calling attention to this and calling attention to it,
and there are some people who don't like what I
have to say. Who are those people who wants this
(20:22):
to happen in Omaha?
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Let me give you an example, a real life example.
I was invited by Senator McDonald and Sheriff Hansen several
months back to speak at the Capitol and testify, and
I appreciate that opportunity to do so. And Senator McKinney
was there as well, and I was sharing the same
information that I was today, And at that point it
(20:45):
was also a lot of discussion about camping out in
front of my hotels. I'm a business owner, and we
had camp I mean, they were all over our building
and so forth. And I was very passionate. And then
I asked him, because he did not like what I
was saying.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Who him?
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Senator McKinney, North Omaha Representative.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Absolutely, And I said, how would you feel? Why don't
you let them camp? In front of your home.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
This is my home.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
You know you're hurting my livelihood and he shrugged that off.
I said, what about this capitol building, Why don't we
just have them all come to the lawn here And
his answer was.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
I wish if I could. I would if I could.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
And that told me everything I needed to know. It
basically reinforces my perspective that if this issue gets resolved,
they have nothing to do, they have no job, they
don't have talking points. This can be resolved easily, like
a majority of the issues in our country or in
local politics, can be resolved very easily by doing the
(21:45):
Usually the best answer for the hardest thing is the
most simplest solution and forced the law equally. And that
does include hold everyone accountable to the impact of their community.
You do those two things, you're done.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
This has come up back and here in there's a
city elections underway here. The primary election is about a
week and a half or so away, so this is
going to be an issue. And Omaha has a homeless
services coordinator and this has popped up again here due
to some comments made by the aforementioned senator. Now my
(22:19):
oral candidate, Mike McDonald He said, this homeless services coordinator
is a DEI hire should be hired on day one.
Mayri Stouth says, Tamra Dwyer a homeless service coordinator who
has sat right here in our studio and talked with us.
She's doing a wonderful job. Have you talked with the
homeless services coordinator? Have you talked with Mayor Stothard about
this problem?
Speaker 2 (22:39):
I share all the situations that we experienced on a
regular basis with the entire council and the Mayor's office,
and Tamarra and obviously the chief of Police and Sheriff
Hanson are copied on that this is a regular thing.
Then I was having monthly meetings with Tamara. Now all
(23:03):
my comments are about to come are about the position,
not her personally. She's a wonderful person. But I was
meeting with her once a month for quite some time.
We talked about many things, and I'll go into that
here detail, but I'm telling you I stopped going to
those because there was nothing.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
The needle didn't even move a millimeter in that process.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
I got a lot of resources and I was trying
to address something for this Yena Francis because they kept
saying finances and money and this and that, even though
they are growing at millions of dollars a year and
they can use a small chunk for security like I
have to out of my budget. So I said, let's
create a district. Let's have the entire district, and let's
not go after the nonprofits or homeowners or anything like that.
(23:46):
Let's go after the business owners who make money off
this district. And let's do a small little taxi pull district.
I think they call them sids or something like that.
We got a lot of work on that done and
I want to hand it over to see it in Frances.
Now take it. You know I brought you to the water,
Now drink it. You don't, I'm giving you the money.
Let's create this district where you can afford to police
(24:08):
our neighborhood because the impact you are having to us nothing.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Why do you think that is?
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Because I'm going to have to I can't speculate, and
I have my assumptions.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Talked about this issue with Meyri Stoth before, I've talked
about it with Tamra Dwyer, the homeless Services coordinator, and
the impression I get is that we don't want this
on our streets and we're trying to figure out what
we can do about it.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Well, I'm going to have to make assumptions because no
one I've asked that question and I've never gotten a
straight answer from anyone from the city of Omaha, So
I have to assume things if I'm no one answered
my question. So funding for such organizations happens by numbers,
just like schools. So if they fix the problem, numbers
(24:52):
go down, funding goes down. That's the only thing I
can think of. You know, yes, I would to see
if Sant Francis keep growing. As long as it's creating,
it's solving the problem. But if it's not solving the problem,
then obviously that's the wrong solution. If you look at
the history of Omaha or any city that's had homeless issues,
(25:13):
the more resources and money we throw out the problem,
the bigger the problem gets. Why is no one addressing
that Now. I'm not saying stop funding it, but obviously
the way the money is being used, we're actually paying
to grow the problem. Tell me any statistics that shows
the opposite.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
You've talked with I'm sure you your counterparts who run
operate hotels properties and other communities and other downtown areas,
and who's doing it right? I'm sorry, who's doing it right?
What city can you go to and go this is
not the problem there that it is here in Omaha.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I think it's a little bit more basic than that.
It's not so much the city. Which organizations are doing
it right? And I keep repeating the same ones because
I want to use local examples. Open Door Mission, they're
doing it right. They are helping the unfortunate. The rules
are black and white, and they and they are disciplined.
(26:10):
You don't see this problem there.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
You, let's say, because you've called out the Sienna Francis
House today, and I've said I've been on both campuses,
and the problem I see in and around the Sianna
Francis House I don't see in and around the Open
Door Mission.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Most people in Omaha don't care about any of this.
They say, if Sienna Francis House starts, or if the
city police or whatever start cracking down on this, that
you're going to have some of this element start moving
out into the areas where we live. Now. Maybe they
don't know this is already the case. We've been talking
about downtown Omaha today, because you've got businesses in downtown Omaha.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
But if you go.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Into wooded areas throughout the rest of the community, underneath overpasses,
behind businesses, if there are a few trees, there are
some bushes back there, there's probably a pretty good chance
someone is or has been, or will be living back there.
I live clear out and beautiful northwest Omaha, hundred and
(27:10):
sixty eighth in Maple And the example I tell all
the time, we've each got boys who are about those
teenage years and my son came home a few years
ago and he says, we were out there playing in
the creek underneath the bridge. I said, underneath the bridge.
That's dangerous. He goes, yeah, that's what the guy living
under there said. That's just a block from our house.
I never would have thought that was the case. But
(27:33):
most people when you drive through their communities throughout Millard,
throughout Gretna, Elkhorn, Bennington area, they don't see this stuff.
And that's exactly the way they want it. So you
start cracking on downtown, it's going to start spilling out
throughout the community and then we'll have to see it
right now, only you have to deal with it. Most
people in Omaha think that's just fine with them.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
Well be patient, it's already West Omaha. Speak to Sheriff Hanson.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
It's coming to their community because now we're creating the
sense of entitlement that we have more rights as homeless
person than the irige citizen. That's exactly what it.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Is when you said that, if you go into a
business and you just drop troo and just use the
restroom right there in the lobby of that business, you're arrested.
Your face is going to be on the news. Local
business owner Kurt Trevetti just did this today. We'll probably
see the security cam footage. I'll be laughing about it
on the radio. It's gonna be on your record. Good
(28:34):
luck getting a job somewhere down. But if someone who
lives on the streets does it every single day, you
keep seeing the same people doing the same things over
and over again, and whirre two different situations being treated
so differently.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Just three days ago, me and a couple of people
from my team and we were out I believe, a
gentleman from Channel seven and we were walking around seeing
a Francis and we actually were fortunate to show him.
We know the people there now, and there's a female
that rides a bicycle. Her pimp rides a bicycle in
front of her, and she goes around soliciting, and they
happen to come right at that same time. And they
(29:12):
are soliciting people intense and this and that, and the
police drive by and they keep driving by.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Now, if I was doing that, it'd be a big problem.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Like you said, I would be all over the paper,
my career would be over, my family embarrassed. But again,
it doesn't go both ways. Another thing is Siena Francis
itself is not the issue. Again, their mission is so
sincere and it needs to continue. But let me ask
(29:45):
the board of directors if you see the conditions on
how it's impacting that neighborhood. Let me bring that to
your front yard. Let me bring that to Susie Buffett's
front yard. Who sits on the board. How will they
then react? It would be fixed immediately, So out of sight,
out of mind. This is a Omaha problem, I understand,
and I used to live in West Omaha. If you
(30:07):
don't see it, I'll worry about it.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
I just got a minute here to wrap up, and
I want to ask you this question absolutely. When you've
got people who come from outside the area, maybe people
used to live here. They come back to see family,
they stay in your hotels downtown, and they see this
happening around the property. They see these horrible things you've
been talking about inside your property until your employees are
(30:30):
trying to call the police and deal with it and
get these people out of there. And I'm sure you've
heard from customers say I want to talk to the
manager about this.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
Well, that's you.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
And how do those conversations go with people that say,
I can't believe this is what Omaha looks like.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
Two types of customers, one from the rural communities around
US I went to Braska, Kansas, and then one from
larger cities. The one from the rural communities are just like,
oh my gosh, this is what I see on the news.
And then you get people from Tierwin Market, Chicago, New York, Miami,
LA Like Omaha, this looks it's just like home. That's embarrassing.
(31:07):
That is absolutely embarrassing. All I have to do is
at to bite my tongue, swallow my pride. It's like,
I am so sorry what happened. Let me make it right.
For you, whether it's financially, whether it's another way or something.
I don't have to. I can't get into the reasons
because that's not their problem. They didn't pay me for
the whise this is happening. They're paying me for a
perfect experience.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
I don't hear you in here doing anything other than
just trying to stick up for customers who come to
my hometown and they want to have a nice experience.
And you're in the service industry. You want your employees,
you want people to live here, you want these customers
are coming from across the country to have a great experience.
And I thank you so much for that. I hope
(31:50):
that it improves. Calling attention to it, talking like we've
been doing today will certainly help. Kurt Travetti, Holiday Inns
and other properties downtown. Thank you so much for what
you're doing. Keep it up, Do not get dissuayed from something.
Don't get swayed by some of these people that want
you to stop talking. Keep it up, and you can
always come in here and talk.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
I appreciate this opportunity and thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
Scott Rooyes Mornings nine to eleven, Our News Radio eleven
ten kfab
Scott VORGIEZ, I'm so happy to have in the studio
right now a local business property owner. If you've had
family and friends come into town for all the basketball
games last year, the baseball games every summer, or just
come visit us, or maybe you've taken a staycation, you
probably stayed in one of his properties, and he joins
(00:21):
us now. Kurt Trevetti is here on news Radio eleven
ten KFA being Kurt. Thank you so much for doing this,
Thank you for having me. We could talk at length
about all of your different properties and the property management
and how you got to do all this, and I
think we'll maybe address a little bit of that. But
as I've been saying here throughout the morning, as a
business owner, especially centered mostly around downtown Omaha, you like
(00:45):
being downtown, but some of the element down there is
getting to be worse and worse, and I keep phraising
it as indecent exposure and knife fights. Do you want
to go into detail about what it is that the
problem is downtown, what you're seeing.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
The problem has been growing for over a decade and
I've been trying to get as vocal as possible to
put attention on this matter. For quite some time. We're
in a fortunate situation. We're in the Midwest. We can
learn from the East and West coast and the other
Tier one markets.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
You said, you said, we're in a fortunate situation.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
We are extremely fortunate because we can learn these issues
have been going on for decades before it came to Omaha.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
In other larger markets.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
We can see what they've done, what works, what doesn't work,
and if we can just have a little bit of
humility and just implement what works into Omaha.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
If you're looking for a little bit of humility, you're
on the wrong radio. And the problem we're talking about.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Is the homeless population, and not all of them. No,
the effect of inconsistent law enforcement and also other items
will get into which creates public safety issues, major public
safety issues within the downtown district and it has spread
(02:06):
out west. As Sheriff Hansen said many times.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, you you say, will inconsistent law enforcement. Law enforcement
will say we don't really have the ability to do
anything as someone it's just homeless. But when it gets
into the problems that you're singing in decent exposure, threats,
a knife fight, you know, that kind of thing. When
you see these things come up here and your customers
(02:32):
at your businesses, and we'll talk more about your businesses
here in a bit. Do you tend to recognize the
same people doing the same things over and over again.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
When it comes to the downtown are absolutely And I
want to clarify one item. Law enforcement themselves is not
the issue. They are phenomenal. But the problem is law
enforcement is the reaction, and that's just how they're designed.
Let's prevent it before it occurs. And when law enforcement
does get involved, it's not the office themselves that are
(03:01):
not doing the equal enforcement. You can easily tell they
have gotten messages from above to to treat law abiding
citizens differently than criminal activity by the homeless that has
been evident for over a decade. Explain, for example, when
(03:22):
we have situations and you're gonna ask me about those
particular situations, and we call law enforcement, it's already after
the fact, the damage is done. Very rarely do they
ever get arrested. Very rarely do they ever are do
they go to the source of the problem. How do
you know that I've been a business owner downtown Oma
(03:44):
for twenty years.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
So someone comes along, he's exposing himself to kids in
the lobby of your hotel. The police go up and say, hey,
put that away and then leave.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yes, And they say they create a problem. Do a
bandon bar. So we are hospitality operators. We are not
professionally trained people when it comes to handling dangerous activity
by the homeless population or any other criminal. And so
they're saying, well, do a bandon bar doing this? How
many times can we do that after the fact?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
All right?
Speaker 1 (04:16):
So bandon barr means that you just when you see
this person come in there, you're supposed to say, Nope,
not you, you got to leave.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And we fill out a piece of paper, we send
it to the police apartment. That does nothing. All right,
let's done nothing.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Let's talk timeline here. So you own a series of
properties downtown, including some very very nice hotels.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
What do you run?
Speaker 2 (04:39):
We own and operate the Holiday and Water Park by
the ballpark, the Nickel Flax apartments by the ballpark, the
Holiday and Express at twenty fourth in Farnum, the Boutique
Hotel Even Hotel at twenty fourth in Farnum, and the
Hutmobile apartments in office right by twenty fourth and Farnam.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Very very nice properties.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
You've got people coming in town or any number of
things to see our world famous zoo, to see our baseball,
or like I said, we had March madness here in town,
staycation a year ago, staycations, whatever the case is, you've
got and I've done. I know that there are a
lot of families who, especially a couple of days ago,
we start getting a blizzard here in town, they just
(05:19):
take their kids and say, well, we don't have power,
We're gonna go stay at one of Kurt's places. We
go stay at the Holiday in water Park, and we
do a little staycation here in town and give the
kids a little vacation here on spring break. So I'm
sure that you've had all this going on. So you
got these families from wherever it is they come, they're
down there, they're checking into your hotel, they're going to
get their Continental breakfast or whatever. And there's a guy
(05:42):
who just wanders in off the streets, smells looks terrible,
and he's exposing himself. What are your employees supposed to
do about this?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
What I tell my employees is first and foremost, their
safety and the guest safety is paramount. Do not compromise
number two, I cannot pay you enough to be superman.
Do not engage. Immediately call the police. Obviously, try a
diplomatic request for them to leave. Rarely ever works. It
(06:13):
actually aggravates the issue much worse with the very simple
police can you leave? And they call, and we asked
them to call the police, and if it's a dangerous situation,
pick everyone in the back, just lock yourself in a room,
but please call the police.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
So you've seen the police show up, they talk to
you host daily. Yeah, and you say, the police say, look,
we didn't see it, so we can't do anything. But
you've got cameras in the lobby. Can't you say, here's
a security camera of this guy doing this.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
The security up, Sorry, the law enforcement of downtown Omar
are very familiar with our security systems. We just say
go ahead and get access and so forth. Now they
do a very good job. They do look at the
video and so forth. But the fact that they're not
catching it live while it's occurring, that's one problem. Number
two is this whole process of well, the hotel needs
(07:07):
to put in an abandoned bar form and that by
that process is done, we already have homeless people can
I just give you some examples. Please, defecating in the
middle of our lobby in a room full of parents
and kids.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
And that's not allowed right, not at your place.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
No, I would request if they use a toilet in
a private area. Another one is masturbating in public view.
They'll try they sneak in, and we found ways to
now credit limit this. They would sneak in and try
to find the view of young children and women and
just start masturbating. Then several occasions, very a lot of
(07:45):
different people just flashing. They'll find ways to sneak in
and they'll just flash people. About a year ago or
a little over a year ago, we had a pregnant
general manager. She's a tough woman and I'm very proud
of her. But she was going to a car after
her shift and she was slammed up against the wall
by a homeless person. And she was tough, so she
(08:07):
fought it off. That was another incident. We had a
knife fight in the middle of our lobby. Ones blood everywhere,
broken windows is a daily occurrence. People sneaking into our
public bathrooms, passing out high and drunk in the stalls.
This is a normal conversation. Urinating in the lobby. We've
(08:29):
seen that running up and down on the halls naked.
So what we have done to counter this is all
of our restrooms now have access codes. All of our
ATMs are now put behind locked doors. Our doors are
locked very early in the evening. You can't get up
in the upper floors without security keys. I feel bad
(08:49):
being a hospitality and being in the hospitality industry and
I have to treat my guests as if they're in jail.
Everything is. It's not fluid for them. They're trying to
come there for a good time.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Coming out and talking about this is I know some
people think that this is very brave. Some people probably
think this is very stupid. And I'm gonna tell you
why I say that here. As we continue our conversation
with Kurt Trevetti, He's got a series of downtown properties,
whether it's an apartment complex, the loft properties, the holiday
(09:21):
inns downtown. Based on what he's seen, We've got a
whole lot more to talk about. We'll do that next.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
Scott voices News Radio eleven to ten Kaby.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
A dangerous element of homelessness and lawlessness in downtown Omaha
and Kurt Trevetti knows that better than most. If if
if you've stayed, or if you've family or friends stay
in downtown Omaha, or you've got friends that live in
some of the great loft departments and apartment living downtown,
(09:52):
you probably stayed in his place Holiday Inns, for example.
That's Kurt Trevetti in downtown Omaha, and he's described a
situation where on a daily occurrence, you're having to call
the police. Yes, and you admit that that there's not
so much that they can do in all these different instances,
and you've had to go through a bunch of security measures. Now,
(10:12):
I said a moment ago that there are some people
listening to this thinking you're very brave for coming out
and talking about all this, and others who think that
it's incredibly stupid, because aren't you concerned by going out
to the media and saying, yeah, every single day at
my properties we've had knife fights and defecation on the
floor and in decent exposure and all the rest of
(10:34):
this stuff. Aren't you concerned this is going to make
your places maybe a little less desirable for people to
stay at.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
No, because we are taking the steps as business.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Owners and get a little closer to the microphone so
we can hear you.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
There, there you go.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Perfect, No, because as business owners, we are addressing it
at a very high cost to ourselves with security, with
limited restrictions and so forth. This is everyone in downtown. Yeah,
it's not just my business. You come out and say
this happening here. It's not like if you go a
couple of blocks away it's totally fine. No, no, no,
how come I don't hear any other business owners out
(11:09):
there saying what you're saying fear of what a certain
group of a certain demographic will respond to. I've been
saying this as loud as I can for the last
ten years. I've been called every name in the book,
a fear monger and so forth. But if they took
the time to hear my discussion, they would understand. We
are not anti homeless. Homeless is not an individual problem.
(11:34):
It is a Omaha problem. We are all responsible for
the solution. It is a real issue. Mental health is
a real issue. Drug abuse is a real issue. I'm
not against any of that. Facilities like Open Door Mission,
Cianna Francis, all of these organizations. Their mission is so
(11:54):
sincere and wonderful. But some of them are very effective
where they exist and not having a negative effect to
their community, and others are not. And there's a very
big difference on how they operate that leads to that
positive and or negative result.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Everyone has driven around town and they've seen a random
person here there panhandling or walking around. And I mean
everyone here in Omaha has seen that. My wife, I mean,
she's not from here, but we've lived here now for
over eighteen years. And it was a couple of weekends ago,
we're downtown for an event and we were just north
(12:31):
of Coming Street and I told her, I said, when
we're going to drive by the street, when you look
down that street, You've never seen this. I've never taken
her on this tour of Omaha. And she looked down
this street near twenty some whatever and coming and just
the tents and the people and those passed out on
(12:53):
the streets and so forth. It's crazy. And if you
just stay on some of the main streets in Omaha,
you don't see that.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
There are three situate times where you will not see this.
One is during CWS, two during Berkshire, and three when
I make enough complaints and copy enough people on my
emails that'll go and clean it up. But then it
goes back to normal.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Various city officials law enforcement officials have said, we're trying
to do the best we can here. What would you
think that the City of Omaha needs to do to
do a better job with it?
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Two simple things, And I've been saying it repeatedly. It's
not going to count. It's not going to cost the
city any extra money. One enforce the law equally for all.
If I'm sitting there and walk into a lobby, pull
down my pants and just defek into the lobby, I'm
in jail. And I'm telling you the legal recourse after
(13:53):
that will follow me for years. That doesn't happen with
the homeless population. That's crazy, not at all. We know
them all by first names.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
We I mean it.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
It's that sad number two. As a business owner or
a homeowner, we are responsible for our if influence and
effect to our neighboring community. We are If I constantly
overserve someone at my bar and we constantly see rex
and public endangerment around my facility, I'm in trouble.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
How Like your license taken away and this happens, and.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
It happens outside of my four walls, but I am
the source of it. How many nightclubs has Omaha shut
down because of their negative impact to the community?
Speaker 1 (14:38):
One?
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Many, oh many, Yes, if.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
You go back to here in the last couple of months,
I know there's one in particular.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Omaha has closed many of those places. So, when the
private sector and or business community has a responsibility that
is enforced by law on how they impact the community,
these homeless shelters and these nonprofits should be held to
the same standard. And I have a lot more information
on that. Their impact to the community has to be
managed by them. Now we understand that they're funded by
(15:09):
the private sector and donations. I assure you me included,
the private sector in the business community will stand up
if they take the responsibility on how they manage the
impact to the community. But for example, the Siena Francis
refuses to for the last over a decade refuses to
as well, it's outside of a four walls, we're not
going to do anything. I said about six or seven
(15:32):
years ago, before the pandemic, I went to a board
meeting at Santa Francis on this purpose. Everyone from the
city police department Sheriff's department, all the board of the
directors of for Santa Francis was there, and when I
had an opportunity to ask a question, I asked one
simple question, how much of your budget the millions you
spend every year expanding and.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
I applauded them for what they did.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
How much of your budget goes towards security for the
neighborhood because you were here and we will welcome you,
be quite in the room. And then I ask again
how much? And a gentleman speaks up, who sits on
the board of Santa Francis, Well, that's very expensive. And
I looked at him and said, that's the issue right there.
(16:14):
You spend millions, you receive millions from us, so you
guys can provide this service and improve the homeless situation
in the country, But you're not considered about even one
to five percent of that budget that we give you
to protect the environment that you're in and we are
supporting you.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
They say that if you're using, you can't be at
the Siena Francis house. That's trunk and they say, like, look,
if we find out that you're using, you're high, you're
drunk or whatever. You can't be in here, and it's
like three days or something, and so people then camp
out for two three days or whatever until they can
go back into the Sienna Francis house. That's wrong.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Well, let me clarify that first. So, first of all,
my company donates heavily to the Santa Francis. Anytime the
brand changes a brand of shampoo or this or that.
We have thousands of these things. We give it to them.
And you should see the look in these guys's eyes.
It makes them so happy. You just have the basic essentials,
and it makes me happy, and I will keep doing
it forever.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
But when you say if you're using, they don't let
you in. And so now people just kind of live outside.
They're a wet facility. So they're not a divet facility,
not what they say. They are a wet facility. I'm
there often. They don't even follow their own rules posted
on the doors. And I know this sounds very benign,
but it says, please don't smoke within twenty feet in
(17:36):
front entrance, Please don't letter.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
None of that is enforced. You go to the open
door mission.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
You don't see these issues because they are very black
and white We want to help you, but you have
to respect our facility and our rules. They don't have
the issue if Santa Francis does not enforce what they
are telling the public what their rules are.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
All I can tell you, Kurt Is that I've been
on the campus of the Open Door Mission and I
don't see the element camped out around it. I don't
see the parties during the day and the campouts during
the night around that facility. I do off of Coming
Street and just north of Coming there by the Santa
Francis House, and it's heartbreaking to see it. And I
(18:21):
thought the same thing that you did. Why is this
allowed to happen? So many people are there camping out?
They're living on private property. I don't know what there
is in terms of public property around that area, but
people and businesses have fled that area if they can,
and it's just lawless in there. I've gone and talked
(18:43):
with the people down there who I've gone on ride
alongs with Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson to talk to
these people when it's safe to do so. He gets
cursed at, spit on, yelled at you get out of here,
when you quit bothering me and share.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Henson truly cares about both sides of that equation. He's
very genuine. He is not anti homeless. That man is
really trying to help both sides of that ledger if
people actually took the time to sit and listen to him,
which I've had the pleasure of doing. His argument is
enforcement of the law and also let's help them with
(19:22):
the mental health issues.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
We talked about this a few weeks ago when it
was so icy cold, freezing thirty below wind chills, that
kind of thing, as that if someone is outside with
a gun to their head, the police can rightly say
you're a danger to yourself and others. We're dealing with it.
But if you're living outside when it's forty below zero,
I don't see where that's any different. You've got a
figurative gun to your head in this situation.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Absolutely, So.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
This is all stuff you've had to deal with as
a business owner. Can you hang out for one more
segment with me?
Speaker 3 (19:50):
All right?
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Kurt Travetti with us here He runs what a property
manager owner?
Speaker 3 (19:56):
What do I call you? I'm the president of an
hotels and we do.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Have some apartment apartments and hotels downtown in this area
we're talking about here in downtown Omaha. He's our guest
for one more segment here on news radio eleven ten
KFAB Fox News Update. Next, Scott goes, You said, I've
been calling attention to this and calling attention to it,
and there are some people who don't like what I
have to say. Who are those people who wants this
(20:22):
to happen in Omaha?
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Let me give you an example, a real life example.
I was invited by Senator McDonald and Sheriff Hansen several
months back to speak at the Capitol and testify, and
I appreciate that opportunity to do so. And Senator McKinney
was there as well, and I was sharing the same
information that I was today, And at that point it
(20:45):
was also a lot of discussion about camping out in
front of my hotels. I'm a business owner, and we
had camp I mean, they were all over our building
and so forth. And I was very passionate. And then
I asked him, because he did not like what I
was saying.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Who him?
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Senator McKinney, North Omaha Representative.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Absolutely, And I said, how would you feel? Why don't
you let them camp? In front of your home.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
This is my home.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
You know you're hurting my livelihood and he shrugged that off.
I said, what about this capitol building, Why don't we
just have them all come to the lawn here And
his answer was.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
I wish if I could. I would if I could.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
And that told me everything I needed to know. It
basically reinforces my perspective that if this issue gets resolved,
they have nothing to do, they have no job, they
don't have talking points. This can be resolved easily, like
a majority of the issues in our country or in
local politics, can be resolved very easily by doing the
(21:45):
Usually the best answer for the hardest thing is the
most simplest solution and forced the law equally. And that
does include hold everyone accountable to the impact of their community.
You do those two things, you're done.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
This has come up back and here in there's a
city elections underway here. The primary election is about a
week and a half or so away, so this is
going to be an issue. And Omaha has a homeless
services coordinator and this has popped up again here due
to some comments made by the aforementioned senator. Now my
(22:19):
oral candidate, Mike McDonald He said, this homeless services coordinator
is a DEI hire should be hired on day one.
Mayri Stouth says, Tamra Dwyer a homeless service coordinator who
has sat right here in our studio and talked with us.
She's doing a wonderful job. Have you talked with the
homeless services coordinator? Have you talked with Mayor Stothard about
this problem?
Speaker 2 (22:39):
I share all the situations that we experienced on a
regular basis with the entire council and the Mayor's office,
and Tamarra and obviously the chief of Police and Sheriff
Hanson are copied on that this is a regular thing.
Then I was having monthly meetings with Tamara. Now all
(23:03):
my comments are about to come are about the position,
not her personally. She's a wonderful person. But I was
meeting with her once a month for quite some time.
We talked about many things, and I'll go into that
here detail, but I'm telling you I stopped going to
those because there was nothing.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
The needle didn't even move a millimeter in that process.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
I got a lot of resources and I was trying
to address something for this Yena Francis because they kept
saying finances and money and this and that, even though
they are growing at millions of dollars a year and
they can use a small chunk for security like I
have to out of my budget. So I said, let's
create a district. Let's have the entire district, and let's
not go after the nonprofits or homeowners or anything like that.
(23:46):
Let's go after the business owners who make money off
this district. And let's do a small little taxi pull district.
I think they call them sids or something like that.
We got a lot of work on that done and
I want to hand it over to see it in Frances.
Now take it. You know I brought you to the water,
Now drink it. You don't, I'm giving you the money.
Let's create this district where you can afford to police
(24:08):
our neighborhood because the impact you are having to us nothing.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Why do you think that is?
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Because I'm going to have to I can't speculate, and
I have my assumptions.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Talked about this issue with Meyri Stoth before, I've talked
about it with Tamra Dwyer, the homeless Services coordinator, and
the impression I get is that we don't want this
on our streets and we're trying to figure out what
we can do about it.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Well, I'm going to have to make assumptions because no
one I've asked that question and I've never gotten a
straight answer from anyone from the city of Omaha, So
I have to assume things if I'm no one answered
my question. So funding for such organizations happens by numbers,
just like schools. So if they fix the problem, numbers
(24:52):
go down, funding goes down. That's the only thing I
can think of. You know, yes, I would to see
if Sant Francis keep growing. As long as it's creating,
it's solving the problem. But if it's not solving the problem,
then obviously that's the wrong solution. If you look at
the history of Omaha or any city that's had homeless issues,
(25:13):
the more resources and money we throw out the problem,
the bigger the problem gets. Why is no one addressing
that Now. I'm not saying stop funding it, but obviously
the way the money is being used, we're actually paying
to grow the problem. Tell me any statistics that shows
the opposite.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
You've talked with I'm sure you your counterparts who run
operate hotels properties and other communities and other downtown areas,
and who's doing it right? I'm sorry, who's doing it right?
What city can you go to and go this is
not the problem there that it is here in Omaha.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I think it's a little bit more basic than that.
It's not so much the city. Which organizations are doing
it right? And I keep repeating the same ones because
I want to use local examples. Open Door Mission, they're
doing it right. They are helping the unfortunate. The rules
are black and white, and they and they are disciplined.
(26:10):
You don't see this problem there.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
You, let's say, because you've called out the Sienna Francis
House today, and I've said I've been on both campuses,
and the problem I see in and around the Sianna
Francis House I don't see in and around the Open
Door Mission.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Most people in Omaha don't care about any of this.
They say, if Sienna Francis House starts, or if the
city police or whatever start cracking down on this, that
you're going to have some of this element start moving
out into the areas where we live. Now. Maybe they
don't know this is already the case. We've been talking
about downtown Omaha today, because you've got businesses in downtown Omaha.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
But if you go.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Into wooded areas throughout the rest of the community, underneath overpasses,
behind businesses, if there are a few trees, there are
some bushes back there, there's probably a pretty good chance
someone is or has been, or will be living back there.
I live clear out and beautiful northwest Omaha, hundred and
(27:10):
sixty eighth in Maple And the example I tell all
the time, we've each got boys who are about those
teenage years and my son came home a few years
ago and he says, we were out there playing in
the creek underneath the bridge. I said, underneath the bridge.
That's dangerous. He goes, yeah, that's what the guy living
under there said. That's just a block from our house.
I never would have thought that was the case. But
(27:33):
most people when you drive through their communities throughout Millard,
throughout Gretna, Elkhorn, Bennington area, they don't see this stuff.
And that's exactly the way they want it. So you
start cracking on downtown, it's going to start spilling out
throughout the community and then we'll have to see it
right now, only you have to deal with it. Most
people in Omaha think that's just fine with them.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
Well be patient, it's already West Omaha. Speak to Sheriff Hanson.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
It's coming to their community because now we're creating the
sense of entitlement that we have more rights as homeless
person than the irige citizen. That's exactly what it.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Is when you said that, if you go into a
business and you just drop troo and just use the
restroom right there in the lobby of that business, you're arrested.
Your face is going to be on the news. Local
business owner Kurt Trevetti just did this today. We'll probably
see the security cam footage. I'll be laughing about it
on the radio. It's gonna be on your record. Good
(28:34):
luck getting a job somewhere down. But if someone who
lives on the streets does it every single day, you
keep seeing the same people doing the same things over
and over again, and whirre two different situations being treated
so differently.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Just three days ago, me and a couple of people
from my team and we were out I believe, a
gentleman from Channel seven and we were walking around seeing
a Francis and we actually were fortunate to show him.
We know the people there now, and there's a female
that rides a bicycle. Her pimp rides a bicycle in
front of her, and she goes around soliciting, and they
happen to come right at that same time. And they
(29:12):
are soliciting people intense and this and that, and the
police drive by and they keep driving by.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Now, if I was doing that, it'd be a big problem.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Like you said, I would be all over the paper,
my career would be over, my family embarrassed. But again,
it doesn't go both ways. Another thing is Siena Francis
itself is not the issue. Again, their mission is so
sincere and it needs to continue. But let me ask
(29:45):
the board of directors if you see the conditions on
how it's impacting that neighborhood. Let me bring that to
your front yard. Let me bring that to Susie Buffett's
front yard. Who sits on the board. How will they
then react? It would be fixed immediately, So out of sight,
out of mind. This is a Omaha problem, I understand,
and I used to live in West Omaha. If you
(30:07):
don't see it, I'll worry about it.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
I just got a minute here to wrap up, and
I want to ask you this question absolutely. When you've
got people who come from outside the area, maybe people
used to live here. They come back to see family,
they stay in your hotels downtown, and they see this
happening around the property. They see these horrible things you've
been talking about inside your property until your employees are
(30:30):
trying to call the police and deal with it and
get these people out of there. And I'm sure you've
heard from customers say I want to talk to the
manager about this.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
Well, that's you.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
And how do those conversations go with people that say,
I can't believe this is what Omaha looks like.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
Two types of customers, one from the rural communities around
US I went to Braska, Kansas, and then one from
larger cities. The one from the rural communities are just like,
oh my gosh, this is what I see on the news.
And then you get people from Tierwin Market, Chicago, New York, Miami,
LA Like Omaha, this looks it's just like home. That's embarrassing.
(31:07):
That is absolutely embarrassing. All I have to do is
at to bite my tongue, swallow my pride. It's like,
I am so sorry what happened. Let me make it right.
For you, whether it's financially, whether it's another way or something.
I don't have to. I can't get into the reasons
because that's not their problem. They didn't pay me for
the whise this is happening. They're paying me for a
perfect experience.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
I don't hear you in here doing anything other than
just trying to stick up for customers who come to
my hometown and they want to have a nice experience.
And you're in the service industry. You want your employees,
you want people to live here, you want these customers
are coming from across the country to have a great experience.
And I thank you so much for that. I hope
(31:50):
that it improves. Calling attention to it, talking like we've
been doing today will certainly help. Kurt Travetti, Holiday Inns
and other properties downtown. Thank you so much for what
you're doing. Keep it up, Do not get dissuayed from something.
Don't get swayed by some of these people that want
you to stop talking. Keep it up, and you can
always come in here and talk.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
I appreciate this opportunity and thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
Scott Rooyes Mornings nine to eleven, Our News Radio eleven
ten kfab
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