Mayor Ewing cuts the ribbon at the OurStory houses

On Monday, September 14, 2026 Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. cut the ribbon marking the completion (almost…) of the first two OurStory houses in Omaha. Also speaking at the event were District 1 City Council member Pete Festersen, AARP Nebraska State Director Todd Stubbendieck, University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Architecture Dean Kevin Van Den Wymellenberg.

The OurStory initiative responds to the question, “how do we want to live as we age?” OurStory Small Houses is a system of aging-ready homes for Omaha that approaches affordability at the intersection of design, finance, and policy. OurStory houses meet the needs of an aging population with a design aesthetic that is also appealing to first-time buyers. Designed by FACT with Actual Architecture Co. as architect of record and led by Partners for Livable Omaha, the creator and manager of FACT’s Omaha Mobile Stage, OurStory reimagines the single-family house to fill the gap in the local market for constructible and financeable designs. Variations on the OurStory prototype can function as standalone small homes, accessory dwelling units to existing homes, or as part of dense cottage courts and cluster communities using community land trusts or other innovative land tenancy regimes. The all-electric, space efficient concept features design innovations including structural insulated panels (walls and roof) and prefabricated components to reduce construction time, boost building energy efficiency, and realize affordability.

The ribbon cutting represented the substantial completion of the first two houses, Corby & Benson. More houses and the OurStory catalog will be released later in 2026.