Hosted by Partners for Livable Omaha, this free, 40-minute webinar will explore the policy, design, and finance considerations that shape whether backyard cottage ADUs can become a more practical housing option. The conversation will unpack what it takes to create small housing that is feasible, well-designed, neighborhood-compatible, and responsive to local housing needs.
Backyard cottage accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, offer a practical way to create smaller, more flexible housing options within existing neighborhoods. These small homes can support a range of needs, including housing for older adults, caregivers, adult children, multigenerational households, and renters seeking lower-cost options.
The webinar will feature perspectives from city planning, architecture and design, and community lending, with a moderated discussion focused on practical next steps.
Who Should Attend
This webinar is designed for homeowners, builders, lenders, housing nonprofits, neighborhood leaders, civic partners, designers, developers, funders, aging-services advocates, caregiver organizations, and community members interested in small housing, ADUs, and lower-cost housing options in existing neighborhoods.
Speakers
Jessica Scheuerman,
Moderator
Founder and Executive Director, Partners for Livable Omaha
Jessica Scheuerman is Founder and Executive Director of Partners for Livable Omaha, where she leads OurStory Small Houses and related efforts to advance small, aging-ready, energy-efficient housing in existing neighborhoods. She will moderate the webinar, guiding the conversation across policy, design, and finance. Her background spans placemaking, community development, aging in place, workforce development, and nonprofit leadership.
Eric Englund
Deputy Planning Director, City of Omaha Planning Department
Eric Englund is Deputy Planning Director for the City of Omaha Planning Department, where he works on housing, development, and long-range planning issues. Since joining the City in 2007, Eric has helped advance local planning efforts related to affordable housing, development proposals, Omaha’s Affordable Housing Action Plan, and the We Make Omaha comprehensive plan update.
Jeffrey L. Day, FAIA
Partner, Actual Architecture Company
Professor of Architecture & Landscape Architecture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Director, FACT
Jeffrey Day's housing work includes attainable housing prototypes, age-friendly ADU concepts, missing middle housing models, and community-based design-build projects across Nebraska. Through FACT and Actual Architecture, he is a key design partner for OurStory Small Houses and has helped advance small, aging-ready, energy-efficient housing models that can work as standalone homes, backyard cottage ADUs, or cottage court clusters.
Adrian Hernandez
President, Dundee Bank
Adrian Hernandez is President of Dundee Bank, where he provides strategic oversight for Commercial and Construction Lending, Treasury Services, Retail Banking, and Sales and Service teams. A longtime Dundee Bank leader, he brings a lender’s perspective to how homeowners, builders, and community partners can approach financing for small housing projects. Adrian also serves on civic and housing-related boards, including Habitat for Humanity of Omaha.
Register Here
Registration is required to receive the webinar link.