LINCOLN- The Private Equity Stakeholder Project, a nonprofit, national watchdog group, released its first state-by-state "risk index" aimed at informing policymakers about problems that can arise from imbalanced investment by private equity groups. In its analysis, the group looked at four distinct categories: jobs, health care, pension, and housing. These were scored and utilized to determine private equity risk.

Nebraska's cumulative score was 42 out of 100, placing the state in the medium-risk category and among the bottom 15 states for overall threat. "It should raise the hairs on the backs of necks," said Matt Parr, a spokesman for the group, "That means there is a lot of risk in the housing market in Nebraska, for renters and especially for those wanting to purchase homes."

Between 2018 and 2022, the study found, medium, large, and mega investors bought 10% of Nebraska homes. More remarkable, the group added, was the fact that the share of homes purchases by those investors jumped 60% in that timeframe. According to Omaha Habitat for Humanity CEO Amanda Brewer, that required her organization to come up with a "workaround" to help clients compete for editing for-sale homes.

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