The story behind Omaha's rainbow house could make you watch what you say to your neighbors

A house-turned-apartment complex is bringing smiles to lots of people on a Nebraska block thanks to its vibrant, rainbow paint job and the owner’s young daughters who chose the hues.

The house is located on Davenport Street in Omaha’s Dundee neighborhood, said the owner and realtor Ryan Basye. 

The home was converted into apartments sometime after World War I. There are five units, said Basye, who bought the home in 2018.

Basye said he has an office down the street and across the way from the rainbow house. In March of 2022, he painted his office bright red. 

When he was looking for his next project, he asked his three daughters: 5-year-old Cecilia, 7-year-old Louise and 9-year-old Josephine. They suggested he go with a rainbow design.

“It brought me back to a conversation I had with (a property owner) on that block that used some derogatory words and that didn’t sit well,” he told USA TODAY Friday morning.

The property owner’s comments were made in 2022 and included a slur and stereotypes often used for gay men. The individual also told Basye his property didn’t look very good compared to their own property on the street.

Basye said he was well aware that the house, which was green at the time, needed some work, he said. It was on his list of things to get to but projects of this magnitude take time.

Basye’s daughters and their rainbow paint job suggestion reminded him of the uncomfortable conversation and from there, Operation Rainbow House was set in motion.

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Painter was happy to sign on and help with the colorful project

Basye asked a local painter he works with, Jay Axelrod of Everything Axelrod, to sign on and paint the home this past summer. They had to work out the details, make sure the weather was right and then in October they got started.

“I think he did a great job,” said Basye, who has been a realtor for at least 20 years and owns around 25 properties in Omaha.

His daughters love the house and call him a “cool dad,” he said. They’re almost like elementary school celebrities, he laughed.

He hasn’t heard anything about the house from the property owner who made the jarring comments but people in the neighborhood love the house, he said.

“This place is right by an elementary school so we get lots of kids walking by with smiles on their faces,” he said. “It has been about 99% positive.”

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Homeowner’s daughters help him manage properties sometimes, he says

Basye said his girls help him at work sometimes. They help him send out mailers and his oldest, Josephine, helps him clean out properties.

“They sort my quarters from the laundry machines,” he laughed. “There's a Maya Angelou (quarter) that looks like an angel, so they get to keep the angel quarters when they help me.”

He didn’t expect his house to get so much attention, he said. Sometimes folks drive by and take photos.

Prior to starting the project, he told tenants what his plans were. The attention has led him to tell tenants that if the publicity is too much and they want to move out, he’s fine working with them.

He’s loving all the cool points he’s getting from his girls and laughed as he recalled what his wife, Alison, said about it. She finds it interesting that the house is getting so much attention. 

Basye agreed, adding “It's funny, because it's coming from a boring, moderate, old, straight white guy.”