The Vision

Villa Terra began as a practical idea: to build something useful on a piece of land that had already been serving the neighborhood through the Benson Community Garden. But as the concept developed, it became clear this project could be more than just a structure. It could become a model—one that blends sustainability, education, and community benefit into a space with lasting impact.

Since its start in 2010, the Benson Community Garden has provided a space for people to grow their own fresh food, beauty, and connection for neighbors. It has also inspired the creation of other community gardens across Omaha. Yet one important element has always been missing: a place to gather, meet, and learn. Villa Terra is designed to provide that missing space—while also offering much more.

At its heart, Villa Terra is about creating something small with a big impact:

• A Home Base for the Garden – providing a dedicated spot for education, meetings, and operations.

• A Community Resource – opening its doors to neighborhood groups, nonprofits, and associations that need places to connect.

• A Model for Housing – showing how thoughtful, small-scale, sustainable building can be replicated across the city to help meet Omaha’s urgent housing needs.

• A Place of Inspiration – through its greenhouse, art studio, and teaching programs, Villa Terra will encourage people to grow food, live simply, and consider their responsibility to the planet.

• A Source of Support – by welcoming guests as a short-term rental, the space will generate revenue to sustain the community garden and expand its mission.

Why It Matters

Omaha is facing a housing crisis. By 2030, the city will need nearly 30,000 additional housing units, most of them affordable. At the same time, thousands of affordable homes have been lost in the last decade. For many families, finding a stable and affordable place to live has become increasingly difficult.

This shortage isn’t just about housing—it’s about health, equity, and the future of our city. Families without affordable homes face higher stress, poorer health, and greater instability. Children are especially affected when constant moves disrupt their education. Meanwhile, the city’s economy suffers when workers spend too much of their income on rent or when talent leaves because they can’t find a place to live.

Villa Terra doesn’t claim to solve these challenges alone. But it aims to offer a model. By demonstrating how a single lot can host a space that is sustainable, affordable, and multi-purpose, it sparks new ideas about what housing can be.

Building Small. Thinking Big.

Villa Terra is not about building large—it’s about building wisely. By combining renewable energy, reclaimed materials, and multi-use spaces, it shows how a single structure can carry many roles: classroom, meeting hall, greenhouse, guesthouse, and community anchor.

What begins here in Benson is meant to grow outward. Our hope is that Villa Terra will inspire other neighborhoods in Omaha—and beyond—to imagine what’s possible when small spaces are designed with care, purpose, and community at the center.

If you are interested in learning more or getting involved, please contact Kurt Goetzinger by email bensongardens@gmail.com or calling 402-714-0290

Open & Activate

Welcome community into the story.

• Soft opening for friends, supporters, and volunteers

• Host art nights, open studio events, or seasonal gatherings

• Offer stays or tours — share how Villa Terra inspires future builders