Man paints apartment building rainbow colors to get back at anti-gay neighbor

The owner of an Omaha, Nebraska apartment complex has painted the building rainbow at the request of his three daughters, ages five, seven, and nine.

While his daughters were motivated by a love for the colors, Ryan Basye was intrigued by the idea due to a 2022 conversation he’d had with a fellow property owner on the block, during which the person made anti-gay remarks.

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“It puts a smile on my face knowing that neighbor has to see it every day,” he told the Omaha World-Herald.

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In addition to making his daughters heroes at school, the house has brought joy to more people than he ever predicted.

“This place is right by an elementary school so we get lots of kids walking by with smiles on their faces,” he told USA Today. “It has been about 99% positive.” He added that people sometimes drive by the building to take photos.

Basye – who owns about 25 properties and has been a realtor for 20 years – has also told tenants that he is willing to help them move out if the attention is too much.

But according to the World-Herald, that isn’t a problem. Tenants reportedly love it, with one calling the paint job “freaking amazing and beautiful.”

It’s a good thing, too, because Bayse said the rainbow color scheme cost twice as a normal paint job would have.

Basye also said his wife, Alison, has found humor in the situation, saying, “It’s funny, because it’s coming from a boring, moderate, old, straight white guy.”