The Community Development Alliance (CDA) has recommended Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity and the Emem Group build 120 quality, affordable single-family homes and duplexes in and around Milwaukee’s King Park neighborhood. The CDA’s project proposal will go before the Milwaukee Common Council for consideration of the land sale and the Milwaukee County Board for consideration of funds. The CDA expects this to occur in December.
Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity and the Emem Group were chosen after an RFP process that was reviewed by a panel of housing, neighborhood and government representatives. If approved, the proposal would allow Milwaukee Habitat to build 80 homes, which will be available for immediate homeownership between 2024-26, and the Emem Group to build 40 homes available for homeownership after a federally required 15-year rental period using 4% housing tax credits. The homes would be primarily funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, however, the use of 4% housing tax credits would be piloted as a long-term funding source after ARPA funds have been depleted.
Based on the CDA’s analysis of American Community Survey (ACS) five-year data from the United States Census Bureau, there are 17,000 Black and Latino families in Milwaukee who are aspiring to buy a home that is $125,000 or less. Each year, however, there are only 1,500 available homes and 40% are purchased by investors.
“Housing stability is critical to dozens of quality-of-life measures, including employment, early childhood development, stress levels, education and health,” Whaley-Smith said, noting that these projects are critical to increasing the inventory of available homes in the city. “The CDA’s vision is that all Milwaukee neighborhoods are safe places to live, work and play and provide opportunities for people of all races and income levels to lead healthy, productive lives.”
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About the Community Development Alliance
The CDA is collaboration of housing funders, practitioners and allies that has been collaborating for more than a decade on neighborhood improvement efforts in Milwaukee. Recognizing that housing inequities are deep and broad, and prohibit families from building intergenerational wealth, the CDA narrowed its focus in 2020 to advancing racial equity by providing a quality, affordable home for every Milwaukeean. This work resulted in Milwaukee’s Collective Affordable Housing Strategic Plan, the first of its kind. Read more about the CDA at housingplan.org.