On Tuesday, June 5th industry leaders from area development, real estate and construction companies joined together to raise the walls of two Habitat for Humanity homes in Milwaukee’s Midtown neighborhood. The build, co-hosted by the Milwaukee Business Journal, is part of Habitat’s historic Midtown 100 initiative to build, rehab and repair 100 homes in the Midtown neighborhood over the next three years. More than 20 industry leaders, including champions of downtown revitalization Joshua Jeffers and Tony Janowiec, were onsite to roll up their sleeves and hammer nails to help local families in need of safe, affordable housing. With support from these industry leaders, Habitat’s Midtown 100 initiative will transform blocks of empty lots into the highest concentration of affordable single family homes built in Milwaukee since WWII.
“The individuals joining us on this build are pioneering the future landscape of Milwaukee,” says Milwaukee Habitat Executive Director Brian Sonderman. “Together we can make a lasting impact and revitalize central-city neighborhoods.”
With nearly 60% of Milwaukee renters living in unaffordable housing, the city is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. Habitat’s no-down payment, affordable mortgage makes it possible for local families in need to build strength, stability and self-reliance through homeownership. By focusing their work in concentrated areas, Habitat’s goal is to revitalize entire communities. After working in the Washington Park neighborhood for the past five years, crime has decreased 48% on the blocks where Habitat has built.