Sheila’s New Roof

We’re back with another edition of Good News Tues to spread a little joy from our Habitat family to yours. We’re all in this together. Here’s hoping this brings a little light to your day. 

Sheila’s New Roof

While you may know Habitat best for our affordable homeownership program, the demand for one of our other programs has been increasing rapidly over the last three years. Milwaukee Habitat’s Critical Home Repair program makes necessary repairs affordable for homeowners living in the neighborhoods we serve. Homeowners like Sheila.

Sheila is a single grandmother who retired on disability and is currently battling a broken foot.

“It means a lot because I was able to get a roof replaced at a reasonable price with the help of Habitat without having to have a tremendous amount of loans taken out to get it repaired,” Sheila told WTMJ reporter Michael Spaulding in a recent interview.

Thanks to supporters like you, Milwaukee Habitat make repairs on leaking roofs, broken windows, electrical hazards and more affordable for families like Sheila’s. Last year, the families we served saved on average 44% on home repair costs compared to what they would have paid on the open market. That adds up to several thousand dollars back in the pockets of homeowners like Sheila, who lives on a fixed income.

The Critical Home Repair program began in 2018 with 12 projects, but last year grew to serve 46 families. The demand clearly exists for low-to-moderate income residents who need assistance repairing an aging housing stock. In Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood, for example, 58% of the occupied housing units were built in 1939 or earlier, compared to 37% citywide.

With your support, we can help more families like Sheila make the repairs necessary to live safely and securely in their own homes. Thank you for making this crucial work possible.