housing

Wells Fargo announced they will fund a $7.5 million grant from the financial institution’s Wealth Opportunity Restored Through Homeownership (WORTH) to Milwaukee. The use of funding will be led by the city of Milwaukee and the Community Development Alliance (CDA).

Last year, Milwaukee Public School’s former 37th Street School reopened as affordable housing for seniors and veterans. The project was led by Community First, an organization based in Washington Park. The group works to better the neighborhood without displacing current residents across Milwaukee and Wauwatosa.

In the coming decades, heat waves are likely to become more frequent and more dangerous, with temperatures that can cause health problems and even death. With an aging population and housing, Milwaukeeans are especially vulnerable to intense weather changes. We learn what local organizations are doing to help people in need of weatherized homes and healthcare.

Acts Housing is launching a homeowner acquisition fund in Milwaukee with the hope of buying at least 100 homes that they can sell back to local families and make home ownership possible for low-income people.

A report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum shows that Milwaukee has the lowest homeownership rate among Black and Hispanic households, combined, when compared to 10 other peer cities in the United States.

High demand for houses partially sparked by the pandemic and low inventory has resulted in the average price for homes to skyrocket. With inflation increasing and interest rates rising, many potential buyers are wondering if the affordability of houses will continue to be out of range this summer.

Rent prices are continuing to rise in the Milwaukee area, while the state’s minimum wage stays at 7.25 an hour. Yaidi Cancel Martinez is an associate scientist at the Center for Economic Development and works in the department of urban planning at the UW-Milwaukee. She shares why rent is rising and how it will affect quality of life for people in Milwaukee.

Dr. Anne Bonds and Dr. Derek Handley are working on a project that maps racism in real estate in Milwaukee County and the lasting impact on the Black community.

The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development recognized Milwaukee County as having the lowest unsheltered homeless population in the nation, per capita. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley shares more about how Milwaukee made that happen.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that electrical fires disproportionally affect renters in the 53206 zip code at five times the rate than the rest of Milwaukee. Earlier this month, the city of Milwaukee announced the launch of an educational campaign to help renters keep themselves safe from electrical fires.