Joint Effort Improving Housing on West Side
Lowe’s and Habitat for Humanity will repair, rehab 60 homes in Washington Park neighborhood.
A mother and her daughter enjoy food provided at “Rock the Block” and watch as volunteers help transform their neighborhood. Photo by Amelia Jones.
Washington Park resident Shanita Brown tears up as she explains the impact a Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity initiative has had on her neighborhood.
Brown’s two-story house is one of 20 on the 2100 block of N. 39th Street upgraded through a project called “Rock the Block,” a collaboration between Habitat and Lowe’s. Thanks to the project she now has a newly painted house and porch, and a garden.
“I feel really blessed,” Brown said.
Last Wednesday, more than 80 volunteers descended on the block to repair homes and beautify the neighborhood.
Lowe’s has awarded Habitat a $250,000 grant for a yearlong revitalization project in Washington Park. In addition to funding “Rock the Block,” the grant funds projects such as renovating six homes for families in need of decent affordable housing, repairing at least 10 homes and installing lighting in alleyways.
Washington Park resident Angela Martin helped volunteers repair her house. “I’m so appreciative for all of their help,” she said. “I can’t wait to live here when the neighborhood is finished.”
Washington Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect of New York’s Central Park, in 1892 and was the original site of the Milwaukee County Zoo. Former Milwaukee Habitat board president Bob Patton, who was volunteering at the event, said that was part of the reason Habitat chose to repair the Washington Park neighborhood. “We want to preserve the area,” he said.
Last month Milwaukee Habitat celebrated its 1000th family served in the greater Milwaukee area.
Mayor Tom Barrett said Habitat’s efforts fit in with his Strong Neighborhoods Plan. “The neighborhoods are the fabric of the city,” he said at the event. “We have an obligation to make decent housing available for everyone.”
Volunteer Kerry Wilm said the work she and her colleagues were doing, “means a ton to the community,” but “it’s not just for the community, it’s for the city as well.”
Wilm painted porches, landscaped and helped put lighting in one of the alleys.
Volunteer Amber Garcia-Thate stained decks, planted flowers and mulched gardens. “Our goal is to make the neighbors feel good about the community and love where they live,” she said.
This story was originally published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, where you can find other stories reporting on fifteen city neighborhoods in Milwaukee.
