Help Us Plan the City’s Future

Homes on Keefe Avenue. Photo taken March 25th, 2019 by Carl Baehr.

With so much talk about the possibility of a recession, we have a moment to remember who is so often most harmed in an economic downturn. Previous recessions have taught us that the most vulnerable, those with precarious employment, or loans against their modest homes, are most at risk. At the Urban Economic Development Association (UEDA) we know what can happen. In the wake of the 2008 recession we formed Take Root Milwaukee to encourage residents to “take root” in the community through affordable homeownership, knowledge about responsible lending, and opportunities for home repair. Since then we have helped hundreds of families and individuals buy, repair, and maintain homes.

Many of the resources utilized in our community during the Great Recession came to Milwaukee via the federal government. Funding through programs like the Neighborhood Stabilization Fund (NSP) and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) helped address the serious housing and employment needs in our City, and were deployed through programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). What many people don’t know is that communities across the country receive funding every year from HUD that helps us address the ripple effects of the 2008 recession and housing crisis that continue to impact us all.

Now, Milwaukee residents have a once-every-few-years opportunity to have a voice in some of this significant funding for our city, the very funding that often addresses the fallout from tough economic times. The City of Milwaukee is currently developing its 2020-2024 “Comprehensive Plan” for HUD. This is a critical opportunity for residents and other stakeholders to weigh-in on housing and business development priorities for the City.

UEDA is working with the City to engage the public in this planning process, and it is a chance we don’t want residents to miss! A very user-friendly survey is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ConPlanMKE, and we will be hosting a number of community meetings and focus groups in September and October. More information on the HUD Consolidated Plan can be found at https://conplanmke.org/, and you can also view a list of upcoming events.

Join us in adding your voice! Let’s ensure that our community’s priorities are what HUD hears.

Kristi Luzar is the Executive Director at the Urban Economic Development Association (UEDA). More information about UEDA can be found at www.uedawi.org.