A step forward for housing in Milwaukee

Today (Tuesday, July 15), the City of Milwaukee took a massive step forward in our quest to diversify and maximize housing options in the city by adopting the Housing Element plan, Milwaukee’s new blueprint for quality, affordable housing citywide, as well as legislation to immediately move forward with the possibility of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) across the city.

We continue to hear from our residents that housing needs to be addressed in a meaningful way. Through the Housing Element, the city will seek to strategically tackle housing affordability, promote a variety of housing options, combat displacement, and remove barriers within the zoning code. The plan also seeks to incorporate housing needs with other city goals such as growing our population, job creation, and a variety of other priorities. This plan also works in unison with additional legislation passed today to allow ADUs.

We must also acknowledge the process by which we arrived at this point. The creation of this plan was not without hiccups, but it was through community engagement, collaboration, and dedication by all parties involved we have landed in this spot. Processes such like this are much stronger when the community provides thoughtful input, and we thank everyone for sharing their thoughts along the way. We also want to thank the Department of City Development for their years of hard work creating and amending this plan.

While today’s success is notable, it is only the start. The real work begins now to use these tools and implement the strategies outlined in the Housing Element. We look forward to continuing this effort and sharing additional news as we progress.

Finally, while these are significant steps that change the status quo, the challenge is so deep that it warrants greater investment. As we are set to receive the proposed 2026 city budget soon, we seek an increased, long-term stable funding source for the successful down payment assistance program and the Housing Trust Fund. These tools combined can address historic and systemic challenges from the past and rebuild our city for the future – a city where all of us can thrive.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.