Development Teams Announced for Homes MKE Initiative

MILWAUKEE – The Department of City Development (DCD) is announcing the development teams selected to participate in the Homes MKE initiative. Through a competitive RFP process, these development teams will work with DCD and community partners to renovate vacant City-owned residential properties that will help build stronger neighborhoods throughout Milwaukee.

The selected development teams are a mix of emerging developers, for-profit developers, and non-profit developers. They include: Acts Community Development, Advanced Investors, FIT Investment Group, LLC/Westcare Wisconsin, Inc., Maures Development Group, One 5 Olive/Milwaukee Community Land Trust, Rico Love Foundation LLC/Mayfield Properties, Strong Blocks, CME Development, LLC, Even Life, Inc., Ezekiel Community Development, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, Servant Manor, T.A.S. Solutions, LLC, Walnut Way Conservation Corp./Silicon Pastures II, LLC, and Walters Renovations, LLC.

“Growing up in Milwaukee, I experienced the effects of housing insecurity like many residents and families currently are. This is personal for me, so we are working to deploy the Homes MKE initiative to revitalize vacant residential properties into renovated homes,” said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. “Together with our partners in the development community, we are building stronger neighborhoods, promoting homeownership, and working to ensure every Milwaukeean has access to the quality, affordable housing they need.”

The Milwaukee Common Council will consider the selected development teams for Homes MKE through File #220656, which will first be heard by the Zoning, Neighborhoods, and Development (ZND) Committee on Tuesday, September 13. After Common Council approval, DCD will execute development agreements with the selected teams and begin implementation of Homes MKE.

In 2021, Mayor Cavalier Johnson and members of the Milwaukee Common Council allocated $15 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to DCD for the Homes MKE program. The goal is to renovate vacant houses in the City’s inventory of tax-foreclosed residential properties and return them to productive use.

The goals of Homes MKE are to:

• Sell, renovate and reoccupy a minimum of 150 vacant foreclosed City-owned houses;
• Prioritize the development of the houses to provide homeownership opportunities for City residents;
• Coordinate redevelopment efforts that result in a positive impact for the surrounding neighborhood;
• Provide construction and job opportunities;
• Provide development opportunities for emerging developers; and
• Collaborate with local residents to provide housing and resource opportunities in neighborhoods where Homes MKE properties are located.

Stay up-to-date on Homes MKE at milwaukee.gov/homes.mke.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.