Housing Mobility Initiative Expands Housing Options for Low-income Renters and Removes Barriers for Housing Providers

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council (MMFHC) and Milwaukee County Housing Authority (MCHA) are partnering to ensure voucher holders have expanded access to housing options throughout Milwaukee County. Opportunity MKE is a MMFHC housing mobility initiative that assists families in relocating to higher opportunity areas where they can access stable housing and essential resources. Opportunity MKE is subsidized by an award from the Milwaukee County Housing Authority, a division of Milwaukee County Department of Health & Human Services.

“Where people live substantially impacts their economic and educational outcomes later in life — especially for young children,” stated Erika Sanders, President and CEO of MMFHC. Children from high-poverty neighborhoods who move to high-opportunity neighborhoods are 32% more likely to attend college, and earn an average of $302,000 more over their lifetime. “Opportunity MKE helps to expand access to quality housing options, ensuring more families have the chance to thrive and succeed.”

“Milwaukee County continues to focus on expanding affordable housing options in every community within Milwaukee County,” said James Mathy, Milwaukee County DHHS Housing Services Administrator. “This new grant and partnership with MMFHC will allow families to move to a neighborhood of their choice and improve their lives using housing as a foundation.”

Families who benefited from moving into high-opportunity neighborhoods are featured in a new video produced by MMFHC.

While the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program was designed to counteract segregation by improving access to housing options, people who receive vouchers to help pay for housing costs often face challenges when trying to secure housing. For many households, this means their voucher may expire before they have a chance to use it or their housing options are limited to high-poverty, under-resourced neighborhoods.

One major hurdle encountered by voucher holders is the unwillingness of some housing providers to rent to people using vouchers to pay for housing. In 2018, Milwaukee County updated it local anti-discrimination ordinance to include rent assistance as a protected class, thereby prohibiting housing providers in Milwaukee County from refusing to accept vouchers or other types of rent assistance.

Opportunity MKE helps to overcome these barriers by assisting voucher recipients with locating housing in high-opportunity areas where they can benefit from safe environments, quality housing, high-performing schools, and other vital resources. The initiative also provides supportive services including pre- and post-move assistance, help with the housing search, and financial assistance to offset moving costs.

The benefits of Opportunity MKE extend to housing providers as well, as the initiative helps to remove potential obstacles by performing inspections on behalf of MCHA and expediting the lease-up process by assisting with fees and completing forms. Rental coaching provided by MMFHC assists voucher recipients with understanding their tenant responsibilities and addressing any financial hurdles, which can help to prevent common rental disputes. In addition, Opportunity MKE offers several financial benefits to encourage the participation of housing providers who are new to the HCV program, including sign on and referral bonuses, holding fees, and a loss mitigation fund to cover damages.

By addressing these challenges, Opportunity MKE helps both tenants and housing providers navigate the voucher program, improving the chances for a successful outcome for both parties.

Mobility initiatives are part of a national strategy to combat residential segregation by enabling people of color and low-income households to move into areas with high levels of opportunity. This type of proactive effort helps to foster communities that are more racially and economically diverse and alleviate concentrated areas of poverty.

Opportunity MKE_Participant Flyer
Opportunity MKE_Housing Provider Flyer

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.