Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity launches new preservation program

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity unveiled Thursday, April 4th a significant new strategy that will enable the organization to better build communities and serve more families by adding an array of home repair services and neighborhood development activities to its long-standing and well-known new home construction program.  The new Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI) will initially target the Washington Park neighborhood.

“For the last 29 years, Milwaukee Habitat has worked with families and volunteers to build and rehab more than 500 quality affordable new homes,” said Brian Sonderman, executive director of Milwaukee Habitat.  “But, we know that strengthening families, neighborhoods and communities must go beyond the new homes for which Habitat is known and of which we are extremely proud.  We are now joining other Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the country to adopt a holistic approach to community development, working with residents, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based organizations, and local government officials towards a shared vision of revitalization.”

Through the program, homeowners who occupy their home in the targeted area can apply for zero interest, partially forgivable loans of up to $15,000 to assist with critical home repairs, especially those related to code violations and energy efficient updates.  Typical needs are expected to include doors and windows, roofs and foundations, weatherization, painting and interior flooring and drywall repair.

The program is aimed at elderly or disabled heads of households or those with elderly or disabled household members, single-parent households, U.S. military veterans and large family households, being those with 5 or more permanent residents.  Like all Habitat for Humanity home-building projects, participants are asked to invest sweat equity on their own home or another Habitat project, if physically able.  Those who are interested are invited to attend twice weekly orientation sessions in the neighborhood and can learn more by calling 414-255-3565.

Importantly, Habitat’s local NRI will also include new community development activities.  Working with area nonprofit partners, churches, government agencies and neighbors, Habitat will identify areas of greatest need related to public safety, youth development and resident leadership, and respond with appropriate programs and services.  These may include neighborhood watches, financial literacy programs, community gardens and help with neighborhood school improvements.

Though broadening its scope, Milwaukee Habitat’s core mission remains helping families achieve stable, affordable housing.  The City of Milwaukee continues to feel the effects of destabilized housing, particularly in the Washington Park, Metcalf and Amani neighborhoods where there are high concentrations of homes in foreclosure and dilapidated, vacant or abandoned homes.

With residents under severe economic stress from falling behind on their mortgages or losing their homes, these three neighborhoods have crime rates that are four times the city average; generate eight percent of the city’s crime and 13 percent of the city’s violent crimes, including 13 homicides, 1,500 aggravated assaults, and 400 robberies in 2012; and placed more than 17,000 calls to the Milwaukee Police Department last year.

“Through our traditional home building model and our new Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, Milwaukee Habitat continues its ongoing work to stabilize and revitalize neighborhoods through new and existing homeownership,” said Sonderman.  Habitat for Humanity research shows that homeownership provides a broad range of benefits to individual homeowners and to society as a whole:

The new NRI strategy is supported by several major local funders who embrace Habitat’s vision.  Funders include, Joy Global, The Harley-Davidson Foundation, Wells Fargo, and The Brewers Community Foundation.  “Harley-Davidson Motor Company has long been a supporter of Habitat’s mission,” said Tonit Calaway, president of The Harley-Davidson Foundation and vice president of human resources for Harley-Davidson Motor Company.  “We have seen the tremendous impact that a stable home can have for an individual family, and we look forward to being part of Habitat’s new initiative to work with neighborhood organizations and others to address the housing challenges in Washington Park.  At Harley-Davidson, we fulfill dreams of personal freedom.   By helping to transform this neighborhood into a safe, vibrant community of choice, many others’ dreams will be fulfilled.”