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Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett previews Annual State of the City Address slated for Monday

Posted at 6:16 PM, Feb 25, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-26 08:40:26-05

MILWAUKEE -- Mayor Tom Barrett will give his 2018 state of the city address Monday at the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons. 

“Tax-foreclosed properties became a financial burden for city government [and] a challenge for neighborhoods," Mayor Barrett said. "And a disruption for families who needed a place to live."

That’s why the mayor said he plans on putting more effort into returning foreclosed properties to private ownership.

“We have seen a boom over the last seven or eight years in apartments," Mayor Barrett confirmed.  "I want to make sure affordable housing is a part of this."

According to the mayor, last year the city’s real estate team sold 429 houses and commercial buildings and this year the mayor is posing a challenge to have 10,000 affordable housing units either built or retained over the next 10 years. 

“We have to have housing near where the jobs are," Mayor Barrett said. "People talk a lot about a skills gap, I think in some area you’ve got a geography gap."

Mayor Barrett also said he plans to tackle issues like policing, the health department, guns, and even libraries in his annual state of the city address Monday morning. He said his speech will be wide-ranging with a focus on plans to improve the city while also acknowledging the positive ways in which the city has changed. 

Doors open at 8:00 am. The Mayor will give his address at 8:30 am.