MILWAUKEE — In honor of National Homeownership Month, the White House announced a plan that they say will address the nation’s housing supply, right here in Milwaukee.
As part of the Our Way Home initiative, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is visiting cities all across the country, looking at projects that are working to increase the affordable housing supply in America.
Through partnering with city and county leaders, they say the goal is to get federal funding into the hands of communities that need it.
“This is a crisis, but this is a crisis that can be solved,” said Diane M. Shelley, HUD Midwest Regional Administrator, during a press briefing on Thursday.
“When we come together as partners, we will achieve our common purpose to serve our residents in all the best ways that are possible,” said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
HUD Midwest Regional Administrator Diane Shelley says in the last year alone, Wisconsin received $160 million in federal grants for housing improvements, which has led to some of the work being done in turning the former Phillis Wheatley School into a new housing development.
While officials are unable to share exactly how much money is coming to Milwaukee this year, they say an answer is soon to come.
“The importance of being present here at the Phillis Wheatley School is to show the benefits of the partnering between federal government, state government, county government and the production of affordable housing,” said Shelley.
Those with HUD say they hope this funding will elevate stories of all communities in Wisconsin and beyond.
“We want to be available. We want to be able to help them in accessing that money so that it can reach the community,” said Shelley.
