MILWAUKEE — In Milwaukee's Metcalfe Park neighborhood, abandoned houses have long been a challenge for the community. But a new initiative is changing that landscape one home at a time, giving longtime renters the opportunity to become homeowners.
The Repair to Restore Initiative is reclaiming vacant homes, renovating them, and helping renters like Danielle Terrell achieve homeownership.
"I feel so blessed," Terrell said.
Terrell, a mother of 13, now has a newly remodeled home that provides stability for her family after years of moving from place to place.
"I think now I can provide stability for the children, we've been moving around a lot trying to find a good fit," Terrell said.
For Terrell and her children, this house represents more than just walls and a roof.
"Somewhere we can call home, something that's really ours," Terrell said.
Watch: Milwaukee initiative transforms abandoned homes, creates new homeowners in Metcalfe Park
The initiative is making a significant impact on the entire neighborhood. Longtime residents are witnessing positive change in their community.
"They deserve nice houses, space rooms, kids deserve space, rooms they can call their own, a lot of people don't get that," said neighbor Latisha Bully-White
Resident Andron Lane sees the transformation as inspirational.
"Being a part of this and seeing it allows me to see what hope looks like in my community," Lane said.
McCurtis, who grew up just blocks away, says this is just the beginning, with more home restorations planned.
"I grew up two blocks from here, so it's just amazing I'm here investing back into my neighborhood. I'm really proud of my neighborhood, there's a lot of geniuses here, great families here and all we need is an opportunity to say hey, this is already our neighborhood, we need to own the land and houses and we're doing that," McCurtis said.
For residents like Lane, these projects provide a tangible example of what's possible.
"You get to see what home buying looks like, and someone who never bought a house gives me a chance to see that I can possibly get it too," Lane said.
As Terrell settles into her new home, she looks forward to providing her children with the stability they need.
"This is it!! I can stay right here, raise my children, and give them stability," Terrell said.
Lane offered this advice for others in the community: "Be present, and take up space."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
