Milwaukee Ald. Robert Bauman is sponsoring a resolution to create a tax incremental financing (TIF) district northwest of downtown to spur housing development. It would be called the Linden Hill Estates TIF district and would be bounded by West Galena Street, West State Street, North 20th Street and North 24th Street. TIF funds would be used on "improving housing conditions in the neighborhood, including construction of owner-occupied infill housing, rehabilitation of existing owner-occupied housing and increasing the owner-occupancy rate," according to the resolution, which will be considered at the Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee meeting on June 24.
The area covered by the proposed TIF district has "an abundance of vacant lots and absentee-owned housing," according to the resolution. However, the area has potential for a "housing renaissance" because of its proximity to downtown, other revitalized or new residential neighborhoods (such as Lindsay Commons, Highland Homes, City Homes and Walnut Circle), Marquette University and Aurora Sinai Medical Center, the resolution states.