Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity has received a $200,000 grant from Wells Fargo in support of its three-year initiative to build or restore 100 homes in the city’s Midtown neighborhood.
Brian Sonderman, executive director of Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, said Thursday the organization is on schedule to complete its Midtown 100 initiative by the end of 2020.
Habitat is now in year two of the effort, which includes building 65 new homes, rehabilitating 15 homes and completing critical repairs on 20 homes. Leaders say it is the local Habitat chapter’s most ambitious initiative yet and will create the highest concentration of affordable single-family homes built in Milwaukee since World War II.
The project, which includes the area encompassing North Avenue to Lisbon Avenue and from 30th to 25th Streets, represents a $10.3 million investment in the area.
Families will soon begin moving into the homes that underwent construction and renovation during the initiative’s first year.
“We’re really excited. We’re on pace and it’s really due to the tremendous support we’ve received from the community, volunteers and financial supporters,” Sonderman said.
Once work in Midtown is completed, Habitat plans to shift its focus northeast, to Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood, in 2021.
That planned five-year commitment will allow 125 to 150 families to secure affordable homeownership, Sonderman said.
“We’ll pair that with critical home repair and other neighborhood revitalization efforts in collaboration with some tremendous partners,” Sonderman said. “Wells Fargo is partnering with us, they’re already committed to that neighborhood as we move forward. And there are a lot of other great organizations already at work that we just want to work alongside.”
