Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity to build 80 affordable homes in King Park and Midtown

NOW: Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity to build 80 affordable homes in King Park and Midtown
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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) --- Milwaukee County is investing more than $4 million of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds to help create affordable homeownership opportunities in the King Park and Midtown neighborhoods.

Over the next five years, Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity hopes to build or rehab 30-40 homes each year. This would be a major game changer in the efforts to expand affordable housing in our local community.

"In the face of increasing housing costs and economic challenges, we recognize the struggles that many individuals and hard-working families face," said David Crowley, Milwaukee County executive.

Tuesday, Milwaukee Habitat broke ground at the spot of a future home build in King Park and announced its efforts to serve twice as many families by 2028.

"It's a very exciting day to be able to celebrate the groundbreaking for 80 new construction homes that will be built in the King Park, Midtown neighborhoods, and also announce our ambitious plan to double our number of families we serve," said Brian Sonderman, executive director for Milwaukee Habitat.

Sonderman says the need for affordable housing continues to grow.

"In the midst of the pandemic, we saw an unprecedented surge of applications for homeownership," he said.

As mortgages in Milwaukee prepare to reach 20-year highs, the hope is to make homeownership more equitable for all, especially Black and Brown families who statistically are less likely to become homeowners than white residents.

The typical mortgage payment for a brand new Milwaukee Habitat home is less than $950 per month.

"It means growth. It means success, it means opportunity," said Johanna Jimenez, vice president of the Milwaukee Habitat Board and a Habitat homeowner.

She says expanding affordable housing strengthens the overall health of our neighborhoods.

"We need to uplift our city. This is for not just the people who are going to buy the homes in the near future, but for future generations as well," she said.

Homes will be sold exclusively to first-time homebuyers earning below the median income.

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