SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wis.— Three communities across Milwaukee County will now be home to new affordable housing.
Nearly $10 million from the the American Rescue Plan Act are going to use in South Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, and Brown Deer communities. This will allow for four developments to provide over 200 affordable housing units within the county.
“This is another huge step forward for the county particular in our work as we continue to increase the amount of safe and affordable housing in all of Milwaukee county,” Milwaukee County executive David Crowley said.
This funding will create four developments within these communities:
- Scott Crawford, Inc. and J. Jeffers & Co. creating 82 affordable rental units in the City of South Milwaukee
- Cornerstone Village creating 17 affordable rental units in the Village of Wauwatosa;
- MSP Real Estate, Inc. creating 56 affordable rental units in the Village of Wauwatosa;
- Jewish Family Services, Inc. creating 56 affordable rental units in the Village of Brown Deer
While these developments will fill a big need, the county said there is more to be done to provide additional affordable housing in the near future.
South Milwaukee is one of the communities where affordable housing is being developed. It’s a big need in the community that will be filled.
“People are going to say I want to be apart of South Milwaukee. This is a growing community. I would like to move here if they find out rents are affordable,” South Milwaukee Mayor, Jim Shelenske said.
The development at 1100 Milwaukee avenue in South Milwaukee has been vacant for nearly 10 years. It used to be the Caterpillar headquarters but will now be affordable housing. The building will be transformed form office space to around 90 affordable housing units to help fill a great need. There will also be commercial development on the same property.
“This is nice to see some action and not an empty building. To see improvements to landscaping and the building, so i’m really happy about that,” Shelenske said.
Scott Crawford Incorporated will be the team redeveloping the project in South Milwaukee. For president, Que El-Amin, he said it feels good to fill a need within a community.
“South Milwaukee hasn’t seen a lot of development such as neighboring areas such as Oak Creek. And so, just bringing in and spurring new development will have a a ripple effect in the community,” Scott Crawford Inc. president, Que El-Amin said.
This project will allow the vacant building to turn into something many can afford. It it located right next to the main drag of downtown South Milwaukee.
"It’s nice to see the space being used after being idle for so long,” Shelenske said.
The project in South Milwaukee is expected to start in 2024 with hopes of being up and running in 2025.