Envision Growth,
Turner Community Partners and
VIA CDC have been chosen by the
Community Development Alliance (CDA) and
Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC) to lead an effort to build 45 affordable homes for early childhood educators in five Milwaukee neighborhoods.
The announcement, which came Thursday afternoon, comes after the CDA issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking partner developers for the effort, a press release states. The responses were reviewed by a panel of housing, neighborhood and government representatives. Envision Growth, Turner Community Partners and VIA CDC were selected because of their commitment to supporting and enhancing neighborhoods so residents can thrive, the releases states.
The homes will be built on vacant lots owned by the city of Milwaukee, and the first home is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
Funding for the project is coming from a $5 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD).
“Beyond having a skilled workforce contributing to economic development, we believe (this project) will continue to inspire community growth in Wisconsin through homeownership,” said DWD secretary-designee Amy Pechacek.
The project
The homes will be built within walking distance from the following early childhood education providers on Milwaukee’s north and south sides:
COA Youth & Family Centers,
Malaika Early Learning Center,
Next Door Foundation Early Childhood Education, the
UCC Early Learning Academy and the
Growing Tree Children’s Center of United Methodist Children’s Services (UMCS). Plans call for the homes to have three bedrooms and one bathroom, and each home is expected to cost approximately $100,000
There are currently 51 potential homeowners who are early childhood educators who have either received homebuyer counseling to be eligible to purchase one of the homes or are currently receiving homebuyer counseling.
Envision Growth will receive $1.8 million to work with
KPH Construction to build nine homes in COA’s neighborhood and nine homes in Malaika’s neighborhood. Turner Community Partners will receive $900,000 to construct nine homes near Next Door’s main campus on North 29th Street. VIA CDC will receive $1.8 million to construct nine homes in UCC’s neighborhood and nine homes in UMCS’ neighborhood. The remaining $500,000, from LISC Milwaukee, will be used for project support.
“Because family is at the center of everything we do, COA Youth & Family Centers is overjoyed to see early childhood educators and their families benefit from this project. We owe them the opportunity to achieve their dreams of homeownership while they develop our leaders of tomorrow,” said Charlotte Cannon-Sain, executive director for COA.
Impacting lives, neighborhoods
Oby Nwabuzor, founder of Envision Growth, said that as a public health practitioner she understands the value of health and social equity, adding that her company is committed to building healthy people and communities.
“We are excited and look forward to bringing affordable housing to the early childhood education space,” she said.
JoAnna Bautch, executive director of VIA CDC added that her organization is excited to join with other affordable housing partners to support the goal of developing safe and healthy housing for early childhood educators throughout our city.
“This project strongly aligns with VIA's mission of being a partner in building strong and healthy neighborhoods where all of us can thrive, as well as our values of collaboration and collective impact,” said.
Said Theodore Lipscomb, executive director of LISC: "Our vision for the homebuyers is that they achieve housing stability, build family wealth and enhance neighborhoods, while also helping to close Milwaukee’s homeownership gap for people of color and making the early childcare education industry a more attractive career choice.”
Milwaukee Department of City Development commissioner Lafayette Crump said that as “Milwaukee teachers go to work every day to educate (the city’s) future leaders and lead them on a path to success, (the community) should support them like they support our kids and families.”
“I’m pleased that neighborhood organizations and developers of color are transforming city-owned properties into quality, affordable housing for our early childhood educators,” Crump said. “We are proud to partner with the Community Development Alliance and LISC on a number of issues and thank them for their leadership on this effort.”
