Lafayette Crump, Mayor Tom Barrett's choice as Milwaukee's next commissioner of the Department of City Development (DCD), said if his appointment is approved he would work to make the city a more equitable place for racial and ethnic minorities.
"I will be focusing, really every element of the work that we do, on ensuring that we are getting closer to racial equity in this community," he said, calling it "America's defining issue" from its genesis.
Crump's comments, the first in a public forum since
Barrett first announced his pick to replace the retiring Rocky Marcoux as DCD commissioner, came during the Milwaukee Common Council's Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee meeting on Tuesday.
Committee members unanimously endorsed his appointment after roughly two hours of questions and discussion. The nomination needs final approval by the full Common Council.
Much of the discussion between Crump and the committee related to racial equity, and ways DCD could improve it in the city. The discussion provided a look into the ways Crump could shape the roughly 90-person department with him at the helm.
Committee members questioned Crump on topics including gentrification, workforce-inclusion goals such as the city's Residents Preference Program, tax incremental financing and the department's relationship with the Common Council.
Almost immediately, Crump argued for an even greater focus on policies that help lift up people of color. This went for both workers and business owners.
"We are sometimes, I think, hamstrung by racially neutral policies, which is an aspirational comment and sometimes a deceptive one, because frankly there's really no such thing as a race-neutral policy," he said. "Because, despite whatever they say, we're not a race-neutral country and a race-neutral community. So even a policy that purports to be race neutral does not end up with a race-neutral impact."
This, he said, will be part of his overall vision as DCD chief. The other components of that vision include increasing the city's tax base, improving housing and job opportunities, growing businesses and creating an inviting community.
He pointed to existing RPP and small business contracting goals as examples of race-neutral policies. RPP ensures a portion of all labor hours on construction projects go to Milwaukee residents, and SBE goals ensure a certain percentage of contracting dollars are spent on small businesses.
The goals have "no teeth" in that they don't fully ensure those workers and businesses closely resemble the diverse makeup of Milwaukee, argued Crump.
"I think we need to aspire to goals that mirror the population of this city," he said.
Crump also at one point said the city should consider being more aggressive with its tax incremental financing. Abbreviated TIF, it is one of the city's strongest tools to support or encourage development projects. The city can create a TIF district, spend money on infrastructure improvements or development incentives, and pay off those expenditures through the additional tax revenues generated within the district.
He said city officials should think of how a project suppported through TIF will impact the community as a whole. A riskier district that may return very little new increment relative to investment may be worth it if there's a positive impact on the greater community, he said.
"Obviously we've got restraints with respect to TIF funding, but I do want to be more aggressive about how we do that to increase development in our neighborhoods for ... the impact it has on making each neighborhood, each area of the city a viable place to work, live and play," he said.
Some TIF districts come with significant risk. For instance, the district created for the
Century City business park recently needed money from other stable districts in order to pay off outstanding debts that it could not cover with its own tax revenue.
A recurring topic brought up by committee members was how much development was occurring downtown versus other neighborhoods.
"it has not gone unnoticed the level of development and investment into the downtown area, and what I hear often from constituents is, 'What about the neighborhoods?'" said Alderwoman Milele Coggs. "As they see the concentration and focus so heavily on downtown there is tremendous concern about neighborhood."
She asked Crump how the city can ensure investment reaches the neighborhoods outside downtown.
In response, Crump said the issue is "paramount" for DCD and the city as a whole. He added that oftentimes developers and companies look at downtown as providing the quickest payoff on their investment, but it's up to DCD to talk up opportunities in other areas.
"We can't just be focused on what is coming to us, we have to be very intentional about going out into the neighborhoods," and talking with the aldermen and residents, he said.
Crump said his background and experience has prepared him to take on the task of promoting greater racial equity.
He is chief diversity, vendor and engagement officer at the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention. He was also chief operating officer of Milwaukee-based
Prism Technical Management and Marketing Services LLC, a consulting firm that has helped builders meet workforce development goals on projects such as the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons, Fiserv Forum and The Hop.
Crump also has an extensive background as a lawyer. Although not all of his legal work focused on real estate, he said he has experience working with clients on both the commercial and residential sectors of the industry.
Alderman Robert Bauman pointed out during questioning that as DCD chief, Crump would also be executive director of the powerful Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee.
He said in previous years, some aldermen have had issues in getting RACM to initiate TIF district proposals that they felt would have improved their aldermanic districts.
He asked if Crump would commit to putting forward TIF proposals to RACM at the request of aldermen. Crump declined.
"I don't think it would be fair to the process to agree I would make a change at this time to what has historically been the case," he said.
Crump's appointment has received the backing of several developers and industry groups. Those who have sent letters of support for Crump include, among others, the Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin, NAIOP Wisconsin, Milwaukee Downtown BID No. 21 and Milwaukee-based developers Haywood Group LLC and Fix Development LLC.
"Our members have expressed great interest in growing our work together and are impressed not only with his (Crump's) experience in construction and real estate, but his communication style, leadership success and bold outlook for a greater Milwaukee," CARW president and chief executive officer Tracy Johnson wrote in a letter to Common Council members.
