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Updates The Milwaukee Housing
Trust Fund Coalition has remained strong and active in the
continued push for revenue sources. In anticipation of the
proposed 2009 City Budget, the Milwaukee Housing Trust Fund
Coalition has taken recent steps to persuade the mayor to set
aside one million dollars in the budget for the Milwaukee
Housing Trust Fund. On June 18, a group of nearly 200
supporters gathered in the City Hall Rotunda to rally for the
one million dollars in the 2009 budget (photo below).
Staggered cheers and cascading banners billowed from City Hall,
representing Milwaukee’s need for not only new affordable
housing, but also new jobs and renewed economic vitality,
working together and only as a tri-union. Look for more action
in the City of Milwaukee as the Milwaukee Housing Trust Fund
Coalition will persist in their pursuit for more dollars in the
2009 Budget.

In addition to the Milwaukee Housing Trust
Fund Coalition, the Waukesha HTF effort is also busily moving
forward. Recently the group named themselves the ‘Waukesha
County Affordable Housing Task Force’. Focused on two areas,
the Waukesha County Affordable Housing Task Force has formulated
ways in which to create public awareness in Waukesha County, as
well as gather relevant information. In addition to these two
tasks, the Waukesha group is also working hard on drafting a
proposal that will be unveiled at an upcoming fall event. (See
the
Brochure)
For more information, contact Heather Dummer Combs at
414-276-9050 or
heatherdc@interfaithconference.org
History
In May
2004 Interfaith Conference together with numerous other faith
and community based organizations formed the Milwaukee Housing
Trust Fund Coalition. This coalition grew out of an increasing
need in Milwaukee for decent, accessible, affordable housing.
With the decline in federal dollars and the increased poverty
rate in Milwaukee, creating a local fund to support affordable
housing is a solution backed by many. As a result, this diverse
coalition has grown to include over 130 endorsers of a Milwaukee
Housing Trust Fund.
From 2004 until 2006 a multitude of
grassroots activities were held by the Milwaukee Housing Trust
Fund Coalition. Eventually the success of such actions led up
to the passed legislation of the Milwaukee Housing Trust Fund in
2006. An eleven-year veteran to the Common Council commented in
a letter to Housing Trust Fund supporters that, “your effort was
the most effective grassroots campaign that I have seen in all
of my years in city government.” After the passed legislation
in 2006, the Milwaukee Housing Trust Fund received $2.5 million
in initial funding for 2007.
As 2007 arrived, the Housing Trust Fund
Advisory Board was formed and worked to issue its first Request
for Proposals. That same year, the Mayor’s 2008 city budget
proposal revealed that only $400,000 would be available for the
Milwaukee Housing Trust Fund. This amount fell far short of the
amount called for in the legislation, much to the disappointment
of the Milwaukee Housing Trust Fund Coalition.
Early in 2008 the Milwaukee Housing Trust
Fund awarded its first round of funding, in which five housing
development projects received a total of $1.4 million from the
fund. And there is a plan by the Advisory Board to receive the
second round of applications by year’s end. However, without
adequate revenue the Milwaukee Housing Trust Fund will not
provide the kind of needed impact in the community.
Housing Trust Fund Video
The Housing Trust Fund Video is
available for viewing. There are two ways to watch this
7-minute video about the needs for and benefits of a Milwaukee
Housing Trust Fund.
The YMCA-CDC has been kind enough to
post the video on their website. Click
here to view it (must
have Windows Media Player)
Interfaith Conference is has DVDs of
the video available to groups free of charge. If you would
like a copy, please contact us at 414-276-9050.
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