MILWAUKEE — Hundreds of rundown houses will be demolished under a new initiative from Mayor Cavalier Johnson called “Raze & Revive”. The Department of Public Works will identify unsafe buildings that need to be demolished and replace them with new, affordable homes.
Outside of a dilapidated house on Milwaukee’s northwest side, Mayor Johnson and community leaders outlined their strategy and goals for Raze & Revive:
“DPW has committed to removing 90 properties in 2024,” DPW Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke said. “Based on that goal, we’re planning on removing two houses per week.”
Alderman Khalif J. Rainey and Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs spoke on how this initiative will make neighborhoods safer since rundown properties can attract negative activity while putting a strain on public resources. These properties also lower the value of other homes in the neighborhood. Before DPW razes a property as part of this process, a safety check is completed and efforts to minimize dust are taken to ensure safety in the neighborhood.
Mayor Johnson accounted for the program’s funding in the city’s last budget through shared revenue and said that getting rid of rundown housing is important to building Milwaukee’s reputation.
“We want to not just attract people but also retain people, and we’re not going to be able to retain people unless they maintain the neighborhood in which they live in,” he explained.
Growing the city’s population is a long-term goal for the Mayor, hoping to target one million residents within Milwaukee. Raze & Revive serves that goal by allowing for more residences.
“Folks have been crying out for some time about making sure we demolish properties in their neighborhood that are a source of blight and danger,” Mayor Johnson said. “As it relates to adding more folks in the future, Raze and Revive provides more opportunity that add more housing.”
TOP HEADLINES FROM THE 620 WTMJ NEWS TEAM:
- Mark Kass talks AmFam Field, Harley Davidson and non-stop flights
- Violent night in Milwaukee: Seven separate shootings within seven hours
- Two men at large after home invasion, police chase and crash in Walworth County
- Festa Italiana, Ice Fishing Indoors, AI-generated George Carlin and a Grammy Nominee from Wisconsin — What’s On Tap
WATCH: Wisconsin’s Morning News tours The Baird Center construction site
