MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley’s State of the County address was held at Discovery World Tuesday and covered topics ranging from affordable housing to reckless driving. He said what he thinks is most important to improve Milwaukee County.
“Partnerships are the way forward,” Crowley said.
He said one vital partnership for the county is theirs with the Biden-Harris administration.
“President Biden recently signed new legislation into law that will deliver another seven million dollars for affordable projects in our community,” he said. “As well as one million dollars for public transit investments and additional funds for park improvements all across Milwaukee County.”
Another vital partnership is with Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
“Mayor Cavalier Johnson and so many local leaders have been steadfast partners and advocates in fostering safer streets that are more walkable, bikeable, and accessible,” he said. “And for that, I say thank you all for your leadership.”
Milwaukee was just one of the five municipalities in the county that got federal dollars to go toward combatting reckless driving.
“With these dollars, portable speed bumps are being placed between Greendale and West Allis. Shorewood and Wauwatosa are installing temporary traffic circles, curb extensions, and new security cameras.”
Crowley’s office also announced the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services will be partnering with the Milwaukee Christian Center to implement the advanced peace model, which helps provide positive opportunities for youth and has already been proven to work in other areas in the country.
“They’re going to help provide mentorship, life coaching, family resources, and more to our people who have been involved with group-based conflict and gun violence in Milwaukee County,” he said.
Crowley has helped pass funding for things such as county park improvements, substance abuse prevention, keeping the Brewers in Milwaukee, and more, but he told WTMJ he is most proud of the progress they’ve made with affordable housing in Milwaukee County.
“I think we’ve been able to… message and really stay ahead of the curb as it relates to not only building… but how important [affordable housing] is,” he said.
Crowley said 15 million dollars in AARPA funds will go towards affordable housing development across five different Milwaukee suburbs. He told WTMJ that he believes affordable housing is a public health crisis.
County Executive David Crowley after his State of the County Address says that Affordable Housing IS a Public Health Crisis@620wtmj @DavidCrowleyWI pic.twitter.com/PPTelAihyN
— Julien Johnson (@jujuelz_is) March 19, 2024
“As a person who has experienced different levels of housing insecurity, I know how it can affect a young person’s ability to learn in school or the stress that a parent may be going through,” he said. “So when we talk about finding solutions to the opioid epidemic, to mental health, to getting people the employment they need… we have to talk about affordable housing.”
Crowley believes affordable housing crosses into even more avenues in life.
“We can’t talk about workforce development and transportation without thinking about where people are going to lay their head at in order to get to and from those job opportunities,” he said. “We have to look at housing as a critical social determinant of health moving forward.”