Harambee Home To Be Improved

Rebuilding Together Greater Milwaukee Celebrates National Rebuilding Day in Harambee Community

Milwaukee WI - (May 16th, 2009) - On May 16th one Harambee homeowner, along with thousands of low-income homeowners nationwide, will have something to celebrate. Rebuilding Together, the nation’s leading nonprofit working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities, will tackle improvements at a home at 429 W. Chambers as part of National Rebuilding Day. Rebuilding Together Greater Milwaukee along with more than 200 fellow Rebuilding Together affiliates across the country and the help of thousands of volunteers will rehabilitate and improve this home at no cost to the owner.

“On this 21st annual National Rebuilding Day the need has never been greater. America’s low-income homeowners are faced with daunting challenges in attempt to mange food and health care along with basic home maintenance, struggling to retain homeownership in neighborhoods where real estate values have plummeted,” said Lynnea Katz-Petted, Executive Director Rebuilding Together Greater Milwaukee.

Continued Katz-Petted, “Rebuilding Together makes it possible for homeowners to remain in safe and healthy homes, keep their independence and dignity and preserve home equity which in many cases is the sole source of personal wealth.”

“We are thankful to all of our Sponsors, Foundation supporters and individual donors, for their incredible support of the community through Rebuilding Together Greater Milwaukee,” said Lynnea Katz-Petted, executive director of Rebuilding Together Greater Milwaukee. RTGM's work on the Harambee home is sponsored by M&I Bank.

Since 2000 RTGM has rehabilitated 210 homes, 5 nonprofits and invested over $4.6 million dollars into Milwaukee area housing. For more information or to get involved please contact Lynnea Katz-Petted at 414-704-1581 or visit www.rtmilwaukee.org.

Online Workshop on Parks, Gathering Places, and Public Spaces

It's in the Harambee Great Neighborhood plan...Clinton Rose Park is a place neighbors want to improve and enjoy. Join a LISC-sponsored webinar featuring our local Beth Fetterly of the Urban Ecology Center plus other practitioners from around the country to learn how others have transformed parks in their neighborhoods.


Connecting housing, jobs, amenities, schools, and parks and open space is a key part of revitalized communities. Join this webcast to learn more about how neighborhood leaders are identifying natural assets and creating new community spaces. National experts and local practitioners will discuss strategies that involve citizens, local leaders, and local governments in successful models across the country. This will be an interactive session with an opportunity for participant questions and comments.

When: May 20
1:00 – 1:30 pm CST
Panel: Ben Welle, Trust for Public Land Washington DC
Beth Fetterley, Urban Ecology Center Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Beverly Smith, LISC New York, New York
Julia Seward, LISC Moderator



To join the Meeting: click or paste the link below:
https://cc.readytalk.com/r/cz0gow7ur2tv



For more details, download the flyer here.

Buy in Your Neighborhood

Are you tired of looking at that boarded up house down the street that the bank currently owns and living with all the problems it causes? Why don't you buy it and rent it out?


With Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds from the federal government, the City now provides funding to help homeowners buy a foreclosed property within three blocks of where they live for rental purposes. Both financial and technical assistance is provided. If the property is in need of rehabilitation, homeowners may apply for funds to rehab as well.


Learn more about the programs...

To find out where you the bank-owned foreclosure properties are, visit http://www.mkedcd.org/foreclosures/ There is an interactive satellite map here showing the 1800 properties citywide, and zooming into 53212 and the Harambee Great Neighborhood, you'll see there are over 100. Help recruit 100 neighborhood owners to buy and care for these properties!

Mary Leach-Sumlin of ACTS, a Harambee nonprofit that assists families with homeownership opportunities and rehab projects, knows these and other programs and can answer questions about the qualifying and buying process. Give her a call at 414-372-3543.