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.

Habitat to Build Ten More

At 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 11, 2009 – during a busy volunteer build day – Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity will kick-off this year’s Thrivent Builds program. The event at 3000 N. Richards Street will celebrate the collaboration between Thrivent and Habitat, as well as the volunteers who are creating hope for, and bringing help to, the neighborhood. Join elected officials Senator Kohl, Senator Feingold, Congresswoman Moore, County Executive Walker, Mayor Tom Barrett and other leaders, who have been invited as well.

This year, Thrivent is providing $704,280 and will mobilize its members and other volunteers to build 10 homes in Milwaukee’s Harambee Great Neighborhood. Since 2006, the first year of the program, Thrivent Builds has mobilized more than 6,000 volunteers who have dedicated more than 50,000 hours to help build 30 homes in Milwaukee alone. In Wisconsin, Thrivent Builds volunteers have constructed 106 homes since 2006, with 32 more scheduled for this year.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity are humbled to be able to put our faith into action by joining together to help build better communities, one home at a time. We hope that you can participate in this special event.