DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE AT HISTORIC
TURNER HALL.
THIS WEEK, THE REGION'S
BUSINESSES NEED WORKERS.
BUT CAN WORKERS FIND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING?
HI EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO "FOURTH STREET
FORUM," I'M YOUR HOST TODAY,
DENISE CALLAWAY.
WHERE WE LIVE OFTEN HELPS DEFINE
WHO WE ARE.
BUT FOR TOO MANY OF THE REGION'S
RESIDENTS, WHERE THEY CAN LIVE
IS LIMITED BY A LACK OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE INABILITY TO ACCESS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRESSES
RESOURCES FOR OUR LOW INCOME
NEIGHBORS AND CAN ALSO
CONTRIBUTE TO A SHORTAGE OF
WORKERS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
HOW CAN WE BEGIN TO FIX THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS AND
MAKE SURE THAT BUSINESSES HAVE
THE WORKERS THEY NEED TO HELP
THE ECONOMY GROW?
LET'S HEAR FROM OUR PANEL.
OUR FIRST GUEST IS -- NANCY
ANDERSON, THE CHIEF ASSISTANT
COMMUNITY PLANNER AT
SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN REGIONAL
PLANNING COMMISSION, SEWRPC.
THE COMMISSION SEVERS SEVEN
COUNTS.
KENOSHA, MILWAUKEE, OZAUKEE,
RACINE, WALWORTH, WASHINGTON AND
WAUKESHA, BY PLANNING AND
DESIGNING PUBLIC WORKS
INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING
HIGHWAYS, TRANSFORMATIVE CIES,
SUERAGE, WATER SUPPLY AND PARKS.
THEY HAD JUST COMPLETED THEIR
REPORT, A REGIONAL HOUSING PLAN
FOR SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN.
>> LEO RIES IS EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF LISC, MILWAUKEE, A
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION WITH LOCAL
AFFILIATES COMMITTED TO BUILDING
AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE
NEIGHBORHOODS.
LISC MILWAUKEE HAS BEEN A LEADER
IN TRANSFORMING DISTRESSED URBAN
NEIGHBORHOODS INTO HEALTHIER
COMMUNITIES.
MR. RIES IS A LEADER IN PUBLIC
POLICY ISSUES CONCERNING
NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION THAT
INCLUDES AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE, LEO.
>> BERNARD JUNO IS THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE HEBRON HOUSE OF
HOSPITALITY.
THE SHELTER OPENED IN 1983 AND
IS WAUKESHA'S LARGEST HOMELESS
SHELTER, SERVING OVER 2,000 MEN,
WOMEN AND CHILDREN EVERY YEAR.
THEY WORK TO FIND HOUSING FOR
PEOPLE IN CRISIS AS WELL AS TO
FIND PERMANENT HOUSING
SOLUTIONS.
THEY HAVE 12 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING THAT THEY OWN, AND THEY
ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ADDING
EIGHT MORE UNITS.
BERNIE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US TODAY.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE LEARNED LAST WEEK WHEN WE
TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT WAS
HAPPENING TO MINIMUM -- THE
MINIMUM WAGE AND PARTICULARLY
THE MINIMUM WAGE WORKERS, IS
THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIMITED
INCOMES, LOW INCOME FOLKS,
HOUSING REALLY IS A MAJOR
STRESS, FINDING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, IS A HUGE STRESS ON
THEIR RESOURCES, AND HAS
INCREDIBLE STRESSES ON THEIR
FAMILIES AS WELL.
AND OBVIOUSLY, IT MAKES A
DIFFERENCE IN OUR REGION.
IF PEOPLE CAN'T FIND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT
FOR THEM TO REALLY BE ABLE TO
KEEP AND MAINTAIN JOBS THAT HELP
TO SUSTAIN THEM AND GROW OUR
ECONOMY.
SO LET'S GET OUR DISCUSSION
STARTED TODAY WITH THIS REAL
FIRST QUESTION.
HOW DOES THE REGION'S LACK OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING REALLY IMPACT
OUR ABILITY TO HAVE SUCCESSFUL
ECONOMIC OUTCOMES FOR THE REGION
AS A WHOLE?
NANCY, WHY DON'T YOU HELP GET US
STARTED WITH THAT QUESTION.
>> WELL, AS WE DID THE REGIONAL
HOUSING PLAN, WE TOOK A LOOK AT
OUR COMMUNITIES, SOME MORE
DEVELOPED COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE
SEWER SERVICES THAT SUPPORT A
NUMBER OF JOBS, AND THE TYPE OF
JOBS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, AND
IN MANY OF THE OUTLYING
COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL
CITIES OF RACINE, KENOSHA,
AROUND -- AND MILWAUKEE, THE
LOWER PAYING JOBS, RETAIL AN
SERVICE JOBS, THERE IS A LACK IN
MANY COMMUNITIES OF HOUSING THAT
PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THOSE JOBS
CAN AFFORD.
SO IT'S AN ISSUE OF TRYING TO
PROVIDE HOUSING NEAR THOSE JOB
CENTERS, AND ALSO IF THERE IS
NOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR WE'VE
GOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN
CERTAIN PARTS OF THE REGION, AND
IT'S A PROBLEM TO GET WORKERS
OUT TO THOSE OUTLYING AREAS
WITHOUT PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE.
SO WE LOOKED AT BOTH THE NEED
FOR INCREASED TRANSIT SERVICE TO
HELP LINK AFFORDABLE -- AREAS
WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO JOB
LOCATIONS AND ALSO THE NEED TO
PROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IN OUTLYING COMMUNITIES.
>> WHAT HAPPENS?
IF WE DON'T HAVE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, CAN WE REALLY EXPECT
THE REGION IS GOING TO BE ABLE
TO GROW TO ITS FULLEST ECONOMIC
POTENTIAL?
>> NO.
AND THERE'S REALLY TWO PARTS TO
IT.
ONE IS, I THINK, YOU KNOW,
PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR
THE WORKFORCE, AND ACTUALLY,
IT'S AN INTERESTING STATISTIC
THAT I JUST LEARNED, IS THAT
ROUGHLY HALF OF THE JOBS IN THE
U.S. ECONOMY PAY LESS THAN
$35,000 A YEAR, SO I MEAN, QUITE
FRANKLY, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF
PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY WHO
REALLY, YOU KNOW, HAVE VERY
MODEST INCOMES, AND WHO CAN'T
LIVE IN MANY PARTS OF THE
METROPOLITAN AREA.
THE SECOND ISSUE THOUGH IS THAT
THE REGIONAL -- I MEAN, THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE SUCH A PREDOMINANT
INCOME INEQUALITY AND SUCH
SEGREGATION, QUITE FRANKLY, BY
INCOME AND RACE, CREATES A REAL
DRAG ON THE ECONOMY TOO.
YOU CAN'T -- I MEAN, WE'RE
LIVING IN AN INCREASINGLY
DIVERSE WORLD AND TO THE
EXTENT -- AND THE MILWAUKEE AREA
IS REALLY AN OUT LIER IN THE
SENSE THAT WE STILL, AFTER ALL
THESE YEARS, MAINTAIN SUCH
DRAMATIC SEGREGATION IN TERMS OF
RACE AND INCOME THAT WE AS A
REGION -- IT'S BEEN SHOWN IN A
NUMBER OF STUDIES THAT REGIONS
THAT HAVE HUGE GAPS IN INCOME
AND RACE AREN'T COMPETITIVE IN
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY.
SO WE DON'T TRY TO PORTRAY THIS
ISSUE OR DISCUSS THIS ISSUE IN
TERMS OF A SOCIAL PROBLEM, BUT
RATHER, IT'S AN ECONOMIC PROBLEM
THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO START
LOOKING AT IT IN ECONOMIC TERMS,
AND HOPEFULLY, IF WE CAN GET
PEOPLE TO SEE IT IN TERMS OF
THEIR ECONOMIC SELF-INTEREST, WE
CAN HOPEFULLY MAKE SOME PROGRESS
ON THE ISSUE.
>> BERNIE, WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS?
>> WELL, I AGREE.
WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID AND IT'S
NOT ONLY -- WE'RE NOT ONLY
LOOKING AT PEOPLE WITH -- AT THE
SERVICE ENTRY LEVEL TYPE OF
JOBS, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT
PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE OTHER
SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY,
TEACHERS, FIREMEN, POLICE,
NURSES, NURSES AIDES.
THERE IS QUITE A WIDE GAP IN THE
AVAILABLE -- CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WE SEE
PEOPLE OF THESE DIFFERENT LEVELS
OF EMPLOYMENT ACTUALLY IN
SHELTERS THESE DAYS.
AND BASICALLY, BECAUSE THERE IS
THIS GAP AND THIS ISSUE OF NOT
HAVING ENOUGH AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, NOT ONLY TO HAVE HOME
OWNERSHIP, BUT ALSO BE AVAILABLE
FOR RENTING.
>> IF -- ONE OF THE PROBLEMS
THAT WE JUST DON'T RECOGNIZE THE
PROBLEM AS A LACK OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
WE SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE CERTIFIED
NURSING ASSISTANTS, FOOD SERVICE
WORKERS, OTHERS, WE'VE SEEN THEM
KIND OF COMING AND GOING AND WE
JUST ASSUME THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO
BE ABLE TO FIND THE HOUSING THAT
WE NEED.
IS IT MORE OF AN UNDERGROUND OR
HIDDEN PROBLEM THAN MOST PEOPLE
REALLY UNDERSTAND.
>> I THINK UNFORTUNATELY, OUR
SOCIETY HAS BECOME VERY
STRATIFIED.
THERE WAS A BOOK I WAS EXPOSED
TO THIS PAST YEAR CALLED "THE
BIG SORT" AND SOCIALLY WE'RE
BECOMING MORE HAND MORE
SEGREGATED INTO PEOPLE THAT LOOK
AND THINK LIKE US, YOU KNOW,
INTO VERY HOMOGENEOUS SUBGROUPS
IF SOCIETY AND UNLIKE IN THE
EARLIER DAYS WHEN YOU HAD, YOU
KNOW, A CITY, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE
RUBBING ELBOWS WITH THE SERVICE
CLASS EVERY DAY, NOW WE HAVE
WHOLE SUBURBS, WHICH ARE VERY
HIGH INCOME PEOPLE AND THEN
AREAS OF VERY LOW INCOME PEOPLE
AN WE'RE KIND OF LOSING
UNDERSTANDING AND SYMPATHY EVEN
FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT
FROM US, WHO LOOK DIFFERENT FROM
US, WHO DON'T LIVE THE WAY WE
DO, AND WE CAN'T UNDERSTAND, YOU
KNOW, THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE DIFFERENT FROM US.
AND SO IT'S -- IT'S REALLY AN
UNFORTUNATE DYNAMIC THAT I SEE
ADVANCING IN OUR SOCIETY.
NOT JUST IN MILWAUKEE.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WITNESS.
I'M FROM WAUKESHA, LOCATED THERE
AND WITHIN THE WAUKESHA COUNTY
AREA, WE SEE THIS ATTITUDE OF
MAINTAINING HIGHER INCOME
POPULATION.
AS ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST
COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE, AND IT
SETS POLICY FOR HOUSING THAT
IS -- SHOULD BE OUTLAWED, QUITE
FRANKLY, BECAUSE THEIR POLICY IS
65% HOME OWNERSHIP, AND 35%
RENTAL.
THAT LIMITS SO MANY CHOICES FOR
PEOPLE.
THEY DON'T LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC
OF PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT
ETHNICITY, AND TRY AND WORK THAT
IN ALSO.
WHEN THEY MAKE THESE POLICIES,
THEY DON'T LOOK AT THE NEED FOR
SERVICE WORKERS IN THIS AREA,
AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE
WAS A LARGE FOCUS ALWAYS, AND
THERE STILL IS, ON COLLEGE
EDUCATION.
AND THEY'VE FAILED TO CONTINUE
WITH TRAINING IN SKILLED AREAS,
AND SO WE DO HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A
LACK OF SKILLED PEOPLE FOR JOBS,
BUT WHEN WE DO HAVE THEM, THEY
CAN'T MAKE IT TO WHERE THEIR JOB
IS, THEM CAN'T LIVE WHERE THEY
WORK.
>> WELL, IF I COULD JUST ADD AND
AN HE CAN DOTE, IT'S NOT --
ANECDOTE, I MET WITH A PLANNING
DIRECTOR FROM A MAJOR SUBURBAN
COMMUNITY AND HE WAS LOOKING OUT
THE WINDOW AND SAID LEO, WE HAVE
A PROPOSAL FROM A MAJOR LOCAL
DEVELOPER TO PUT APARTMENTS OVER
HERE, AND YOU KNOW, THESE ARE
GOING TO RENT FOR OVER A
THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND I CAN'T
GET THEM APPROVED, BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE CONSIDERING THAT SLUM
HOUSING.
I MEAN, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S
ATTACHED TO THE WHOLE CONCEPT,
MULTIFAMILY MUST BE BAD.
YOU KNOW, IT MUST -- IT'S GOING
TO CREATE -- THERE'S THIS
NEGATIVE PERCEPTION THAT WAY.
SO IT'S -- IT DOESN'T TRANSLATE,
EVEN TO, YOU KNOW, SERVICE
WORKERS, WHICH IS THE BIG NEED
AND CHALLENGE AND EVEN
TRANSLATES INTO RENTAL HOUSING
FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR HIGHER INCOME
PEOPLE.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS, I WAS
REALLY STRUCK BY, IS WE TAKE A
LOOK AT THE REPORTS THAT KATHY
WORKED ON, WHICH LEO HAS IN
FRONT OF HIM, THIS LITTLE BIT OF
WORK THAT YOU ALL GET, ON
REGIONAL HOUSING, IS IT
CLEARLY -- IT OUTLINES AND WE'LL
TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT SOME OF
THE SOLUTIONS THAT IT SUGGESTS,
BUT IT ALSO CLEARLY IDENTIFIES
THE NEED WHICH IS NOT A SURPRISE
TO MOST PEOPLE.
SO WHY DON'T WE HAVE MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE
REGION?
CLEARLY, THERE IS A NEED.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU POINTED
OUT WAS THERE ARE ABOUT 186,000
HOUSEHOLDS THAT COULD QUALIFY
FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
SUBSIDIES.
WE HAVE FEWER THAN 50,000 UNITS
THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
THAT IT'S REALLY CLEAR, WHAT IS
THE PROBLEM?
WHY IS THERE THIS SHORTAGE,
CLEARLY THE NEED HAS BEEN
IDENTIFIED?
>> I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF
INCOME LEVELS, JUST AREN'T HIGH
ENOUGH, AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH
PUBLIC FUNDING TO BUILD THE
PUBLIC HOUSING AND PROVIDE THE
HOUSING VOUCHERS THAT ARE
NECESSARY.
AND I THINK THERE'S ALSO A BIG
ISSUE AS LEO POINTED OUT, WITH
MULTIFAMILY IN THE REGION, AND I
THINK A BIG PART OF THAT, I
THINK THERE ARE LOCAL OFFICIALS,
ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHO SEE THE
NEED IN THEIR COMMUNITY FOR MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND MORE
WORKFORCE HOUSING.
BUT PART OF THE CONCERN IS THAT
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE SO
CONSTRAINED IN WISCONSIN ON HOW
THEY CAN RAISE MONEY TO FUND
SEWER, WATER, POLICE, FIRE,
GARBAGE, ALL OF THE LOCAL
SERVICES.
IT'S DONE EITHER THROUGH THE
PROPERTY TAX OR THROUGH STATE
AID.
AND MOST LOCAL GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS EQUATE THE BIGGER
HOUSES ON THE BIGGER LOTS, MORE
EXPENSIVE HOUSING, MORE PROPERTY
TAXES, WHICH HELPS THEM PAY FOR
THEIR SERVICES.
SO I THINK THAT'S A BIG PART OF
THE RELUCTANCE ON THE PART OF
LOCAL OFFICIALS TO HAVE THE
MULTIFAMILY OR EVEN THE SMALLER
LOT, SMALLER SIZE SINGLE FAMILY,
THAT'S ARE MORE AFFORDABLE TO
LOWER INCOME AND MODERATE INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS.
>> I AGREE WITH THAT, AND I --
PART OF ALSO WHAT YOU WERE JUST
SAYING, LEO, FOR INSTANCE, THE
ISSUE THAT AROSE IN NEW BERLIN,
WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO PUT IF
AFFORDABLE -- WHAT THEY CALLED
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND I WAS AT
SOME THOSE HEARINGS AND I LOOKED
AT THAT HOUSING, AND THAT
HOUSING WAS $1,200 A UNIT.
I JUST -- I COULD NOT AFFORD TO
LIVE THERE AND I EARN A VERY
GOOD SALARY, AND I THINK THAT'S
WHAT THEY CONSIDER AFFORDABLE
AND THE BIG ISSUE WAS, AND LIKE
YOU SAID BEFORE, YOU KNOW,
MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROBLEMS,
THAT WILL BRING LOW INCOME
HOUSING, AS THEY CALL IT, LOW
INCOME, OR AFFORDABLE, IT WILL
BRING PROBLEMS.
A LOT OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
USE THE ARGUMENT OF TOO MANY
UNITS AND LIMITED SPACE, A DRAIN
ON THE PUBLIC RESOURCES.
A DRAIN ON THE SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE TO REPAIR THE STREETS
MORE OFTEN.
I'VE HEARD MANY OF THOSE EXCUSES
AT DIFFERENT HEARINGS, AND YET,
THOSE TO ME ARE NOT WHAT THE
ISSUE WAS ABOUT.
IT WAS ABOUT DEVELOPING
MULTIFAMILY HOUSING.
WE APPARENTLY, IN WAUKESHA, I
THINK WE HAVE 78% OF OUR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I THINK THAT
WAS IN YOUR STUDY, IS MOSTLY FOR
ELDERLY AND DISABLED, SO WE'VE
REALLY --
>> THE AVAILABILITY THEN OF
UNITS FOR PEOPLE WHO EITHER ARE
NOT DISABLED OR ELDERLY, WHEN IT
COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN
WAUKESHA, THAT IS EXTREMELY
TIGHT.
>> RIGHT.
GO AHEAD.
>> IF I COULD JUST CLARIFY,
THERE'S AFFORDABLE -- THERE'S
SUBSIDIZED HOUSING AND THEN
THERE'S AFFORDABLE MARKET-BASED
HOUSING, SO I THINK WHAT BERNIE
WAS REFERRING TO IS THE
SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, AND THAT IS
DEFINITELY AN ISSUE IN THE
REGION.
MUCH OF THIS -- THE TAX CREDIT
OR PUBLIC HOUSING FOR FAMILIES I
THINK ABOUT 70% OF IT IN THE
REGION IS WITHIN MILWAUKEE, AND
IF THE OUT LYING COUNTIES -- IN
THE OUTLYING COUNTIES, WHEN YOU
FIND PUBLIC HOUSING OR
SUBSIDIZED HOUSE, TYPICALLY, IT
IS LIMITED TO ELDERLY AND PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES.
SO FOR FAMILIES, IT'S REALLY
TOUGH TO FIND PUBLIC HOUSING
OUTSIDE MILWAUKEE.
>> AN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'RE ALL KEENLY AWARE OF IS
THOUGH THE ECONOMY IS TURNING
BACK AROUND, A BIT MORE SLOWLY
IN WISCONSIN THAN THE REST OF
THE NATION, PEOPLE STILL ARE
REALLY STRUGGLING TO BE ABLE TO
FIND THE KIND OF EMPLOYMENT THAT
MAKES IT EASY FOR THEM TO BE
ABLE TO ACCESS AFFORDABLE
HOUSING THAT'S IN THE
MARKETPLACE.
>> RIGHT.
AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF
REALLY GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS IN
HERE.
I KNOW A LOT OF THOUGHT WENT IN
TO THIS STUDY, BUT THE -- BUT
YOU HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, GOOD
POLICY, AND GOOD POLITICS, IN
ORDER TO GET SOMETHING DONE.
AND WHAT'S REALLY LACKING IS THE
POLITICAL WILL.
SO WHEN YOU ASK WHAT -- AND SOME
OF IT -- AND SO THERE ARE
STRUCTURAL THINGS THAT GET IN
THE WAY.
ONE THE ISSUES THAT HAS -- THAT
GETS IN THE WAY IS THAT WE HAVE,
WHAT IS IT, 2,000 UNITS OF
GOVERNMENT IN THE STATE OF
WISCONSIN THAT HAVE ZONING
AUTHORITY, AND SO EVERY SINGLE
UNIT, YOU KNOW, SO THEY EACH SET
THEIR OWN POLICIES AN THEY EACH
CAN LIKE, DICTATE CERTAIN
THINGS, LIKE LOT SIZE AND
WHETHER OR NOT TO HAVE FAMILY
HOUSING AND MINIMUM SQUARE
FOOTAGE, SO I REALLY BELIEVE
THAT THERE ARE -- YOU ASKED, HOW
DO WE CHANGE THIS THING.
I THINK THERE ARE -- I ALWAYS
THINK ABOUT THE BIG THREE.
EDUCATION, LITIGATION AND
LEGISLATION.
PART OF IT IS, EDUCATION, WE
HAVE TO REALLY EDUCATE PEOPLE
ABOUT OVERCOMING SOME OF THE
STEREOTYPES AND THE STIGMA
ASSOCIATED WITH AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
I CAN SHOW YOU SOME REALLY
ATTRACTIVE, WELL-MANAGED
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS THAT
ANYONE WOULD BE PROUD TO HAVE IN
THEIR COMMUNITY, SO EDUCATION IS
ONE PIECE.
THE SECOND --
>> WEST LAWN IF MILWAUKEE MIGHT
BE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
>> OR I'M JUST THINKING, WE JUST
HAD A MEETING THE OTHER NIGHT UP
AT BRADLEY -- NO, BRADLEY
CROSSING, ON THE CORNER OF
BRADLEY ROAD AND SHERMAN
BOULEVARD, BEAUTIFUL FACILITY,
MOSTLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO EDUCATION AND JUST KIND OF
INTRODUCING PEOPLE TO WHAT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING COULD BE AND
SEE IT AS AN ASSET, RATHER THAN
AS SOMETHING TO BE FEARED.
AND THE SECOND ISSUE IS
LEGISLATION.
THERE ARE -- THE STATE
GOVERNMENT HAS THE ABILITY TO
SET THE RULES OF THE GAME.
THEY KIND OF SET UP THE SYSTEM
OF 2000 SEPARATE UNITS OF
GOVERNMENT WITH ZONING AUTHORITY
AND THEY COULD LIKE, IMPOSE,
CHANGES ON THAT SYSTEM.
THEY DID, FORECLOSURE CRISIS --
FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE THE SMART
PLANNING GROWTH PROCESS WHICH
WAS COMPLETED A FEW YEARS AGO,
AND ACTUALLY -- BUT THE
ACTUAL -- AND WHICH ACTUALLY
ENCOURAGED CERTAIN, I THINK,
HEALTHY POLICIES, BUT THEY --
THE STATE DIDN'T ACTUALLY
ENFORCE ANY OF THOSE POLICIES,
AN EVEN SEWER PACK, YOU KNOW,
WITH ALL THEIR GREAT
RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY DON'T HAVE
ANY POWER TO I AM POPES ANY OF
THESE POLICIES ON LOCAL UNITS OF
GOVERNMENT.
SO THE THIRD AVENUE THEN IS
LITIGATION OR AGITATION.
AND I HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO
BETHANY AND CORY FROM THE
METROPOLITAN NAIR HOUSING
COUNCIL, BECAUSE THEY DO PURSUE
LEGISLATURE RELIEF, --
LEGISLATIVE RELIEF, BASED ON
FAIR HOUSING LAWS, AND I FORGET,
THEY'RE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IF
SOME LEGISLATION NOW, DEALING --
>> LITIGATION.
>> LITIGATION.
CHALLENGING SOME OF THE
PRACTICES THAT SOME LOCAL UNITS
OF GOVERNMENT HAVE.
SO I REALLY THINK YOU'VE GOT TO
TRY TO MOVE THE BALL ON ALL
THREE OF THOSE FRONTS.
>> BUT WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO
MOVE THE BALL ON THE THREE
FRONTS, WE HAVE A REAL SITUATION
THOUGH WHERE PEOPLE ARE
SENDING -- THE PEOPLE WHO CAN
PLEASE, AFFORD IT ARE THE ONES
WHO ARE SPENDING GREATER
PORTIONS OF THEIR INCOME ON
EFFORTS TO FIND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
AND I WAS JUST REALLY STRUCK BY
A COUPLE OF FIGURES IN THE
REPORT THAT THE RULE IS, AND --
THAT YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T SPEND
MORE THAN 30% OF YOUR INCOME ON
HOUSING.
THAT SHOULD REALLY BE THE
MAXIMUM THAT YOU WOULD SPEND.
WHAT THE COURT FOUND WAS THAT'S
REALLY NOT THE CASE.
36% OF HOUSEHOLDS ARE PAYING
MORE THAN 30% OF INCOME, AND
THAT INCLUDES 15% THAT ARE
SPENDING HALF OF THEIR INCOME ON
HOUSING AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF
THOSE ARE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME
FAMILIES.
PEOPLE OFTEN UNDERSTAND, IF
YOU'RE TALK PYONGYANG -- TALKING
ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING BEING
CRITICAL TO THE COMMUNITY, IF
PEOPLE ARE SPENDING THAT MUCH OF
THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING, THAT
HAS AN INCREDIBLE FACT ON REALLY
STYMING ECONOMIC GROWTH.
IF YOU'RE SPENDING ALL THAT
MONEY ON HOUSING, YOU DON'T HAVE
THAT MUCH TO SPEND ON OTHER
THINGS.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
IF YOU ARE SPENDING 50% OF YOUR
INCOME ON HOUSING, YOU'RE REALLY
HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME BUYING
GROCERIES, AFFORDING HEALTH
CARE, CHILD CARE, TRANSPORTATION
, SO YOUR INCOME
IS GOING TO YOUR BASIC
NECESSITIES.
THERE'S NO DISPOSABLE INCOME.
YOU DON'T GO ON VACATION, YOU
DON'T BUY A NICE PURSE OR
WHATEVER.
THE DISCRETIONARY SPENDING
ABILITY JUST ISN'T ISN'T THERE
AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT
REALLY IS WELL UNDERSTOOD.
>> WELL, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT
AROUND A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE
WHEN ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
PARTNERS LEARNED THAT I WAS
GOING TO BE ON THIS PANEL, HE
SENT ME AN EMAIL THAT WAS AX
HOUSING FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT
ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT AND THE
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR SAID LEO, YOU
KNOW, WE KIND OF SEE THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MILWAUKEE
AS AN ECONOMIC ASSET.
THE POINT HE'S MAKING IS IS THAT
WE CAN PUT PEOPLE INTO HOMES AT
A VERY MODEST COST.
PEOPLE CAN GET HIGH QUALITY
HOUSING AT A VERY MODEST COST
AND MAYBE WE SHOULD SEE THAT AS
REALLY AN ECONOMIC INCENTIVE FOR
THE CITY, AND IT REALLY IS.
I MEAN, SO IN SOME WAYS, LET'S
TURN THE CONVERSATION -- AND
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT MY
ORGANIZATION TRIES TO DO A LOT,
IS INSTEAD OF SAYING, OH, HOW
TERRIBLE MILWAUKEE IS, LET'S DO
STUFF -- LET'S PROMOTE
MILWAUKEE'S ASSETS AND TRY TO
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME AND
LIVE HERE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT
GOING FOR US AND ONE OF THE
BENEFITS WE HAVE IS SOME REALLY
HIGH QUALITY, VERY AFFORDABLE
HOUSING STOCK, SO COME TO
MILWAUKEE, AND THEN THAT CAN
HELP STIMULATE JOB GROWTH HERE,
BECAUSE I HEARD -- I HEARD A
PRESENTATION BY A GUY WHO WAS
LOOKING AT ECONOMIC AND HOUSING
TRENDS AND HE IS SAYING,
INCREASINGLY, THE JOBS FOLLOW
THE PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
I MEAN, THE JOBS ARE FOLLOWING
THE CREATIVE CLASS, YOU KNOW,
THE YOUNGER PEOPLE THAT WANT TO
LIVE IN VIBRANT, URBAN CENTERS,
AND SO I SEE THIS AS ACTUALLY
LOOKING OUT AS KIND OF AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR MILWAUKEE,
BECAUSE -- AND I THINK THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE AFFORDABLE DIVERSE
HOUSING STOCK IS REALLY GOING TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE ONGOING
ECONOMIC RESURGENCE, WHICH WE'RE
STARTING TO SEE IN MILWAUKEE.
>> I AGREE WITH THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, REGIONALLY, THAT
TRAIN OF THOUGHT IS NOT
PREVALENT WITH THE OTHER AREAS
THAT SURROUND MILWAUKEE.
AS FAR AS THAT ATTITUDE TOWARDS
THE DIVERSITY, AND THE HEALTH OF
THE COMMUNITY.
IS NOT REALLY ACKNOWLEDGEED OR
REALLY TALKED ABOUT.
IT'S ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE THAT NOT
IN MY BACKYARD ATTITUDE, AND
BEING SO PREVALENT, WANTING TO
PROTECT THE GREAT LIFESTYLE THEY
THINK THEY HAVE IN SOME OF THESE
AREAS, AND THAT'S NOT EVERYONE
THERE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS PEOPLE
WHO HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THE
DECISIONS.
AND AS YOU SAID, EACH AREA, EACH
LOCALITY HAS ITS OWN RIGHT TO
SET A ZONING REGULATION, WHICH
MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT.
MOST OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IN THE COUNTY OF WAUKESHA IS
LOCATED IN THE CITY AND EVEN AT
THAT, IT'S NOT AS AFFORDABLE AS
IT NEEDS TO BE.
IF YOU HAVE A SUBSIDY NOW, IF
30% OF YOUR INCOME IS THE LIMIT,
THAT CAN BE PAID, EVEN IF THE
APARTMENT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT
IS ABOVE YOUR INCOME LEVEL, THEY
WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO USE THAT
VOUCHER, SECTION 8 VOUCHER FOR
THAT HOUSING, WHICH ADDS TO THE
CRISIS.
>> ADDS TO THE CRISIS AND THEN
PUTS MORE PRESSURE ON THE
UNSUBSIDIZED MARKETPLACE,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS
THERE.
DOES THIS REALLY BRING UP TWO
QUESTIONS FOR US.
LET ME JUST ASK THE FIRST ONE.
WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE FACT
THAT THERE IS THIS GAP BETWEEN
WHAT PEOPLE ARE EARNING AND WHAT
PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SPEND
TO FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, DOES
IT REALLY BRING UP A LARGER
QUESTION FOR US IN THIS REGION,
WHICH IS THAT IT'S NOT JUST
AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE NEED
TO BE ABLE TO IMPROVE UPON, BUT
DO EMPLOYERS NEED TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THE WAGE THAT PEOPLE ARE
EARNING, SO THEY CAN -- THEY CAN
AFFORD BETTER HOUSING, WHICH
THEN, OF COURSE, PERHAPS, HAS
SOME RIPPLE EFFECTS FOR
EMPLOYERS, BUT I MEAN, DO
EMPLOYERS, ALSO, ARE THEY PART
OF THE SOLUTION IN THIS, WHERE
EMPLOYERS NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT
HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO PAY WORKERS
MORE, SO WORKERS CAN HAVE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING?
>> I THINK THEY'RE A SIGNIFICANT
PART OF THE FORMULA TO CHANGE
THINGS.
IS TO GET THE BUSINESSES
INVOLVED, TO NOT ONLY LOOK AT
THE HOUSING BUT TRANSPORTATION.
I THINK THERE ARE PLENTY OF
WORKERS FOR THE POSITIONS OPEN
AS A MATTER TIMES AND MOST OF
THE TIMES HAVING THE
TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THAT
JOB.
TO GET TO SECOND SHIFT AND THIRD
SHIFT JOBS IN THE SURROUNDING
REGIONS WHERE SOME OF US DON'T
HAVE ANY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
TO ASSIST PEOPLE TO GET TO THAT
JOB.
THAT WILL PAY THEM A HIGHER
INCOME, THAT IS AN ISSUE AND I
THINK BUSINESS HAS A BIG ROLE IN
HELPING TO ADDRESS THOSE TWO
MAIN ISSUES.
>> AND THERE'S RIGHT NOW, SEWRPC
IS STARTING WORK ON UPDATING ITS
REGIONAL LAND USE AND
TRANSPORTATION PLANS AND AS PART
OF THAT, WE DO POPULATION AND
ECONOMIC FORECASTS OUT TO THE
YEAR 2050, AND THERE IS A BIG
CONCERN OVER WHETHER WE WILL
HAVE ENOUGH WORKING AGE
POPULATION IN THIS REGION IN THE
YEARS TO COME.
THE BABY BOOMERS ARE RETIRING,
AND THEN OVER THE PAST MANY
YEARS, WOMEN HAVE ENTERED THE
WORKFORCE AND NOW, WOMEN, THE
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN THE
WORKFORCE IS EQUAL TO THE
PERCENTAGE OF MEN IN THE
WORKFORCE.
SO THERE'S NO MORE INCREASE
THROUGH THAT.
SO IT LOOKS AS IF IN THE NEXT 30
TO 40 YEARS, WE WILL NEED TO --
NEED TO ATTRACT WORKING AGED
PEOPLE TO OUR REGION TO FILL OUR
JOBS.
AND A BIG PART OF THAT IS I
THINK TO TRY AND BRING PEOPLE IN
IS MAKING SURE THAT THE HOUSING
IS REASONABLE.
THERE IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEAR
THE WORKPLACES.
SO I THINK EMPLOYERS ARE
GOING -- COULD REALLY HELP WITH
THIS ISSUE IN WORKING WITH THEIR
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO
SAY WE NEED MORE WORKERS, AND
WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE ATTRACTING
THEM, BECAUSE THE HOUSING IS NOT
AFFORDABLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND ONE QUICK THING, WE ARE --
ONE OF THE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
IN THE PLAN IS WHEN COMMUNITIES
UPDATE THEIR COMPREHENSIVE
PLANS, THAT THEY TAKE A CAREFUL
LOOK BETWEEN THE TYPE OF JOBS IN
THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE TYPE AND
COST OF HOUSING IN THEIR
COMMUNITY.
AND ATTEMPT TO BRING SOME
BALANCE BETWEEN JOB WAGES AND
HOUSING COSTS.
>> GET BACK TO YOUR QUESTION
ABOUT COULD BUSINESSES DO MORE,
PAY MORE.
I MEAN, BUSINESSES, THEY -- I
WOULD WORK A LOT WITH BUSINESS
LEADERS, AND YOU KNOW --
>> THEY'RE IN BUSINESS TO MAKE
MONEY.
>> YEAH.
THEY HAVE TO MAKE HARD
CALCULATED DECISIONS ABOUT HOW
BEST TO -- YOU KNOW, THEIR FIRST
PRY PORT IS TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESS.
I DO THINK IT REALLY BECOMES
MORE AN ISSUE OF GOVERNMENT
POLICY, BUT BECAUSE -- AND
UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES
BUSINESS LEADERS ADVOCATE FOR
POLICIES UNFORTUNATELY, THAT ARE
CONTRARY TO THE GREATER GOOD,
WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO ARGUE FOR
HERE.
SO I MEAN, WE COULD TALK ABOUT
DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT POLICIES
THAT I THINK WOULD HELP TO
CHANGE THE DYNAMIC.
THERE ARE THINGS BUSINESSES CAN
DO THOUGH, AND ESPECIALLY IN
SUBURBAN AREAS, THERE ARE, YOU
KNOW, TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE
LIKE THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX
CREDIT PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS
PROMOTE WORKERS HOUSING,
FINANCING WORKER HOUSING IN HIGH
COST AREAS AND ACTUALLY, ONE
COMPANY I'M AWARE OF, THIS WAS
YEAR AGO, BUT QUAD GRAPHICS
ACTUALLY LED THE EFFORT TO
SPONSOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECT IN THE CITY OF MAYVILLE,
BECAUSE FOR THAT VERY REASON, AT
A PLANT THERE, THEY HAD WORKERS
WHO COULDN'T AFFORD HOUSING AND
THEY SAID WELL, THIS IS A
SOLUTION, WE'LL HELP SPONSOR
THIS HOUSING, SO I THINK, YOU
KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS THAT
BUSINESSES COULD DO TO BE MORE
PROACTIVE ON THIS ISSUE, AND
HOWEVER, I DO THINK THE BURDEN
OF THE PROBLEM FALLS ON THE
POLITICAL PROCESS.
>> BUT DON'T BUSINESSES NEED
TO -- I'LL GO BACK TO YOUR
THREE-LEGGED STOOL THERE.  DON'T
THEY REALLY NEED TO AGITATE A
LITTLE BIT MORE?
IF WE'RE GOING TO RUN INTO A
PROBLEM, WHERE WE'RE NOT GOING
TO HAVE ENOUGH WORKERS BY 2050,
DON'T BUSINESSES NEED TO BE MUCH
MORE ENGAGED IN SAYING, ON THE
LEGISLATIVE SIDE, LOOK, WE NEED
TO FIGURE OUT A WAY, AS THEY DID
IN MAYVILLE, TO HAVE SOME
ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING
HERE, AND WE ALSO NEED TO
AGITATE A LITTLE BIT MORE, WE
NEED TO BE MORE ACTIVE IN
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT REGIONAL
TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE THAT'S
ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS RIGHT
NOW.
THERE'S A REAL MISMATCH,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MILWAUKEE
AND MORE JOBS IN SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES, BUT PEOPLE CAN'T
GET THERE, BECAUSE THE
TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, AND
COMMUNITIES WON'T ARROW MORE
AFFORDABLE -- ALLOW MORE AFFORD
ABLE HOUSING, SO DON'T
BUSINESS LEADERS NEED TO AGITATE
MORE?
>> I WAS TALKING TO THE
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR IN WAUKESHA
COUNTY AND HE ACKNOWLEDGES WE
NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING OUT
HERE.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT A CRISIS
RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE
ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, THERE'S NOT
THE PRESSURE, BUT I THINK THAT
AS THE ECONOMIC -- AS OUR
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IMPROVES,
YOU'RE GOING TO START TO FEEL
THAT PRESSURE AND THEN I THINK
YOU'LL GET -- THEN YOU'LL GET
BUSINESS LEADERS TO ACTUALLY BE
WILLING TO STEP OUT AND SAY I
NEED THE JOBS AND WHETHER THAT
HAPPENS, THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES
WILL BE MUCH MORE RESPONSIVE TO
IT, BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE
TALKING -- YOU'RE MAKING IT AN
ECONOMIC ARGUMENT RATHER THAN
LET'S JUST HELP THE POOR PEOPLE
ARGUMENT, WHICH DOESN'T FLY
ANYWHERE.
>> I THINK IN WAUKESHA NOW AND
OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS, THERE
HAVE BEEN A STUDY GOING ON
CALLED THRIVE WAUKESHA, WHICH
WAS LOOKING AT THE
SUSTAINABILITY OF THE SUPPORT
SERVICES BY NOT-FOR-PROFITS IN
LIGHT OF THE ECONOMIC ISSUES.
AND MORE PEOPLE NEEDING SUPPORT
SERVICES IN THE THE SAFETY NET
FRAME OF MIND.
AND SO -- BUT WHAT THEY HAVE
IDENTIFIED AS A SIGNIFICANT
ISSUE IS HOMELESSNESS AND
TRANSPORTATION.
SO THEY ARE LOOKING AT THIS --
BUSINESS HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED,
GREATER MILWAUKEE FOUNDATION HAS
BEEN INVOLVED, UNITED WAY, THE
WAUKESHA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
ALL WORKING ON THIS, AS WELL AS
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES, AND THE
GOVERNMENT AND THE COUNTY.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, AT THE SAME
TIME, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH
IMPROVEMENT PLANNING PROCESS WAS
GOING ON, AND THEY CAME TO THE
VERY SAME CONCLUSION, WHICH WAS
QUITE INTERESTING.
TWO DIFFERENT PARTS, ALL
INVOLVING BUSINESS, HEALTH CARE,
ALL.
COMING TOGETHER AND IDENTIFYING
THE SAME ISSUES.
SO THAT IS ALL BECOMING PUBLIC
VERY SOON AND HOW THEY ARE GOING
TO BE WORKING TOGETHER, SO I DO
FORESEE BUSINESS BECOMING VERY
INVOLVED IN THE WAUKESHA AREA.
>> BUT AREN'T BUSINESSES AND
LOCAL AREAS, UNITS OF
GOVERNMENT, AREN'T THEY GOING TO
HAVE TO MOVE ON A FASTER TRACK
THAN WE NORMALLY SEE, BECAUSE IF
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SHORTAGE,
BUT WE KNOW THAT WE HOPE THE
ECONOMY IS GOING TO PICK UP AND
GROW, THE PROCESS FOR THIS CAN
BE PAINSTAKINGLY SLOW, AND WE
DON'T KIND OF GET OUR ACT
TOGETHER AROUND THIS A LITTLE
BIT BETTER, WHAT'S THE IMPACT TO
THE ECONOMY THEN?
IF THERE'S NOT THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING THAT'S THERE, ARE
COMPANIES GOING TO TAKE A LOOK
AT RELOCATING OR EXPANDING INTO
COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE DO HAVE
THEIR ACT TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT
BETTER ABOUT THIS.
>> IT'S TRUE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
IT SEEMS LIKE IN OUR VERY
POLARIZED POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT,
IT'S HARD TO GET ANYTHING DONE
UNTIL THERE'S A CRISIS.
LOOK AT THE BUDGET.
THE FEDERAL BUDGET.
IT'S STILL NOT PASSED AND YOU
TALK ABOUT A CRISIS.
WE STILL CAN'T GET IT DONE.
YOU HERE WE'RE SITTING LOOKING
IN THE FACE OF A CRISIS.
SO I THINK UNFORTUNATELY, I
THINK IT IS GOING TO TAKE -- AND
I THINK THE THING THOUGH, I
THINK, ON A LOCAL LEVEL, I AGREE
WITH BERNIE, THAT THERE ARE --
THERE'S A NUMBER OF POLITICAL
OFFICIALS IN WAUKESHA AND
BUSINESS LEADERS, WHO ARE
SYMPATHETIC TO THIS ISSUE AND AS
THEY DEVELOP THEIR STRATEGY, THE
THING THEY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
REALLY CAREFULLY, HOW DO WE ROLL
THIS OUT TO THE PUBLIC IN A WAY
WHERE IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO THE
PUBLIC.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE TRICKY PART.
GETS PUBLIC BUY-IN AND OVERCOME
THE FEARS AND BIASES THAT THE
ELECTORATE HAVE OUT THERE.
>> I AGREE.
IT'S TAKEN US FIVE YEARS TO GET
APPROVAL AND THREE OF THOSE
YEARS THROUGH THE CITY, FOR A
PLAN FOR EIGHT UNITS OF HOUSING,
FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY.
WHICH THEY WERE REALLY
SUPPORTING.
BUT IT STILL TOOK US THAT LONG.
>> WE'RE GOING TO GO TO
QUESTIONS FROM OUR AUDIENCE.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> WORKED WITH THE CITY OF
MILWAUKEE, IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
CITY DEVELOPMENT AS A HOUSING
REHAB MANAGER AND I'M GLAD THAT
LEO BROUGHT UP THE POINT ABOUT
AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP AND
SOMETIMES LESS EXPENSIVE TO OWN.
COULD YOU TELL ME INNOVATIVE
THOUGHTS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE
ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT CRISES WE'RE
DEALING WITH IN VACANT
FORECLOSURES, WE HAVE A HOUSING
SUPPLY, BUT WE MRS. HAVE -- ALSO
HAVE THE DEMAND FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
YOU TOUCH ON THE INNOVATIVE
THOUGHTS THAT YOU HAVE.
>> SURE.
COULD FORECLOSURES AND THE
FORECLOSED HOMES THAT EXIST, NOT
JUST IN MILWAUKEE BUT THROUGHOUT
THE REGION, COULD THOSE BE PART
OF THE SOLUTION TO THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS THAT
WE'RE FACING?
>> WELL, YES.
I MEAN, QUITE FRANKLY, THE --
LIKE I SAID, AND LIKE I'M SURE A
LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERS
WOULD AGREE, MILWAUKEE HAS A
VERY AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK.
I MEAN, YOU CAN BUY A VERY NICE
HOME IN THE LAYTON BOULEVARD
WEST NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR $80,000
TO $100,000.
THREE BED REAMS, BATH AND A
HALF, IT'S VERY NICE.
I MEAN, SO THAT'S VERY
AFFORDABLE, SO I ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE AND ACTUALLY, OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERS ARE
PROMOTING THAT AS AN ASSET.
THEY'RE SAYING, COME TO OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY ARE
WRAPPING AROUND A LOT OF
THEIR -- IN ADDITION TO
PROMOTING THE ACTUAL HOME,
THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER AMENITIES
IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
THEY'RE PROMOTING SO THAT THEY
CAN SAY, DON'T JUST BUY THIS
HOUSE.
YOU'RE BUYING IN TO THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE ALL KINDS OF OTHER
APPEALING AMENITIES, LIKE THE
URBAN ECOLOGY CENTER THERE,
AROUND THE ACCESS TO THE
MENOMONEE RIVER -- OR THE HENRY
AARON STATE TRAIL, SO IT'S
REALLY TRYING TO DO THAT.
NOW, RELATIVE TO THE FORECLOSURE
ISSUE, I -- YES, THAT IS AN
OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT'S ALSO A --
THERE IS -- IN ORDER TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE FORECLOSURES
AND THAT IS A BIG INVENTORY OF
POTENTIAL REAL ESTATE THAT COULD
BE REDEVELOPED, YOU STILL NEED
SOME FORM OF SUBSIDY IN ORDER TO
MAKE IT WORK AND I THINK TO THE
EXTENT THAT WE CAN ATTRACT
SUBSIDY FROM VARIOUS SOURCES AND
I KNOW, WE HAD A FAIRLY LARGE
GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT THAT'S NOW RUN OUT,
THE CITY HAS NOW STEPPED UP AND
IS INCLUDING SOME EXTRA MONEY IN
THE MAYOR'S BUDGET TO TRY TO
PROVIDE SOME OF THAT SUBSIDY IN
ORDER TO CONVERT THE HOUSES INTO
ASSETS, AND TO RECONVERT THEM
INTO, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE, FOR
SALE HOUSING.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE
REGION?
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE
CERTAINLY SAW DURING THE
ECONOMIC DOWNTURN WAS IN
COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU REALLY
DIDN'T HAVE FORECLOSURE PROBLEMS
BEFORE, WAUKESHA IS ONE EXAMPLE,
TO AN EXTENT, WASHINGTON COUNTY,
WE WERE SEEING THOSE
FORECLOSURES CREEP UP IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
IS THAT ONE WAY WHERE THIS ISSUE
OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAN BE
APPROACHED, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD
SOLUTION?
>> I SUPPOSE THERE'S SOME
OPPORTUNITIES, BECAUSE IT
CERTAINLY HAS CAUSED THE PRICE
OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TO COME
DOWN, SO IT MAKES IT MORE
AFFORDABLE TO PEOPLE WITH
MODERATE OR LOWER INCOME, BUT I
KNOW, ONE --
>> ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS MANY
FORECLOSED HOMES HAVE HAD A LOT
OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
AND GETTING IN THERE, AND FIXING
UP THE HOUSE, AN MAINTAINING THE
HOUSE CAN BE A BIG EXPENSE, SO
AS LEO ALLUDED TO, THEY DO
SOMETIMES NEED TO BE SOME
PROGRAMS FOR NEW HOMEOWNER
ASSISTANCE TO REPAIR THE HOMES,
AND I DO KNOW, AND THEIR HOUSING
COUNCIL HAS RECENTLY MADE SOME
FUNDING AVAILABLE IN MILWAUKEE,
FOR PEOPLE TO DO THAT, BUT AS
FAR AS I KNOW, THOSE PROGRAMS
HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED IN OTHER
PARTS.
>> IN OTHER PARTS OF THE REGION.
YES.
>> YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION?
>> THANK YOU.
I WORK AT THE METROPOLITAN
MILWAUKEE FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL,
BUT MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH
THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF
APPROACHES THAT -- TO BUILDING
SUPPORT FOR AND GETTING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN
COMMUNITIES THAT HISTORICALLY
HAVEN'T HAD AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IN THEM, AND THAT'S MOBILITY
PROGRAMS, ALSO KNOWN AS MOVING
TO OPPORTUNITY, INCLUSIONARY
HOUSE, AND TRANSIT ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT.
SO I'M WONDERING IF IT YOU CAN
TALK ABOUT WHETHER THE MILWAUKEE
AREA IS LOOKING AT ANY OF THOSE
SOLUTIONS, AND WHETHER -- YOU
HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR PEOPLE
IN THE AUDIENCE WHO UNDERSTAND
THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE
ECONOMY, AND SEE THE BENEFITS OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND -- BURR
THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO
EFFECTIVELY ADVOCATE FOR IT.
>> LET'S TAKE THAT FIRST
QUESTION FIRST, AND KATHY, TELL
US, SOME OF THOSE IDEAS THAT
BETHANY MENTIONED WERE CERTAINLY
IDEAS THAT CAME FORWARD IN SOME
OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT.
SO MOBILITY, INCLUSION, SOME
TRANSIT ORIENTED OPTIONS, ARE
THOSE THINGS THAT CAN WORK IN
THIS REGION, AND HOW CLOSE ARE
WE TO GETTING SOME OF THEM IN
PLACE?
>> WELL, PROBABLY TRANSIT IS THE
ONE ISSUE THAT'S GOTTEN THE MOST
ATTENTION, AND SEWRPC PREPARES
REGIONAL TRANSIT PLANS, AND THE
CURRENT PLAN RECOMMENDS A
DOUBLING OF SERVICE, EXTENDING
SERVICE OUT TO MANY CITIES WITH
JOB CENTERS, THAT DON'T
CURRENTLY HAVE PUBLIC TRANSIT
SERVICE, EXTENDING HOURS, THAT
THE BUSES RUN.
AND A LOT OF OUTLYING
COMMUNITIES, IT'S POSSIBLE TO
TAKE THE BUS FROM THE OUTLYING
COMMUNITY INTO MILWAUKEE, BUT
YOU LIVE IN MILWAUKEE AND WANT
TO WORK OUTSIDE MILWAUKEE, THAT
SERVICE IS NOT AVAILABLE OR IT
WAS AVAILABLE AND WAS CUT IN,
YOU KNOW, THE LAST FIVE YEARS,
SO I THINK IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
REGIONAL TRANSIT PLAN IS KEY TO
MAKING JOB HOUSING CONNECTIONS.
BUT THE REAL ISSUE WITH THAT IS
FUNDING, AND AGAIN, IT COMES
BACK TO THE STATE LIMITS HOW
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN FUND A LOT
OF THEIR SERVICES, SO I THINK
THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES IS
IDENTIFYING OR ALLOWING LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS TO COME UP WITH
ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES, AND
OF COURSE, MILWAUKEE COUNTY
VOTED A FEW YEARS AGO TO ALLOW
SALES TAX INCREASE TO HELP FUND
TRANSIT, BUT THE STATE
LEGISLATURE HASN'T GIVEN THEIR
OK FOR THAT YET.
>> SO MAYBE THIS GOES TO THE
SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION
THEN.
LEO AN BERNIE.
HOW DO PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THE
CONNECTIONS, HOW DO WE BEGIN TO
ADVOCATE FOR THAT, SO WE DO
ADVOCATE, PERHAPS WITH OUR
LEGISLATORS, GOING BACK TO THAT
FIRST LEG OF THE THREE LEGGED
STOOL LEGISLATION, TO BEGIN TO
MOVE FORWARD ON SOME OF THESE
ISSUES?
YOU KNOW, WISCONSIN, WE ARE
REALLY STRUGGLING ECONOMICALLY,
WE'RE NOT MAKING THE RECOVERY
WE'RE SEEING IN THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY.
IS THAT ONE WAY WE CAN BEGIN TO
MAKE THAT CONNECTION FOR ACTION?
>> WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES IS IT'S A COMPLEX
ISSUE.
I MEAN, ANY ONE OF THOSE
STRATEGIES THAT BETHANY
MENTIONED WOULD REQUIRE A FAIRLY
LENGTHY CONVERSATION FOR PEOPLE
TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, JUST --
BUT THEY ARE EFFECTIVE
STRATEGIES THAT HAVE BEEN
EMPLOYED IF OTHER PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY.
HOW DO YOU BUILD POLITICAL
SUPPORT FOR THAT STRATEGY, WHEN
IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE
DON'T SEE IT IN THEIR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT INTEREST TO PURSUE
IT, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S
A CHALLENGE.
I KNOW WHAT WE -- THE STRATEGY,
WE'RE ENGAGED WITH THE M7, THEIR
REGIONAL ECONOMIC PLANNING
INITIATIVE, SO WE'RE AT LEAST
TRYING TO BRING THE ISSUE INTO
THAT FORUM, AND I THINK,
GENERALLY, BUSINESS LEADERS ARE
SYMPATHETIC TO IT.
I THINK IT'S JUST THE GENERAL
ELECTORATE THAT IS THE BIG
OBSTACLE.
THE THING THAT WE FOCUS ON IS --
>> THINGS DO HAPPEN, EVEN AS A
GENERAL ELECTORATE MAY NOT BE
WILD ABOUT IT, WE DO KNOW THAT
THINGS CAN HAPPEN, AND MOVE
FORWARD ANY WAY.
>> YEAH, IF YOU CAN WEAVE
TOGETHER THE RIGHT COALITION AND
THERE WAS, I FORGET HIS NAME,
THE FORMER MAYOR OF ALBUQUERQUE,
WHO DID THIS BOOK ON THE INSIDE
GAME, OUTSIDE GAME.
>> THAT WAS SAN ANTONIO, BUT GO
AHEAD.
>> DAVID RUSS, AND HE HAD -- HE
ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT HOW THERE
WAS A COALITION THAT WAS FORMED
BETWEEN URBAN PEOPLE AND RURAL
PEOPLE, SO TO TRY TO FIND COMMON
GROUND BETWEEN NONTRADITIONAL
PARTNERS MANNED TO FIND COMMON
GROUND THAT WOULD HELP, AND --
>> IT TAKES SOME WORK.
>> IT TAKES SOME WORK.
PORTLAND IS ANOTHER GOOD
EXAMPLE.
THEY CREATED AN URBAN GROWTH
FOUNDRY AND THEY DID THAT
BECAUSE THE RURAL INTEREST
DIDN'T WANT SPRAWL AND SO THEY
WORKED WITH THE URBAN ACTIVISTS,
WHO SAY LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO
CREATE A MORE REASONABLE GROWTH
PLAN.
>> ALTHOUGH THAT WAS AT LEAST
ENABLED, IT'S NOT REQUIRED UNDER
STATE LAWYER, THAT THEY
ESTABLISH STATE ROAD BOUNDARIES.
>> OK.
>> HELLO THERE, I'M DIANA AND I
HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT RESOURCES
AVAILABLE IN OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITY.
I KNOW SOMEONE, A WOMAN WHO IS
IN HER 50'S, SHE'S DISABLED AND
GETS AN SSDI CHECK OF $782 A
MONTH.
SHE'S LIVED IN HER HOME FOR 12
TO 14 YEARS AND HER MORTGAGE,
HER MONTHLY MORTGAGE IS $781.
SHE'S TWO MONTHS BEHIND IN HER
MORTGAGE PAYMENTS, A REALTOR TWO
DOORS DOWN CAME OVER TO HER AND
SUGGESTED SHE SIGN A PAPER TO
PRELEASE HER HOME TO THE BANK,
TO SHORT SELL, TO COVER HER DEBT
AND RELEASE HER OF THAT.
WHAT RESOURCES ARE NEAR BY TO
EDUCATE AND SUPPORT HER IN
MAKING THE BEST CHOICE IN A
TERRIBLE SITUATION?
>> WELL, IF I MAY, LET ME KIND
OF BROADEN THAT JUST A LITTLE
BIT.
WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES ARE THERE
THAT ARE OUT THERE TO HELP FOLKS
FIGURE OUT HOW DO I FIND GOOD
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHETHER IT'S
SUBSIDIZED OR IN THE
MARKETPLACE, IF I'M RUNNING IN
TO SOME DIFFICULTY, I KNOW HOW
DO I KIND OF MAKE THINGS WORK
FOR MY FAMILY, WHAT RESOURCES
ARE THERE TO HELP FOLKS, AND
MA'AM, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE
SOMEBODY, GIVE A LITTLE MORE
SPECIFIC ANSWER AFTER THE SHOW
TO YOUR QUESTION, BUT HOW --
WHAT RESOURCES ARE THERE TO
HELP?
>> WE, THROUGH A COALITION OF A
LOT OF NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, THAT
ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE,
THAT GROUP, THEY'VE COME
TOGETHER, AND THE GROUP CALLED
TAKE ROOT MILWAUKEE, SO I THINK
THERE IS A -- AND IT'S KIND OF
BECOME LIKE A ONE STOP SHOP,
TAKE ROOT MILWAUKEE, GOOGLE IT,
GO TO THAT WEB SITE, AND WHAT
YOU'LL FIND THERE ARE -- YOU'LL
BE DIRECTED TO RESOURCES THAT
CAN HELP PEOPLE BOTH FIND A
HOME, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN
BUYING AN AFFORDABLE HOME, AS
WELL AS RESOURCES TO HELP YOU
KEEP YOUR HOME.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU'RE IN
RISK OF FORECLOSURE, YOU KNOW,
THEY CAN DIRECT YOU TO RESOURCES
THERE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF HOME BUYING
COUNSELING AGENCIES IN TOWN THAT
CAN PROVIDE SOME REALLY GOOD
ADVICE AND COACHING, FOR
PROSPECTIVE HOME BUYERS, ALSO
RESOURCES, LIKE -- WELL ACTUALLY
, THE METROPOLITAN FAIR
HOUSING COUNCIL SPONSORS FORUMS
FOR PEOPLE FACING FORECLOSURE,
THERE'S -- WHAT'S IT CALLED, THE
MEDIATION PROGRAM, FORECLOSURE
MEDIATION PROGRAM, WHERE YOU CAN
GET -- WHERE YOU CAN TALK TO A
LAWYER WHO CAN HELP YOU -- WHO
WILL BE YOUR ADVOCATE IN HELPING
YOU TO RESOLVE, YOU KNOW,
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS.
>> RIGHT.
RIGHT, OR PEOPLE AVOID MAKING
MISTAKES.
>> RIGHT.
IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, THERE ARE
SIMILAR RESOURCES THAT LEO JUST
MENTIONPED, BUT THERE'S ALSO
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE
THAT ARE RENTING.
THERE ARE PREVENTION PROGRAMS
THAT WE RUN THAT PROVIDE RENT
ASSISTANCE, SHORT-TERM, UP TO
THREE, SIX MONTHS, WORTH OF RENT
ASSISTANCE.
UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
SEPARATE FROM THE ENERGY
ASSISTANCE.
THERE ARE, WITHIN EACH
COMMUNITY, RESOURCES LIKE THAT,
AND I'M TRYING TO THINK, WHAT
MIGHT BE THE --
>> PEOPLE CAN ALWAYS CALL IN
MOST COMMUNITIES, 211, OR REACH
OUT TO THEIR LOCAL UNITED WAY AS
A PLACE TO BEGIN TO START TO
FIND --
>> 211 IS AN VENT RESOURCE FOR
YOUR AIR -- AN EXCELLENT
RESOURCE FOR YOUR AREA, BECAUSE
IT USUALLY COVERS -- THERE IS
211 THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND
TRY TO ACCESS THAT WAY.
>> OK.
THANK YOU.
>> THERE ARE PROBLEMS HERE, AND
OBVIOUSLY, THE ANSWERS ARE NOT
EASY TO FIND.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS
THAT ARE WE REALLY ANY DIFFERENT
FROM OTHER OLD MANUFACTURING
CITIES IN THE MIDWEST, AND HOW
HAVE THESE OTHER CITIES
ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM?
>> HAS ANYBODY ELSE FIGURED THIS
OUT?
I GUESS IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME THE
SHORTHAND VERSION OF THIS, HAS
ANYBODY ELSE FIGURED THAT OUT?
>> I DON'T THINK WE'RE ANY
DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE,
NATIONWIDE, THE EXPERIENCE AND I
CAN PEOPLE FROM HOMELESSNESS IS
WHAT WE EXPERIENCE HERE
STATEWIDE, AND INCREASING FAMILY
HOMELESSNESS, WHICH IS UP AT
LEAST 18%.
THEY LOOK AT BECAUSE OF THE
ECONOMY, THE CAUSE OF HOMELESS
INS, OF NECESSARY --
HOMELESSNESS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
IS UP TO 53% FOR US, WHICH IS
WELL ABOVE THE 30% THAT IT USED
TO BE.
YOU LOOK AT ALL THOSE ISSUES,
LOSING FACTORIES, THAT ARE GOING
TO MEXICO OR OTHER PLACES, WHERE
THEY CAN HAVE CHEAPER LABOR.
ALL THE COMMUNITIES ARE
EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES
THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW, YOU MUST KNOW SOME
THAT AREN'T.
>> A LOT OF URBAN COMMUNITIES
ARE FACING THE SAME ISSUES, AND
I WOULD SAY, THE MILWAUKEE AREA
ACTUALLY HAS IT A LITTLE WORSE,
OR IS NOT DOING AS WELL AS SOME
OTHER AREAS.
AND SO YEAH, THERE ARE AREAS, WE
SHARE THAT ISSUE, BUT THERE ARE
SOME COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN
PROACTIVE STEPS TO CHANGE THE
TRAJECTORY AND PORTLAND WAS ONE,
DEALING WITH THE SPRAWL ISSUE.
YOU ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, NEW
JERSEY PASSED AN INCLUSIONARY
ZONING LAW, WHICH BASICALLY
REQUIRES -- AS PART OF THE
STATE'S OVERSIGHT OF ALL OF
THESE LOCAL ZONING REQUIREMENTS,
THEY IMPOSED CERTAIN
REQUIREMENTS ON LOCAL
COMMUNITIES.
YOU SHALL, YOU KNOW, YOU SHALL,
YOU KNOW, DEVELOP A CERTAIN
PERCENTAGE OF YOUR HOUSING STOCK
THAT IS AFFORDABLE, SO THEY
ACTUALLY IMPOSED THIS ON LOCAL
COMMUNITIES, SO THAT WOULD BE
SOMETHING WE COULD DO.
THERE IS -- AND SIMILARLY, IN
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, VIRGINIA,
THEY ALSO IMPOSE A REQUIREMENT
THAT YOU DEVELOP AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AS PART OF YOUR OVERALL,
YOU KNOW, ZONING POLICY.
>> I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE PEOPLE
WITHOUT HOPE AND WITHOUT THE
FACT THAT THERE ARE SOME
SOLUTIONS AND WE TALKED ABOUT
SOME OF THEM.
BUT I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE IS DOING
PROEHL QUICKLY AND THAT IS
REALLY TAKING A LOOK AT MIXED
USE HOUSING THAT IS DEVELOPING,
PARTICULARLY AS IT'S BUILDING
OUT AS LIBRARIES STARTED WITH
VILLARD SQUARE, THE MAYOR HAS A
PLAN FOR OTHERS.
IS THAT A MODEL THAT CAN BE USED
IN THE REST OF THE REGION, AND
PROVIDE SOME RELIEF AND ACCESS
SOME USE.
>> WELL, ABSOLUTELY, AND I THINK
THAT'S -- AND YEAH, THAT WAS A
VERY -- THAT WAS AN EFFORT TO
MORE EFFICIENT MY DEPLOY CITY
RESOURCES BY SAYING LET'S BUILD
A LIBRARY IN CONJUNCTION WITH
HOUSING, SO THE TOTAL COSTS OF
THAT PROJECT ENDS UP BEING LESS
THAN WHAT IT WOULD BE IF WE DID
SOME SEPARATE PROJECTS.
>> AND BRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
ON THE MARKETPLACE MORE QUICKLY.
>> PLUS, IN A LOT OF THESE
SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE
WORKING TO ESTABLISH A DOWNTOWN.
THEY WERE A SPRAWLING COMMUNITY
AND THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO CREATE
KIND OF THE CURRENT PHILOSOPHY
IS LIKE TRYING TO CREATE AN
URBAN HUB AND WHAT YOU WANT IN
AN URBAN HUB IS DENSER HOUSE, SO
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAN BE A HUB
TO CREATE THAT DENSER HUB AND
THAT'S WHAT THEY TRIED TO DO IN
NEW BERLIN.
YOU KNOW THAT STORY.
>> DIDN'T QUITE WORK OUT THAT
WAY.
WELL, WE REALLY WANT TO THANK
YOU ALL SO MUCH.
THIS IS REALLY CERTAINLY COMPLEX
ISSUE, BUT IT'S ALSO INTRICATELY
TIED TO OUR ECONOMIC SUCCESS AND
DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION, SO WE
JUST HAVE A FEW SECONDS HERE,
FOR YOU TO ANSWER THIS LAST
QUESTION FOR US.
CAN REGIONAL BUSINESS GROPE, IF
WE FAIL TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS THAT
WE'RE FACING?
BERNIE, WE'LL START QUICKLY WITH
YOU?
ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE
IT IF WE CAN'T FIGURE THIS OUT?
>> NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE
IT, UNLESS WE LOOK AT INNOVATIVE
WAYS TO PROVIDE AND SUPPORT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ALL
WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THAT'S THE ON WAY.
>> LEO?
>> THAT'S MY HOPE.
I THINK THAT AS BUSINESSES AND
AS WE AS A -- WE NEED TO BE
AWARE OF THE ECONOMIC
IMPLICATIONS OF NOT DOING THIS,
THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE
VEHICLE TO ACTUALLY MOVE US
FORWARD ON THIS ISSUE.
>> KATHY, WE'LL LET YOU BE THE
ODDS MAKER.
WHAT ARE THE CHANCES WE'LL BE
ABLE TO FIGURE THIS OUT AND GET
IT DONE IN A WAY THAT WE HAVE
HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT
AND WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO GROW THE
ECONOMY?
>> I THINK JUST THE CHANGING
DEMOGRAPHICS THAT ARE COMING,
BOTH THE DECREASE IN THE WORKING
AGE POPULATION, AND WHAT SEEMS
AT LEAST ANECDOTALLY TO BE
PREFERENCE OF THE YOUNGER
WORKING AGED PEOPLE FOR HIGHER
DENSITY MIXED USE NEIGHBORHOODS.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BUBBLE
UP.
>> WELL, WE REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME AND EXPERTISE.
WE COULD HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS
FOR ANOTHER HOUR, BUT PLEASE
JOIN ME IN THANKING OUR GUESTS
TODAY.
[APPLAUSE]
OF COURSE, WE'D ALWAYS LOVE TO
SEE YOU BACK AT "FOURTH STREET
FORUM" NEXT WEEK.
AND NEXT WEEK, WE'LL BE TALKING
ABOUT BUILDING A SAFE COMMUNITY
FOR ALL.
CRIME IS DOWN IF MANY PARTS OF
OUR CITY, BUT THERE ARE SOME
AREAS WHERE PARENTS ARE AFRAID
TO LET THEIR CHILDREN WALK TO
SCHOOL OR PLAY OUTSIDE.
HOW DO WE BUILD SAFE
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR ALL OF US?
OUR GUESTS WILL INCLUDE
MILWAUKEE'S POLICE CHIEF, A UWM
PROFESSOR AND A GRASSROOTS
NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZER, SO WE
HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US FOR MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHOWS OR
SIGN UP FOR WEEK MY EMAIL
NOTIFICATIONS OR WATCH ANY OF
OUR SHOWS ON LINE, GO TO "FOURTH
STREET FORUM" AT WWW.MPTV.ORG.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
WITH US TODAY EVERYBODY AND FOR
BEING PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
