Ald. Milele Coggs praised the Common Council and the City of Milwaukee for a project that may not garner much mention in the news media, but which is vitally important to the 6th Aldermanic District and the Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District.
This week the Council approved the sale of two city-owned vacant lots (2472 and 2476 N. 5th St. ) to the Northcott Neighborhood House, Inc. for the construction of two single-family homes. The sale agreement specifies that the homes must be sold to owner-occupants, and one of the homes will be completely handicapped accessible.
The project will also be a Wisconsin Fresh Start Youth build initiative, a highly successful Department of Commerce program that helps at-risk young people learn valuable construction skills while they also acquire vital job and life skills. Northcott has successfully used Fresh Start young people at other construction sites in the city, and deserves praise for valuing our young people, especially young Black males, who too often aren’t afforded these opportunities.
For Bronzeville, the project will help create owner-occupied housing that will be a positive, stabilizing ingredient in the area. “I am hopeful that the project will be such a success that Northcott and/or other partners will look also at other potential sites in Bronzeville and elsewhere in the 6th District”. Coggs stated.
