Milwaukee Builds Recruitment began with using a list of candidates from the Urban Forestry Program and graduates from the Milwaukee Youthbuild. The program officially launched May 24 with a press conference. This project will include rehabbing 15 Housing Authority scattered site units. Milwaukee Christian Center and Northcott Neighborhood house are vendors for this activity. This program will provide skilled labor apprenticeships to the building trades utilizing on-the-job training and a Department of Labor-approved educational and certification curriculum.
The target population is low-income, unemployed adults (24 years of age and older). This program will work with the existing scattered site housing stock of the local Public Housing Authority, foreclosed properties operating within the City of Milwaukee’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program’s Land Bank, and mixed-use space requiring rehabilitation and redevelopment.
Pictured at this week’s press conference held at Milwaukee Builds Site, 2611 West Cherry Street are: HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims addressed the attendees including: Congresswoman Gwen Moore ; Sharon Robinson (director (Department of Administration); Tony Perez, director (City of Milwaukee Housing Authority); Steven Mahan, director (City of Milwaukee Community Development Grants Administration); Mark Kessenich, deputy director (Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board); MacArthur Weddle, executive director (Northcott Neighborhood House); Kathy Baillargeon, executive director (Milwaukee Christian Center); Tony Kearney, project director (Northcott Neighborhood House); and Michael Van Alstine, project director (Milwaukee Christian Center).