Bob Bauman
Alderman Bauman has been the leading voice on neighborhood revitalization in the 4th district.
Many of the neighborhoods that Ald. Bauman represents are filled with both homeowners and renters. Under Bauman’s leadership, several programs have been created to help with neighborhood revitalization and to strengthen the sense of community in the district.
The highly successful STRONG Home Loan Program is a partnership between the City of Milwaukee and the Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation.
The STRONG Homes Loan Program offers partially forgivable home improvement loans to homeowners throughout the City of Milwaukee. Loans can be used to make emergency and essential home repairs and address building code orders.
A deferred payment option is available for homeowners who are low income, elderly or disabled.
In 2015, the overwhelming interest in the program outstripped the allocated funds.
Thanks to the leadership of Alderman Bauman, the program received an additional $250,000 in late 2015 and $1.5 Million was budgeted in 2016 to ensure that homeowners across Milwaukee can get help from the program.
“No one wants to see their home go without needed repairs and absolutely no one wants to see a homeowner lose their house because of deferred maintenance or code violations,” Alderman Bauman said.
“I believe it’s important to help folks who own and occupy their homes make needed repairs – not only to preserve our housing stock, but also to help residents avoid code violation fines that could lead to foreclosures.”
Under Alderman Bauman’s leadership, the city has created the Homebuyers Assistance Program with offers forgivable loans to buyers of city owned tax foreclosed properties to assist with renovations provided the buyer agrees to occupy the property.
Alderman Bauman also sponsored the Lease to Own Program which enables tenants of city owned tax foreclosed homes to purchase the property for $1 after completing a homeowners counseling program.
The Rental Rehabilitation Program is another program created under Bauman’s leadership.
The program has been expanded so that purchasers of City-owned tax foreclosed properties are eligible for financial assistance to assist in the renovation of rental units.
“We’re proud of the work we’ve done under this initiative to help responsible investor-owners,” Alderman Bauman said.
“We’ve seen dramatic improvements in neighborhood quality and tenant turnover has decreased, leading to more stable, safe neighborhoods.”
Beyond helping homeowners and renters, Alderman Bauman has focused on combating nuisance properties that destabilize neighborhoods.
Recently, the Alderman sponsored legislation authorizing the city to acquire the gas station at the corner of 27th and Wisconsin Avenue.
The gas station generated the most police calls for services of any property in the Third Police District for several years.
The city’s Redevelopment Authority is soliciting proposals to redevelop that property in cooperation with the Near West Side Partner’s Promoting Assets & Reducing Crime (PARC) Initiative.
This is a three year, $1.5 million initiative that leverages law enforcement resources to improve safety in Westside neighborhoods and strengthen communities.