2. 240402 A substitute ordinance adopting the Growing MKE Plan as the Housing and Neighborhoods Element of the Citywide Policy Plan as part of Milwaukee's Overall Comprehensive Plan, and directing implementation.
I strongly support GrowingMKE. Providing more housing options leads to people at all stages of life having better access and opportunities to live where they want resulting in more walkable, bike-able, transit-friendly places.
Building a strong city requires putting more money, time, and education into our citizens and already-existing infrastructure. I request Growing MKE be halted until further transparency, community education and engagement, and genuine public feedback can be assessed. Not just emails and flyers, not the "who shows up gets heard" style, but actual public engagement and process.
I oppose because I would like to see a 6-month pause for deeper Black and Brown community engagement. Zoning impacts a great many people whose needs should be considered and incorporated. This includes time to ensure the zoning works well for say, housing cooperatives. Thank you.
I live downtown and strongly support the Growing MKE plan. Added density and housing are crucial in helping to support the vision to grow Milwaukee's population. Density allows neighborhoods within the city to flourish, fostering vibrant communities within the larger city where neighborhood establishments (restaurants, small businesses) can thrive. Increasing the diversity and supply of housing stock will also be an unquestionable positive for the city. We have good evidence from other cities (e.g. Austin) that increasing housing supply can legitimately lower rents/housing costs. Density and increased housing supply will be great for Milwaukee, and the growing MKE plan helps to facilitate those goals.
I live in Lower East Side in Milwaukee and I support Growing MKE. I first found out about Growing MKE at at one of numerous public meetings held by the DCD. There were 9 public meetings, 33 "office hour sessions", and 22 pop-ups - plenty of community engagement. I support the Growing MKE Plan because relaxing stringent zoning restrictions to enable the construction of a wider variety of housing types will benefit Milwaukee in multiple ways. First, medium-sized housing like ADUs, duplexes, and townhomes that are currently rare provide affordable entry points for renting or homeownership that meet the needs for everybody ranging from young families starting out to empty-nesters downsizing. This isn't about skyscrapers or handouts to developers. It's about creating places for people to live. Second, increasing the supply of housing can help meet the rising demand here in Milwaukee, reducing overall housing costs. Similar housing reform implemented in Minneapolis has helped keep rents stable. Third, that increase in density creates more walkable neighborhoods, vibrant communities, and greener living with more transit use, great for children, seniors, and people with disabilities.
I’m excited to see Milwaukee taking to grow the city population and out tax base without radically changing our communities.
GrowMKE legalizes the neighborhoods we have today, it will allow a much wider array or affordable housing options, and give prospective homeowners more flexibility making it easier for them to buy and maintain a home in Milwaukee
I strongly support the proposed Growing MKE plan. It builds on our legacy as a city of duplexes, and it is the right approach to increasing the range of housing options available in the City, better meeting the needs of current and future residents, increasing the supply of housing units, and supporting housing affordability.
I’m glad to live in a city that is being proactive with improving our neighborhoods and increasing density to allow more people to live here. I would even support the original plan that allowed for increased housing in more areas, but I do understand that community feedback across the various meetings and office hours did not currently support that direction.
Even with a slightly reduced scope, this plan will help improve housing costs by allowing for an increased housing supply to meet the ever growing demand. This increased supply can, in turn, lead to denser, more affordable neighborhoods that have been proven to lead to better equality and health across their areas. I’m excited to see the way this leads to a better Milwaukee.
As identified by our mayor Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee needs more housing and density to help support city, county and state services. Our current zoning code is restrictive, limits our growth, and limits housing supply which has lead to some of the fastest growing rents in the country. The Grow MKE plan removes some of the most restrictive zoning, and should increase housing supply which will help keep rents in check. The added tax base will help us pay for much needed services/repairs, and the density will help our already terrific neighborhoods thrive.
I wish we would have kept the plan as originally announced, and not removed the allowed added density, but this is still a positive change.
Additionally, there have been ample opportunities to view the plan, and submit feedback. I attended 3 myself including an online session.
Overall, this it's vitally necessary for changes like this to grow Milwaukee!
We need easier mixed-use spaces/new builds that actually build communities.
The number of people in areas of Milwaukee saying they want to keep it "historical" (single family homes, no new builds anywhere near them) are incredibility misguided because they don't realize that businesses have so many restrictions they can’t open, stay open, or afford rents. And the only way for areas to stay “historical” and keep businesses is to have people who actually walk and spend money in the neighborhood. Please build them places to live in!
The stats on lack of housing in Milwaukee is incredible detrimental to the growth of the city.
I’m very excited for this plan to be at least a small step in the right direction. It and the other work Mayor Cavailer is putting in place are great and use actual statistics showing how to grow a city. Please keep up the good work and for the love of God stop listening to those who won’t let Milwaukee grow because it means they have to walk 20 more feet to their car or stop at one more stop sign. They’ve been stunting the growth of Milwaukee for too long!
Milwaukee Resident
I have concerns with the consequences of increasing density without the necessary guardrails in place. Both the plan, and info sessions have not adequately explained to Milwaukeeans, the downsides of increasing density through zoning changes.
Short term rentals do not improve neighborhoods. These zoning changes will only make Milwaukee more attractive for short term rental investors. While the plan states it will monitor the impact of short term rental, we need to proactively put a plan in place to regulate it before the problem gets worse.
Milwaukee should have a diversity of housing options, but all housing options don’t need to exist in every neighborhood. Those of us who chose to live in neighborhoods with single family homes and duplexes don’t want higher density options that will add more traffic and non-owner occupied properties. We should encourage denser growth in places that already allow higher occupancy.
We need to protect existing stakeholders and not promote changes that will make our neighborhoods more attractive to out of state investors. A targeted approach to growth will be better than doing so with zoning changes.
As a downtown resident, I support this plan. I believe in providing a greater variety of housing options for Milwaukee residents, and making it easier for people to walk, bike, or take transit from their homes to where they need to go.
I am disappointed in the removal of the recommendation to allow small multi-family buildings in RT3 and RT4 districts and think it should be restored. I appreciate the work that went into this plan by the DCD, and was glad to be able to attend meetings at the library to better understand it.
We are in desperate need of more affordable, accessible housing options in this city, and this plan opens up more opportunities to create that. We should be allowing the people in our community to decide what sort of housing is needed and to build that, rather than artificially imposing restrictions that freeze our neighborhoods under glass and prevent new people from living here or prevent existing residents from adapting to their changing needs. This plan may not be perfect but it is an important step in the right direction for a growing city.
While I may disagree with some of the changes made to the original draft, I think this is an important step to grow our city and stabilize rent prices by increasing housing supply.
I hugely support the Growing MKE initiative. We need bold uncompromising land use / housing reform. Skyrocketing rent in hotspots in the city is out of control and driving imbalance. We need to keep our neighborhoods balanced and open to working class and artists creatives to keep the city growing and vibrant. I believe it is hugely disingenuous to state there has not been community outreach already for this. This is a crucial moment for the future of the city.
“As a Milwaukee resident deeply invested in the future of our community, I strongly urge the CPC to consider delaying the vote on this plan to prioritize more community outreach and engagement. It is crucial that all voices, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups, have the opportunity to be heard and contribute to the decision-making process. By taking additional time to foster inclusive dialogue and understanding, we can ensure that the plan reflects the diverse needs and aspirations of our entire community. Thank you for your consideration.”
Milwaukee and the surrounding area needs more housing to be built. Rents are high and real estate listings are way down. I support anything we can do to build more housing. We should also make the city more walkable, bikeable, and friendly to children/elderly.
I fully support the Growing MKE initiative to ensure a variety of housing options for residents. It's important to recognize that not everyone's "American Dream" involves homeownership; for many, renting is the best choice. Additionally, those who do plan to buy a home may not necessarily want a single-family house—they might prefer a duplex, four-family building, or something similar.
I recently moved from a neighborhood where I had lived for about 17 years in a four-family building. Most of my neighbors were over 70, and we all looked out for each other, collecting mail and helping when someone was out of town. It felt like a family. However, the building was sold because the owner retired, and I couldn't find another rental in my neighborhood. As a result, I had to move about four miles away. I miss my neighborhood that has ALL different types of housing: larger apartment buildings, four-family, duplex, townhomes, single family homes---it was great!
Lets get Milwaukee into the 21st century with an update zoning policy. We're so far behind on other cities it's almost comical.
I strongly support GrowingMKE. Providing more housing options leads to people at all stages of life having better access and opportunities to live where they want resulting in more walkable, bike-able, transit-friendly places.
I would also support an even more ambitious plan even.
Building a strong city requires putting more money, time, and education into our citizens and already-existing infrastructure. I request Growing MKE be halted until further transparency, community education and engagement, and genuine public feedback can be assessed. Not just emails and flyers, not the "who shows up gets heard" style, but actual public engagement and process.
I oppose because I would like to see a 6-month pause for deeper Black and Brown community engagement. Zoning impacts a great many people whose needs should be considered and incorporated. This includes time to ensure the zoning works well for say, housing cooperatives. Thank you.
I live downtown and strongly support the Growing MKE plan. Added density and housing are crucial in helping to support the vision to grow Milwaukee's population. Density allows neighborhoods within the city to flourish, fostering vibrant communities within the larger city where neighborhood establishments (restaurants, small businesses) can thrive. Increasing the diversity and supply of housing stock will also be an unquestionable positive for the city. We have good evidence from other cities (e.g. Austin) that increasing housing supply can legitimately lower rents/housing costs. Density and increased housing supply will be great for Milwaukee, and the growing MKE plan helps to facilitate those goals.
I live in Lower East Side in Milwaukee and I support Growing MKE. I first found out about Growing MKE at at one of numerous public meetings held by the DCD. There were 9 public meetings, 33 "office hour sessions", and 22 pop-ups - plenty of community engagement. I support the Growing MKE Plan because relaxing stringent zoning restrictions to enable the construction of a wider variety of housing types will benefit Milwaukee in multiple ways. First, medium-sized housing like ADUs, duplexes, and townhomes that are currently rare provide affordable entry points for renting or homeownership that meet the needs for everybody ranging from young families starting out to empty-nesters downsizing. This isn't about skyscrapers or handouts to developers. It's about creating places for people to live. Second, increasing the supply of housing can help meet the rising demand here in Milwaukee, reducing overall housing costs. Similar housing reform implemented in Minneapolis has helped keep rents stable. Third, that increase in density creates more walkable neighborhoods, vibrant communities, and greener living with more transit use, great for children, seniors, and people with disabilities.
I’m excited to see Milwaukee taking to grow the city population and out tax base without radically changing our communities.
GrowMKE legalizes the neighborhoods we have today, it will allow a much wider array or affordable housing options, and give prospective homeowners more flexibility making it easier for them to buy and maintain a home in Milwaukee
What About The 30th St Corridor That's A Great Place To Start !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I strongly support the proposed Growing MKE plan. It builds on our legacy as a city of duplexes, and it is the right approach to increasing the range of housing options available in the City, better meeting the needs of current and future residents, increasing the supply of housing units, and supporting housing affordability.
I’m glad to live in a city that is being proactive with improving our neighborhoods and increasing density to allow more people to live here. I would even support the original plan that allowed for increased housing in more areas, but I do understand that community feedback across the various meetings and office hours did not currently support that direction.
Even with a slightly reduced scope, this plan will help improve housing costs by allowing for an increased housing supply to meet the ever growing demand. This increased supply can, in turn, lead to denser, more affordable neighborhoods that have been proven to lead to better equality and health across their areas. I’m excited to see the way this leads to a better Milwaukee.
As identified by our mayor Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee needs more housing and density to help support city, county and state services. Our current zoning code is restrictive, limits our growth, and limits housing supply which has lead to some of the fastest growing rents in the country. The Grow MKE plan removes some of the most restrictive zoning, and should increase housing supply which will help keep rents in check. The added tax base will help us pay for much needed services/repairs, and the density will help our already terrific neighborhoods thrive.
I wish we would have kept the plan as originally announced, and not removed the allowed added density, but this is still a positive change.
Additionally, there have been ample opportunities to view the plan, and submit feedback. I attended 3 myself including an online session.
Overall, this it's vitally necessary for changes like this to grow Milwaukee!
We need easier mixed-use spaces/new builds that actually build communities.
The number of people in areas of Milwaukee saying they want to keep it "historical" (single family homes, no new builds anywhere near them) are incredibility misguided because they don't realize that businesses have so many restrictions they can’t open, stay open, or afford rents. And the only way for areas to stay “historical” and keep businesses is to have people who actually walk and spend money in the neighborhood. Please build them places to live in!
The stats on lack of housing in Milwaukee is incredible detrimental to the growth of the city.
I’m very excited for this plan to be at least a small step in the right direction. It and the other work Mayor Cavailer is putting in place are great and use actual statistics showing how to grow a city. Please keep up the good work and for the love of God stop listening to those who won’t let Milwaukee grow because it means they have to walk 20 more feet to their car or stop at one more stop sign. They’ve been stunting the growth of Milwaukee for too long!
Milwaukee Resident
I have concerns with the consequences of increasing density without the necessary guardrails in place. Both the plan, and info sessions have not adequately explained to Milwaukeeans, the downsides of increasing density through zoning changes.
Short term rentals do not improve neighborhoods. These zoning changes will only make Milwaukee more attractive for short term rental investors. While the plan states it will monitor the impact of short term rental, we need to proactively put a plan in place to regulate it before the problem gets worse.
Milwaukee should have a diversity of housing options, but all housing options don’t need to exist in every neighborhood. Those of us who chose to live in neighborhoods with single family homes and duplexes don’t want higher density options that will add more traffic and non-owner occupied properties. We should encourage denser growth in places that already allow higher occupancy.
We need to protect existing stakeholders and not promote changes that will make our neighborhoods more attractive to out of state investors. A targeted approach to growth will be better than doing so with zoning changes.
As a downtown resident, I support this plan. I believe in providing a greater variety of housing options for Milwaukee residents, and making it easier for people to walk, bike, or take transit from their homes to where they need to go.
I am disappointed in the removal of the recommendation to allow small multi-family buildings in RT3 and RT4 districts and think it should be restored. I appreciate the work that went into this plan by the DCD, and was glad to be able to attend meetings at the library to better understand it.
We are in desperate need of more affordable, accessible housing options in this city, and this plan opens up more opportunities to create that. We should be allowing the people in our community to decide what sort of housing is needed and to build that, rather than artificially imposing restrictions that freeze our neighborhoods under glass and prevent new people from living here or prevent existing residents from adapting to their changing needs. This plan may not be perfect but it is an important step in the right direction for a growing city.
While I may disagree with some of the changes made to the original draft, I think this is an important step to grow our city and stabilize rent prices by increasing housing supply.
I hugely support the Growing MKE initiative. We need bold uncompromising land use / housing reform. Skyrocketing rent in hotspots in the city is out of control and driving imbalance. We need to keep our neighborhoods balanced and open to working class and artists creatives to keep the city growing and vibrant. I believe it is hugely disingenuous to state there has not been community outreach already for this. This is a crucial moment for the future of the city.
“As a Milwaukee resident deeply invested in the future of our community, I strongly urge the CPC to consider delaying the vote on this plan to prioritize more community outreach and engagement. It is crucial that all voices, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups, have the opportunity to be heard and contribute to the decision-making process. By taking additional time to foster inclusive dialogue and understanding, we can ensure that the plan reflects the diverse needs and aspirations of our entire community. Thank you for your consideration.”
Milwaukee and the surrounding area needs more housing to be built. Rents are high and real estate listings are way down. I support anything we can do to build more housing. We should also make the city more walkable, bikeable, and friendly to children/elderly.
I fully support the Growing MKE initiative to ensure a variety of housing options for residents. It's important to recognize that not everyone's "American Dream" involves homeownership; for many, renting is the best choice. Additionally, those who do plan to buy a home may not necessarily want a single-family house—they might prefer a duplex, four-family building, or something similar.
I recently moved from a neighborhood where I had lived for about 17 years in a four-family building. Most of my neighbors were over 70, and we all looked out for each other, collecting mail and helping when someone was out of town. It felt like a family. However, the building was sold because the owner retired, and I couldn't find another rental in my neighborhood. As a result, I had to move about four miles away. I miss my neighborhood that has ALL different types of housing: larger apartment buildings, four-family, duplex, townhomes, single family homes---it was great!
Lets get Milwaukee into the 21st century with an update zoning policy. We're so far behind on other cities it's almost comical.
- A. Miller, City of Milwaukee Resident