Project Description Narrative:
In Milwaukee, the problem of eviction and its negative effects on families and communities has reached epidemic proportions. An average of 16 families are evicted daily and persistent disparities exist with the majority of evictions affecting minorities and women-led households with children. Housing and health are inextricably linked - without a safe, affordable place to live, access to food and health care can quickly become a problem. Evictions create a domino effect on the lives of those affected, including impacts related to job loss, increased exposure to crime, school disruption, and increased debt. This project aimed to create a coalition of local stakeholders involved in the eviction process and its prevention to study, in a process led by the Wisconsin Policy Forum, the eviction system and develop solutions for change to positively impact health disparities in the region.
Project partners: City of Milwaukee Strong Neighborhoods Plan, City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services, CommonBond Communities WI, Community Advocates, Froedtert Hospital, Legal Action of Wisconsin, Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council, Milwaukee Continuum of Care, Milwaukee County Housing Division, Milwaukee County Office of African-American Affairs, Milwaukee Health Department, Social Development Commission