Milwaukee residents are taking housing accountability into their own hands through a citywide effort to survey 40,000 properties.
As Milwaukee marks the year of housing, trained surveyors are spreading out across the city to track the condition of homes and vacant properties, aiming to flag problems and keep landlords accountable.
The surveys are part of Reclaiming Our Neighborhoods, a coalition using real-time data to pressure landlords, alert city leaders, and push for change.
Watch: Milwaukee residents survey properties to hold landlords accountable
Milwaukee residents survey properties to hold landlords accountable
“Many people need new roofs, new porches… and what we’re also learning is that the majority of those properties in desperate need of repairs are owned by landlords… now we need to figure out how we’re gonna use that data to hold people accountable,” JoAnna Bautch of VIA Community Development Corporation said.
“I think constant accountability—the way that we’re building collective power— is the way that we’re gonna be able to have something to stand on for accountability,” Bautch said…