Spearheaded by the Reclaiming Our Neighborhoods (RON) Coalition, Near West Side Partners staff and paid volunteers surveyed the exterior conditions of neighborhood homes in May, June and July. By conducting this housing survey, the team was able to identify houses that may be in need of repair or other investments and provide homeowners with information about resources, grant funding and other support systems to help ensure the improvement and maintenance of housing in the Near West Side.
This year’s survey resulted in over 2,000 responses, setting a new record with 400 more completed surveys in 2024 than in 2022.
The RON Coalition includes NWSP and 10 other neighborhood partner organizations (Amani United, Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative, Dominican Center, Milwaukee Christian Center, Muskego Way Forward, Riverworks Development Corp., Sherman Park Community Association, United Methodist Children’s Services of Wisconsin, Inc., VIA and Walnut Way Conservation Corp.). Together, these partners collectively represent 15 neighborhoods and share a mission to help to improve the quality of housing in Milwaukee by assessing the housing needs of neighbors, referring them to resources and collecting data to compare needs throughout the years.
Truly a resident led-effort, the RON Housing Survey is conducted every other year through the help of paid volunteers – including NWSP anchor institution Marquette University student volunteers.
Student surveyor Andrea Holden shares her perspective on the impact of the RON Housing Survey, saying, “It’s a project that is created by people who care about the neighborhoods and want to see them thrive. This helps display the good in these neighborhoods and improve them in an effective way.”
Student surveyor Celia Huber adds, “Being out with residents shows how much residents care. I think that a lot of people who live here want to take more pride in their neighborhood and the visual representation and quality of these buildings have a large effect on that.”
The RON Housing Survey has also led to the creation of new programs in the Near West Side, including the Merrill Park Targeted Investment Neighborhood (TIN) Program. Implemented after the 2022 RON Housing Survey, this designation by the City of Milwaukee enables residents of the Merrill Park neighborhood to apply for home improvement loans from the City.
In addition to effectively connecting residents to resources, the RON Housing Survey also supports an improved understanding of the housing market and the overall condition of the neighborhood, and empowers residents to improve their neighborhood.
NWSP is thrilled about the success of the RON Housing Survey this year and wants to thank the community and volunteers for their help and participation.
If you are a resident of the Near West Side in need of financial support with home repairs, reach out to the NWSP Housing Resource Manager Dia Henderson at dia@nearwestsidemke.org.
