home/land/security
Most people define "home" as a place where they feel safe and secure. For many residents of Sherman Park, homes are not stable and comfortable shelter, but present challenges to health and safety. These challenges include building code violations, water contaminated by lead pipes, and the threat of eviction.
2458 North 38th Street. The City of Milwaukee currently owns this foreclosed property; the duplex is listed on the city directory of addresses that link to lead service pipes. As an empty and unmaintained house, it represents the problems of housing insecurity and the narrative of decay on Milwaukee's North Side. This so-called "slow death" portrays these neighborhoods as in a steady state of impoverishment and decline.
FORECLOSURE Foreclosures create empty houses; a once lively community becomes a disused neighborhood full of gaps. There are two types of foreclosures: bank initiated and city initiated. If a homeowner defaults on payments to their bank or mortgage lender, the bank can foreclose the property. Likewise, if a homeowner fails to pay property taxes or does not keep their property up to code, the city can foreclose the property. Older houses such as those in Sherman Park and Washington Park are difficult and expensive to maintain. Furthermore, historic disinvestment in the North Side means that the economic conditions of the neighborhood have shifted from a growth pattern to stagnation or declension. A 2012 report by the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee states there have been 12,000 foreclosures in the city since 2007. EVICTION
Eviction creates an unstable neighborhood because people are frequently arriving and then abruptly leaving a block. When housing is insecure in this way, it is difficult to build a community of people who know and care about each other. In Eviction, Sociologist Matthew Desmond outlines how eviction overwhelmingly affects single black mothers in Milwaukee. Eviction is not just the loss of shelter, but a disruption to your entire life. Loosing your belongings, having to start from square one, and the associated fees of eviction damage lives and continue a cycle of poverty. EvictionLab.org reports that in 2016, Milwaukee County had an eviction rate of 3.26% (a statistic above the national average), with an average rate of 17.25 evictions per day. THREATS TO HEALTH In 1872 the city of Milwaukee mandated lead be used for water pipes in the city – this legislation was fully overturned in 1967. There are still over 70,000 lead pipes in use in the city. In 2016, Reuters reported that 11.5 percent of children tested in Milwaukee had elevated blood lead levels. According to the CDC, only 4% of children tested nation wide have confirmed high blood lead levels. Furthermore, an internal report by the City of Milwaukee Health Department found that Elevated Blood Lead Levels were most dense in aldermanic districts 6, 7, 8, 12, and 15 (these districts encompass Sherman Park and Washington Park). |
Although housing in Milwaukee can be unstable, nevertheless, residents and activists in Sherman Park express their care and commitment to their neighborhood by working together to create opportunities for securing home ownership, to improve quality of life by organizing lead removal projects, and to celebrate the beauty in their community. WATER The City of Milwaukee operates lead paint and lead window removal projects for at-risk homes. Activists argue that the primary concern is not lead paint but lead pipes; over 70,000 lead pipes still serve the city. The efforts of activist groups like Get The Lead Out Coalition have been contentious. The dispute alleges that the city has been ignoring this public health crisis and has not taken sufficient action regarding the rates of lead poisoning. In March of 2019, the city council voted unanimously to remove the lead pipes still in use in Milwaukee. Despite this commitment, conflict surrounding this issue continues. ROOTS
High rates of eviction and foreclosure in the North Side have made the need for a stable and secure community all the more important. Groups such as ACTS housing and Habitat for Humanity help people obtain housing by assisting with home ownership. Putting down roots grounds families and allows them to invest in their own community. Through the efforts of these groups, neighbors become empowered community members who are rooted in belonging. BLOOMS
Despite conceptions of the North Side as a run down, gritty, and undesirable neighborhood, the residents of this part of Milwaukee care about and nurture growth in the community. Beautification projects such as murals, public art projects, and decorative flowers show how the streets are lively and engaging spaces. Gardens also provide fresh produce for local cafes and peace gardens are living memorials to loved ones. Seeing a neighbor’s flowers often inspires others to plant their own gardens and together, these neighborhoods bloom. |