Assistant Secretary Liu and Regional Director Galvan
Kick Off National Homeownership Month in Wisconsin

Assistant Secretary Liu (at right) presented the Housing Authority and city a $19 million HOPE VI grant to revitalize another Public Housing project, the Highland Park development on Milwaukee's west side. Accepting the check, left to right, Mayor John O. Norquist, Milwaukee Housing Authority Chair, Alderman Willie Hines, Jr. and Housing Authority Executive Director Tony Perez.

Midwest Regional Director Joseph Galvan speaks in front of new homes at the Parklawn Homeownership Week celebration in Milwaukee. Shown left to right are Mayor John O. Norquist, Milwaukee Housing Authority Chair and Alderman Willie Hines, Jr., Housing Authority Executive Director Tony Perez, WHEDA Executive Director Antonio Riley, Director Galvan, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, and HUD Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Michael Liu.

Michael Liu, HUD Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, and HUD Midwest Regional Director Joseph P. Galvan joined Milwaukee Mayor John O. Norquist and other local officials and neighborhood residents on June 4 to kick off National Homeownership Month in Wisconsin. "June is National Homeownership Month and what better way to mark the occasion than to help more families realize the American Dream," said Assistant Secretary Michael Liu. "President Bush and Secretary Martinez are committed to opening many more opportunities to families who have longed to share in the dream of having a home to call their own."

The celebration officially opened a new homeownership neighborhood adjacent to the Parklawn housing development. The event featured tours of some of the 20 new single-family homes that were built with part of the funding from a $35 million HOPE VI grant that HUD awarded to revitalize Parklawn and to provide new homeownership opportunities.

The new homeownership units are available for sale, with prices ranging from $130,000 to $155,000. The Housing Authority worked in partnership with Independence First to make the entire new homes visit able to persons with disabilities, and two of the units are handicap accessible. Eight offers to purchase have been made to date. Through all of its homeownership programs, the Housing Authority has sold more than 125 homes at various prices to serve many income levels.

The Highland Park HOPE VI grant will be used to replace aging public housing with 24 market-rate, single-family homes, 74 affordable housing tax credit units, and 54 public housing units. In addition, 42 new 4-bedroom, single-family homes, including 2 homeownership units, will be constructed on vacant lots in the surrounding neighborhood to stimulate additional economic development. With this new HOPE VI grant, the Milwaukee Housing Authority has received nearly $112 million in HOPE VI funds for public housing redevelopment and homeownership units.

Assistant Secretary Liu presented a key to Ernest Hill, who recently purchased a Housing Authority home, and a Homeownership Month Proclamation from Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle was presented to Director Galvan.