HACM does good

I attended the Housing Authority of City of Milwaukee's annual meeting this morning at Highland Gardens Community Room. While I am familiar with much of HACM's work, this meeting, with a PowerPoint presentation and their annual report, really put the story together for me.

I've known for a while that HACM is one of the more innovative housing authorities, from their embrace of Universal Design and Visitability for increased accessibility, to their adoption of green building principles in their newer buildings that even Sierra Club recognized.

But I didn't realize-despite my knowledge of some of the programs they have-how much of an effort they make not only to improve the lives of the residents, but also the neighborhoods.  Whether it be through education, health, employment, or through their community and supportive services, HACM has been a real asset to the residents of the City of Milwaukee. 

During the annual meeting, a researcher gave some highlights from a study showing that the average home price in HOPE VI neighborhoods rose quicker than home prices in the rest of the city (well, until the market crashed, and it didn't fall as far as the rest of the city did).  It showed that the Housing Authority's work has a beneficial effect on the city. 

HACM also has been preserving homes by purchasing foreclosed homes, often damaged, to renovate them and selling them so that the properties remain on the city tax rolls.

HACM is currently planning an ambitious make-over of the neighborhood known as Westlawn which I'm excited about.  Not just because of improved housing units, but also because of the use of Universal Design and Visitability, which will make Westlawn one of the most (physical) accessible neighborhoods.

I'm not saying that the housing authorities in the suburbs should be able to replicate all that HACM does, but a good housing authority knows that it's more than just a provider of shelter, but a part of the community.