Milwaukee has become a drastically different city from the Milwaukee. It has long been seen as a symbol of post-industrial decline, the city now has some of the fastest rents of the nation. Once fired as a city of flying, he was “discovered” from outside Tenes because of her charm of the Old World and unpretentious culture.
Yet, against the backdrop of all this change, one thing remains the same: our local political tradition of burying our heads in the sand and hopefully that the problem is eliminated. But Milwaukee’s passive position on housing will only accelerate displacement, weaken the economy and deepen inequality, only so local legislators should not legislature.
Other cities face such transformations before. New York and the area of San Francisco Bay, once known for crimes, disintegration and suburban flight, are now among the most expensive city centers in the world, pushing the residents of their working class to Bibban fringe or even directly on the street.
They came to this point, allowing newcomers to surpass and replace existing communities instead of creating more space for them – followed by the same strategy that Milwaukee is currently following. While Milwaukee is unlikely to see such extreme growth, Madison, Pittsburgh, and parts of Chicago clearly show how inaction accelerates genetration and displacement everywhere.
However, some cities, such as Austin, have taken proactive steps, significantly expanding housing in their city nucleus, causing rents to drop by 22%. Despite the fears of homeowners about the falling values of properties and activists about the growing rents, the approach of Austin achieved the opposite: rent, apartments and new suburban houses have become more accessible, while the values of urban housing appreciate. In other words, everyone but the landlords won.
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Initially, Minneapolis adopted a similar growth -focused strategy, also reducing rents by 22%, while cities peers noted an increase. However, the court blocked the plan and the rents began to rise again. Now this change means that Minnesota is expected to lose a place in the congress and elections in 2030 – joining countries such as California, New York and Illinois in the transfer of the Republicans’ power, adhering to policies that reach the opposite of their requested goal.
The strange alliance opposes Mayor Johnson’s “growing mke”
There is another country in this list: Wisconsin, mainly because Madison adopts the same political approach. Milwaukee, however, tried something different by choosing mayor, Cavalie Johnson, who runs under the slogan of “One million Milwaukee” in a landslide. Yet, when he presents his proposal for a “growing MKE”, a special union between more conservative and left-wing figures formed to oppose it.
This paradoxical partnership is not unique, it happens almost every time – local Democrats are interrupted by former President Barack Obama and almost any other national Democrat to join Donald Trump in defense of housing policies that are explicitly fictional to separate minorities and working class away from those with funds.
The opposition may make sense if the MKE cultivation included Bulldozing neighborhoods for apartment towers, but the plan will simply return to the rules with which the city was built: apartments over main streets and duplexes or triplexs where they already exist. As it only legalizes what is already there, development will replace mainly free or deteriorating properties.
Dismissal concerns are understandable, but Bronzevil of Milwaukee offers powerful proof that growth prevents displacement. By resonating for more housing in accordance with the existing character, Bronzevil moved from a breakup in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the city, even gained recognition in the New York Times. Housing owners have built wealth together with non -profit organizations and small developers. Low-income tenants remained because the wealthier newcomers chose newer units, and the new homes of accessible homes were ahead of units.
Without changes in Milwaukee will continue to rise
It is strange that growth politicians darken their positions, claiming that they support more housing, but then re -send many of MKE’s growing proposals with the litan of poison pills; Slow mandates that show that they limit the construction of new housing to an amount that one can rely on their hands and feet in any city where they have been fulfilled.
Even after countless reductions in the scope of the plan at the request of the council, it is still quite clear whether they will pass the very weakened proposal.
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If local politicians decide to interrupt their party to join Trump to fight for historically unsuccessful policies that allow Republicans, they owe the clarity to the voters. Similarly, if Democrats and business leaders hope to maintain the political importance of Wisconsin, they must press local politicians in order to part with the policies that undermine their goals.
The most important thing is that if the Milwaukeys want to avoid displacement and fast rents, they should require members of their advice to support the mayor’s term for which they voted.
A native of Wisconsin, Jacob Major works as a political strategist during the day and a political activist at night.
This article originally appeared at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The Milwaury Mayor’s Housing Plan Johnson is sunk by allies | Opinion