For immediate release

Contact: Zoe Kinstler, 414-708-1086

The people have spoken! The City of Milwaukee's Homes MKE initiative took first place in the 2026 Wells Fargo People's Choice Award at the Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation, better known as the MANDI Awards. This recognition is important because Homes MKE is about much more than renovating houses. Through this program, vacant properties are being transformed into quality homes and new opportunities for Milwaukee families to achieve homeownership.

This work also shows the power of partnership. From the Department of City Development and other City departments to developers, contractors, lenders, funders, homebuyer counseling agencies, the Common Council, and many others, it has taken a team to make Homes MKE successful.

With this year being our Year of Housing, Mayor Cavalier Johnson continues to focus on building more homes, expanding access to affordable homeownership, and making sure Milwaukee residents have safe, quality places to live. This program may renovate the houses, but it's the families who choose Milwaukee, invest in the neighborhoods, and put down roots here who truly bring these homes back to life.