"The city closed the door on their face:" Senator Lena Taylor criticizes plan to rehab Sherman Park homes



MILWAUKEE -- A state lawmaker is speaking out against a home rehab plan in the Sherman Park neighborhood. State Senator Lena Taylor says it's not helping the people who really need it.



Senator Taylor says funds are not being used the right way and doesn't put citizens first. The city has long said the plan will revitalize blighted homes.

In the wake of riots that stunned the Sherman Park neighborhood, plans were put in place to help build it back up. Last August, city and state leaders announced a project to restore the area.

Sherman Park $1 homes for sale



"I want to put people from this neighborhood to work," said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

Tom Barrett



Two million dollars was earmarked for blight reductions, tearing down and fixing up vacant homes.

Monday, January 9th, a meeting was held discussing how 100 foreclosed homes are to be sold for $1 each to developers.

"For me, it's a four-way winner to get these homes back into circulation. First and foremost, I want families to be living in these homes," said Barrett.

People flooded City Hall thinking they might be eligible to buy -- not realizing the sales were only for developers who could buy at least five homes, renovating each in 90 days and earning a $10,000 rebate.



"I think the people should be first, not developers," said Senator Taylor.

Lena Taylor



Taylor is now criticizing the plan, saying citizens should be able to buy the properties and fix them up.

"The people cried out for an opportunity to be able to help to create a solution and the city closed the door on their face and the state allowed it," said Taylor.

She says funds should more directly address community-police relations and opportunity gaps in the area.

"We should've looked at the map of the city and the county and said, 'where are our crisis areas?" said Taylor. "Where do we lack capacity for services?"

Sherman Park $1 homes for sale



As the plan moves forward, not everyone is on board.