Contact: Verdia M. Hampton at verdia@rtmilwaukee.org.

Throughout the year, RM completes essential repairs necessary to enable homeowners to remain in their homes. These repairs are critical in preventing deferred maintenance and larger issues down the road. Some examples of essential repairs might be carpentry, door and lock repair, porch repair, updating electrical items, minor plumbing repairs and installation of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Contact: Verdia M. Hampton at verdia@rtmilwaukee.org.

From time to time, we all find ourselves with urgent or life-threatening plumbing problems, furnace issues, or even electrical problems. Unfortunately, the clients we serve have these challenges coupled with complications of being low-income, elderly, veterans and/or disabled. These unsafe and potentially harmful situations come to light during home visits that occur year-round. Our Emergency Repair program is the only free emergency repair service offered in Southeast Wisconsin and is designed to help our most vulnerable homeowners address these critical needs. Houses are assessed on a case-by-case basis for the severity of repairs. All of the repairs are completed by experienced, licensed contractors within 24-48 hours.

Contact: Verdia M. Hampton at verdia@rtmilwaukee.org.

RM has partnerships with diverse organizations and businesses that share the goal of keeping vulnerable homeowners in a safe environment where they can age with dignity. As collaborating agencies, we provide homeowners with the tools they need to ensure their continuous contributions to the neighborhoods where they live. Some agencies that help us meet our goals are health and community organizations such as the Milwaukee Department of Aging and Layton Boulevard West Neighbors.

Contact: Allison Sweere at allison@rtmilwaukee.org.

The Block Build location for 2023 is Muskego Way!

Block Build MKE is a weekend event that takes place in the summer. On this day, corporations and volunteers work on up to 30 homes that are owned by low-income elderly, veterans, and/or those living with a disability. Over 500 volunteers donate their skills and sweat equity to complete numerous repairs, accessibility updates, and overall beautification projects. Materials, supplies, and professional services are frequently donated to ensure that all homeowners are left with a safe and healthy environment.

Contact: Verdia M. Hampton at verdia@rtmilwaukee.org.

To meet the goal of creating a safe environment for the elderly and those living with disability, RM purchases and installs specialty products. These products modify appliances and other basic household fixtures that frequently present a challenge to operate for homeowners who have physical limitations. Items commonly installed or constructed by Revitalize Milwaukee are medical assistive devices, ramps, door levers, walk-in showers, handrails, and grab bars in bathrooms Revitalize Milwaukee works with our partners to purchase these specialized products and have them properly installed by professionals.

Contact: Kallyn Federspill at kallyn@rtmilwaukee.org.

Repairs are completed in Lindsay Heights, Clarke Square, and Layton Boulevard West neighborhoods to preserve affordable housing. RM’s goal is to complete 180+ homes in 2023. Additionally, we offer a matching grant to Clarke Square homeowners that are in need of external repairs on the front of their home to improve its look and functionality with support from the Zilber Family Foundation.

Contact: Verdia M. Hampton at verdia@rtmilwaukee.org.

The Chore Services program is designed to help seniors maintain their homes. Chore Services is an extension of our Free Critical Repairs Program. It broadens our typical scope of work to include handyman or other chore services seniors might need help with. These items, such as changing batteries in smoke detectors, replacing light bulbs, or flipping a mattress become difficult for the aging homeowner and if not taken care of can make the home unsafe.

We also offer services for more intensive chores such as lawn mowing, leaf raking, and snow removal to help homeowners avoid fines that can lead to foreclosure. This program fills the void seniors face when looking for help doing general maintenance on their homes.

Our scope of work is broader for this program, consisting of services like changing batteries in smoke detectors, replacing light bulbs, or flipping mattresses. These issues, and others like it, become difficult as we age and can create an unsafe home.

Safety for elderly people in their homes is a serious issue, causing more fall-related deaths in Wisconsin than car crashes, suicide, poisoning, or homicide. Hospital and emergency room visits from falls result in over $800 million in hospital charges each year and often force homeowners to leave their homes for an assisted living facility.

Through our program, elderly homeowners receive effective, immediate solutions that keep them safe, save them money, and allow them to age in place.

Contact: Verdia M. Hampton at verdia@rtmilwaukee.org.

The Partial Pay program is designed to build on our mission and existing expertise in home repair and accessibility modifications. The program will subsidize our existing work to provide emergency, critical repairs to those who fall between 50 and 80 percent of the County Median Income (CMI) but cannot afford them or access the resources to get them done themselves. Fees will be charged on a sliding scale, based on income.

Contact: Kallyn Federspill at kallyn@rtmilwaukee.org.

Licensed occupational therapists perform assessments for seniors or people living with a disability to ensure the repairs they receive are as effective as possible.

Using our own Safe at Home Assessment tool, occupational therapists visit clients’ homes and observe how they navigate them. Using the assessment tool, they mark areas of concern and what remedies can be used to make it safer for the homeowner. These repairs are then scheduled by RM to be completed by a licensed professional.

Removing lead-based paint from homes with small children to prevent the permanent harm that can be done by ingesting lead.

This program began in 2023 with partnerships between the State of Wisconsin, City of Milwaukee, SDC, COLE, and Employ Milwaukee.

Bidding Process

Lead Hazard Reduction ARPA Program (LHRP)

Contact: Kallyn Federspill at kallyn@rtmilwaukee.org.

Asthma Safe Homes Program starts by searching for immediate solutions to managing asthma. We begin with asthma self-care education and trigger remediation for households with kids under 18 and pregnant women. We also provide durables such as HEPA Vacuums and mattress covers. In severe cases where asthma triggers persist, home repairs/ modifications are made.

Services for eligible households can include:

-Asthma self-care education

-Asthma supplies up to $1,000 for your home

-Home assessments to look for asthma triggers

-Remediation of asthma triggers in your home up to $5,000 (ex: carpet removal, pest extermination, mold and water damage remediation and more).

Learn more here.

Contact: Allison Sweere at allison@rtmilwaukee.org.

RM provides energy-saving upgrades such as insulation in attics/basements, and the installation of high-efficiency furnaces and heat pumps.

Additional energy-saving home modifications include water-saving faucets, weather stripping, and programmable thermostats.

These modifications help reduce discomfort, safety concerns, and excessive energy bills for low-income homeowners.

Contact: Jackie Weber at jackie@rtmilwaukee.org.

RM is proud to support local contractors and small businesses. Our program offers paid training, flexible schedules, and jobs that cater to the skills contractors have to offer. Contractors receive weekly pay and are not limited by their resources as we allow them to purchase materials on our store accounts.

Building Hope Application

Building Hope Program

Contact: Bryan Wenzel at bryanw@rtmilwaukee.org.

RM rehabilitates foreclosed and donated homes for community revitalization. By doing this RM is able to transition Real Estate Owned property (REOs) into safe and affordable homes, provide job creation and sustainable wages to local contractors, adds to the city’s tax base, and returns revenue to RM’s operating fund which allows the organization to continue their mission of providing FREE critical home repairs to those in need.