Georgia Pabst of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel brings exposure to the foreclosure battle in an article published November 24, 2009. Click the photo to link to the article.
On the evening of Thursday, November 19 2009, Common Ground conducted a hearing to learn about the foreclosure crisis and the impact of bank-owned foreclosed homes. Over 240 Common Ground members listened to testimony from a broad variety of sources. These included:
Alderman Michael Murphy, District 10, City of Milwaukee, Chair of the Council Finance Committee
Mr. Lew Ameel, Housing Counselor, HBC Services
Ms. Suzanne Dennik, Project Manager, Milwaukee Foreclosure Project Inititive
Ms. Catherine M. Doyle, Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee
Ms. Margaret Henningsen, Founder and Vice President, Legacy Bank
In addition, a number of community members shared their experiences living near and trying to purchase these bank owned foreclosed homes.
Our Next Steps:
Common Ground will issue a ‘white paper’ with our research findings and recommendations on what we will do to address this problem by January.
on January 21, 2010 Common Ground will begin a campaign focused on outlining what we want the large national banks that own most of these properties to do.
If you would like more information or have questions please contact us here. Email
Housing
We have taken pictures of 450 foreclosed homes. 150 people participated in taking these pictures. We have met with bankers, real estate agents, home rehabbers and community leaders.
We are holding a public hearing on Foreclosed Homes on November 19 at 7:00 pm at the Milwaukee County War Memorial. Please plan to attend
Health Care
The Health Care reform discussions in Wisconsin are impacting our work on the Health Insurance Cooperative. We expect to be able to “roll out” the Co-op in January with the insurance in effect in March or April. The behind-the-scenes planning for the marketing and administration of the Co-op continues. Whatever reforms are approved will take two or three years to implement so we expect the Co-op to be operative and strong and perhaps play a part in whatever the future brings. We thank everyone for their patience. We get calls each week about the Co-op. Last week a lady called from a non-profit telling us that their rates are to be increased by 42%. Believable and appalling.
Friends of Common Ground
We continue efforts to raise $300,000 over the next years in order to hire 1 1/2 new organizers to staff Common Ground. To date we have 38 gift commitments for $120,732. There are a number of major gift requests we hope to hear about very soon. Thanks to those who have contributed. If you would like to make a gift contact our treasurer, Bob Connolly at 414-272-0101 or bconnolly@jamescompany.com
Youth Jobs
Common Ground leaders have been working closely with the Milwaukee Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB) to develop a strategic plan. A planing meeting with 17 business and government leaders was held on October 21st to strategize as to how we might get more private sector participation for 2010 Summer Youth Jobs. Some of the organizations attending were Wisconsin State Fair Park, Pearls for Teen Girls, Palermo’s Pizza, Johnson Controls, GRAEF, Summerfest, Marcus Corporation, and We Energies.
The next Youth Jobs team meeting is December 1 at 7:00 pm. If you are interested in attending please contact Denise Fried at 414-453-8025.
Sherman Park/North Milwaukee
The Sherman Park/North Milwaukee team continued to meet in October with the aldermen from the area to continue work on our list of items. We are making significant progress with school signs erected, lighting fixed and replaced, and construction at an intersection. Our next meeting will be with Aldermen Murphy and Hines on November 9th.
Youth Jobs:
Common Ground leaders are working closely with MAWIB to develop a strategic planning session for October 21st where we will bring about 30 business and government leaders together to strategize as to how we might get more private sector participation for 2010 Summer Youth Jobs.
The next meeting of the Youth Jobs team is November 3 at 7:00 pm at Progressive Baptist Church, 8324 W. Keefe Ave., Milwaukee.
Health Care:
The Health Care Committee continues to work with the Wisconsin Healthcare Cooperative (WHC) on the final stages in the development of a health cooperative for small businesses, non-profits, unions and the self employed.
We anticipate “rolling out” the Wisconsin Healthcare Cooperative in October. WHC will conduct a series of information sessions throught the region to enroll people into the Coop during Novemberand December.
Sherman Park/North Milwaukee:
On Wednesday, September 23, Common Ground Sherman Park/North Milwaukee leaders met with Alderman Wade to discuss their current relationship, ways to build on this relationship, and current issues in the 7th Aldermanic District. Leaders are scheduled to meet again with Alderman Wade in the coming weeks to check on the progress of issues discussed.
On Monday, October 5, Common Ground Sherman Park leaders conducted a highly productive meeting with Alderman Murphy and City Engineer Bob Bryson. Common Ground Leaders received an update on actions taken and studies that were done on neighborhood issues. Most concerns brought to Alderman Murphy’s attention should be taken care of by November by means of work orders and legislation. This is an ongoing campaign; we will continue to work with the elected officials to improve the Sherman Park, North Milwaukee areas.
On Saturday, September 26, 2009, 100 Common Ground members spread out across the city as part of a photographic survey of bank owned foreclosed houses in Milwaukee. The nearly 500 photographs gathered speak graphically to the blighting effect on our community of economic challenge and unscrupulous, predatory lending. De-briefing conversations of the photo survey revealed that while some houses have already been resold and rehabilitation has started, many others still sit boarded up – and unphotographed. Common Ground is now looking to organize a follow-up shoot focusing on areas of heavier foreclosure saturation. Saturday’s action is a first step in addressing the banks responsibility regarding their property and its impact on neighborhoods.
Common Ground members in the Sherman Park neighborhood of Milwaukee are organizing for neighborhood improvements. Partnering with St. Joseph Hospital, an “anchor” institution in the community, Common Ground member groups are making a difference. Read more.
Common Ground’s Founding Convention was held April 13, 2008 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. You can see the video in 2 parts by clicking here for part 1, and here for part 2.
Over 150 Common Ground leaders gathered on September 15 to make key decisions on next action steps.
Leaders recommitted to support the efforts in Sherman Park/North Milwaukee.
The Delegates voted unanimously for a “roll out” plan for the health insurance cooperative in October and committing over 100 people to attend this event. In addition, Common Ground will conduct at least six sessions covering all four counties to enroll small businesses, non-profits and individuals in the cooperative.
Common Ground leaders committed to a five week research phase for a campaign regarding the thousands of bank-owned abandoned foreclosed homes in the region. On Saturday, September 26, 150 Common Ground leaders will take photographs of 400 of these homes. Another team will conduct basic research on the largest bank landlords of these properties. Common Ground leaders will regather on Thursday, October 22 to make a decision regarding next steps in this campaign.
Common Ground nominated three new members to the Strategy Team; Ms. Eileen Asbell of St. Michael-St. Rose Parish, Mr. Frank Finch III of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, and Ms. Dorota Pruski of St. James Episcopal Church.
The Common Ground Health Care Team of 30 members has been studying the healthcare system in southeastern Wisconsin for the past 18 months. The committee members have conducted over 100 research actions in order to understand how the healthcare system does and does not work. With approval of the Delegates’ Assembly, the team has worked to develop a Health Insurance Cooperative. This cooperative will be a member-owned, non-profit business, which will provide health insurance for small businesses, non-profits, the self-employed and unions. The cooperative is not the answer to health care reform in America, but it is a piece of health care reform. The largest portion of the 47 million uninsured Americans work for small businesses. We call this effort “Health Care Reform – Midwest Style.”
At Common Ground we believe that improving job opportunities for Milwaukee youth will improve the economic and social well-being in our four-county area. The City of Milwaukee’s Earn & Learn Summer Job Program addresses that goal by providing opportunities for qualified high school students to gain valuable workplace experience. The program lays the foundation for a trained workforce, provides job readiness skills, offers real work experiences and a variety of career possibilities, and allows experienced employees to participate in positive change in their community.
Last year Common Ground successfully lobbied the City to increase the number of summer youth jobs from approximately 1,300 in 2008 to a record 3,000 in the summer of 2009. We successfully campaigned for the City to provide $250,000 in flexible funding to the program. Working with the Greater Milwaukee Committee (GMC), the Milwaukee Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB), and the City to increase private business participation in the project by establishing a goal of 1,000 private sector jobs in 2010, we are creating momentum for the development of a future workforce.