Quality-of-Life Initiatives
Supporting Downtown’s Unhoused Population
Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21 is committed to assisting those experiencing homelessness in our district. From our strategy-setting team to a dedicated outreach coordinator, we have implemented solutions that raise funds and provide resources to help the unhoused population find a future off the streets.
3,600+
in-person street outreach contacts made (2024)
50+
homeless households connected with permanent housing solutions (2024)
35
people connected to resources weekly and no longer stay on the street (2024)
50
weekly follow-ups conducted to connect with services and help with next steps (2024)
It Takes a Community
Quality-of-life initiatives involve many people. Our Community Intervention Team, formed in 2015 to identify solutions for long-term homelessness support, is comprised of behavioral health, public safety, and community organizations.
Our Downtown Homeless Outreach Coordinator connects with the area’s unsheltered population to offer resources for rapid, permanent solutions.
We also support a Downtown Community Prosecutor, who addresses the needs of homeless and mentally ill individuals who encounter law enforcement more frequently. This role enables strategic, meaningful responses to individual cases, whether through medical services or appropriate prosecution.
And of course, we receive support from many Downtown organizations, including members of the business community, philanthropic organizations, and the public.
How You Can Help
In 2017, BID #21 launched the Key to Change campaign. Donations are put toward the Housing First Endowment Fund, a model adopted by the city to provide housing without pre-condition. Funds raised also go to move-in kits for Housing First participants, subsidization for their application fees and security deposits, and retaining a Downtown Homeless Outreach Coordinator and Downtown Community Prosecutor.
Making an Impactful Difference
Since 2015, Downtown Milwaukee has seen a 92% decrease in its unsheltered population. Our city has also been noted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as having some of the lowest per-capita counts of unsheltered individuals in the country—ranking first in 2021 and 2022.
Our impactful homeless outreach approach was also highlighted in the 2024 documentary “Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness.”
More of What We Do
We invest in the people and the time needed to make Downtown Milwaukee a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for all. Take a closer look at ways BID #21 brings this vision to life.
