The City of Milwaukee Common Council created The Housing Authority in January 1944.
Mayor John L. Bohn made and the Common Council approved the appointments of five
commissioners in April. The Housing Authority formally began its duties May 1, 1944
under the guidance of Mayor Bohn, who outlined a program of postwar planning and
rehabilitation of blighted areas and solicited federal aid for the city’s slum
clearance program. An Architectural Planner was appointed in October and Richard
Perrin, Authority Executive Director, was appointed in January 1945.
The Common Council adopted a charter ordinance designating the Housing Authority as
the agent of the City of Milwaukee in matters of blight clearance and redevelopment,
and set forth its powers, duties, and functions. The Authority researched housing
conditions in slum and blighted areas, and planned the redevelopment and
construction of housing projects to meet the needs of the lowest income groups. The
Common Council created a Redevelopment Coordinating Committee in 1945. In November
1946, the Common Council adopted a resolution setting up a redevelopment
coordinating committee so that “a long-range program on redevelopment and
rehabilitation may be projected and presented to the Common Council…”. This
resolution established five additional positions for the Housing Authority to be
paid from the urban rehabilitation fund.
In 1948, the Urban Redevelopment Coordinating Committee completed its first major
report, Urban Redevelopment and Blight Elimination in
Milwaukee. In 1949, the Housing Authority suggested to the Common
Council that urban redevelopment as made possible by the Housing Act of 1949 be
conducted under its power. On February 27, 1950 the Common Council resolution number
49-2311 transferred the redevelopment function from the Public Land Commission to
the Housing Authority.
On February 2, 1956, Ordinance No. 564 became effective, creating the position of
Urban Renewal Coordinator. This ordinance was amended by Ordinance No. 173,
effective July 19, 1956. Steps were taken to coordinate the various city departments
engaged in urban renewal. Sol Ackerman, newly designated Urban Renewal Coordinator,
officially started his duties July 23, 1956. The Housing Authority merged with the
Department of City Development in 1960.
