In many Milwaukee neighborhoods, families spend 10%-15% of their household income on energy 鈥� about double the 6% national average for low-income households, according to the Department of Energy. In areas with aging homes, especially during periods of extreme temperatures, those disparities grow even sharper.听
Rising utility costs and complex rebate structures create barriers even when financial help exists.听听
鈥淓mergency energy assistance can help some families during crises, but it doesn鈥檛 fix the underlying issues that cause high bills,鈥� said Mia Rudolph鈥慡chulta, City of Milwaukee environmental sustainability program coordinator. 鈥淓nergy-efficiency improvements provide lasting relief and healthier living conditions.鈥� 听
Recognizing this, residents and leaders from the Sherman Park Community Association and the City of Milwaukee鈥檚 Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO) came together in July 2024 to launch the Healthy Homes & ECO Neighborhoods Project.听听
The initiative aimed to help homeowners in Milwaukee鈥檚 historically disinvested neighborhoods lower utility bills, improve home听health and听safety,听and increase climate resilience through home improvements and energy鈥慹fficiency upgrades. Before the听federal funding was unexpectedly听terminated, the project provided 14 home energy and health assessments and helped several homeowners complete cost-saving energy efficiency upgrades.听
University partnerships reignite the work听听
Wanting to further the work, project partners linked up with researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Medical College of Wisconsin to revive the program. In September 2025, they received support from the听, a collaboration among 51猎奇, the Medical College听of Wisconsin听and Marquette University to听identify听and support projects that find solutions to local issues through 18鈥憁onth collaborations between community partners and university researchers.听
The team secured an $89,000 award from the 笔谤别蝉颈诲别苍迟鈥檚 and Chancellor鈥檚 Challenge to support home energy听and healthy home听assessments听for听17听homes and听fund a resilience听ambassador听and intern听who will guide homeowners throughout the process.听听
Funds听also will听support research by 51猎奇 and the Medical College听of Wisconsin听to understand what keeps many homeowners from making energy upgrades.听
鈥淥ur goal is to understand the barriers homeowners face and to generate evidence that can shape stronger, more accessible programs,鈥� said Lynne Woehrle, 51猎奇 School of Nursing associate professor.听
In this phase of the program,听up to听10听homes听will听participate听in听real鈥憈ime indoor air鈥憅uality monitoring by the Medical College听of Wisconsin听using sensors听that听measure听particulate matter, volatile organic compound, carbon dioxide,听temperature听and humidity.听
鈥淭his project grew out of community concerns about housing costs and health,鈥� said Erin Lee, assistant professor听in the department听of Family & Community Medicine at the Medical College听of Wisconsin. 鈥淭he data from air quality monitoring will be compared with household utility usage to build a deeper understanding of residential energy burdens and indoor environmental health.鈥�听
Help along the way听
Homeowners will receive information on听weatherization, energy efficiency听and听other housing improvement programs and financing听resources, and the resilience听ambassador听at the Sherman Park Community Association will guide them along the way 鈥� from intake to assessment to making decisions about next steps.听听
鈥淥ur neighbors want healthier, more efficient homes,鈥� said Mabel Lamb, executive director of the Sherman Park Community Association. 鈥淭his program helps us walk alongside听homeowners听so they don鈥檛 have to figure it out alone.鈥�听
For homeowners, the project offers a pathway to safer,听healthier听and more affordable homes. For the city, it stands as a model of how neighborhood organizations, government听agencies听and universities can come together to advance equity and resilience. And for the partners in the 笔谤别蝉颈诲别苍迟鈥檚 and Chancellor鈥檚 Challenge, it听demonstrates听the power of community鈥慹ngaged research to create meaningful impact across Milwaukee.听
The program is recruiting participants and beginning assessments in March. Single-family homeowners in the Sherman Park neighborhood who are interested in participating in the program should contact the .听
