Milwaukee County Joins 'Just Home Project' with MacArthur Grant to Break Cycle of Homelessness and Incarceration

Milwaukee County is primed to tackle the intersection of homelessness and incarceration, having been selected to join the Just Home Project, an initiative spearheaded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Urban Institute. The county's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is set to receive a $375,000 planning grant, which positions them to craft a strategy aimed at disrupting the pernicious cycle that entangles individuals in a revolving door between the streets and the criminal justice system, a statement released by the county detailed.

This planning grant paves the way for Milwaukee County to envision alternatives to incarceration, centered on housing solutions for populations inadequately served by current resources, and in doing this work, they face a road laden with complex challenges, as societal issues interweave themselves with systemic failures and with the completion of their plan, additional funding opportunities will await from the MacArthur Foundation in the form of impact investments, as mentioned in their release.

Responding to the announcement, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said, "Housing security and affordability are critical issues facing our community. That’s why it’s welcome news Milwaukee County has been selected to participate in the Just Home Project so we can continue addressing these challenges head-on to ensure residents and families have access to housing, supportive services, and the second chance they need." In harmony with this sentiment, James Mathy, Housing Administrator at Milwaukee County DHHS, acknowledged the foundational role of housing in health and expressed gratitude for this initial investment, per the county's announcement.

Laurie Garduque, the MacArthur Foundation's Director of Criminal Justice, underlined the far-reaching impact of the criminal justice system, and called for strategies confronting overincarceration and its key drivers; meanwhile, Kelly Walsh of the Urban Institute houses optimism for the innovative funding and technical assistance model, which aims to buttress community-led responses to the intertwining issues of housing instability and jail recidivism, drawing upon the energy and expertise of stakeholders and those with lived experiences, the county's release details.

Milwaukee County also contributes to the MacArthur Foundation's Safety and Justice Challenge, an endeavor initiated in 2015 aiming to shrink jails and address racial disparities within the justice system. Since 2016, the county has rolled out strategies to reduce its jail population by 4 percent, a further testament to their ongoing commitment to reevaluating and reforming the interplay between social systems, highlighted in the same statement.