A Healthier Milwaukee County

Under County Executive David Crowley’s leadership, Milwaukee County has delivered major investments, new initiatives, and innovative policies to move Milwaukee County forward.  His administration’s public policy achievements include securing the largest increase in state-shared revenue in over 20 years, state authorization for a local sales tax for local priorities, a landmark deal to retain the Milwaukee Brewers in Wisconsin while increasing revenue for all counties across the state, and implementing historic pension reforms to address Milwaukee's pension crisis.  

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Health

• Continued to lead the country in having lowest unsheltered homeless population per capita in 2024, reducing unsheltered homelessness by nearly 92% and saving taxpayers over $30 million; 
• Closed the outdated and obsolete Mental Health Complex and opened the first-of-its-kind in the nation Mental Health Emergency Center (MHEC) through an innovative public-private partnership with healthcare agencies, serving as a national model for community-based crisis care; 
• Worked with Wisconsin counties to secure landmark legislation and invested opioid settlement funds into a wide range of innovative projects, leading to a 30% decline in opioid overdose deaths compared to 2023; 
• Built the new Marcia P. Coggs Center, designed specifically to deliver health and human services and convert the former structure into affordable housing units and vital community resources; 
• Passed the Milwaukee County Climate Action Plan, leading to Milwaukee County reporting a 46% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; and became  
• First county in Wisconsin to be a member of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities. 

Economic Development

• Invested over $45 million to create over 1,000 affordable housing units in seven municipalities to address historic racial discrimination;  
• Led a catalytic initiative with private partners to develop 120 houses on previously vacant lots to increase homeownership for families in the King Park Neighborhood; 
• Generated almost $120 million in private investments and created nearly 3,000 jobs by continuing to leverage our real estate assets; 
• Enhanced Mitchell Airport’s status as a world class airport and economic driver by finalizing the development of the first international air cargo facility in the state and the construction of a new international concourse; and 
• Developed the state’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) all electric transit bus line, connecting more residents to jobs, enhancing transit access along the region’s most traveled corridor, and bolstering regional economic development. 

Public Safety

• Launched the process to replace the severely outdated and inefficient Public Safety Building in the Milwaukee County Courthouse Complex, the largest capital project and most significant investment in public safety in the county’s history; 
• Invested $80 million in the public safety continuum over the past five years; 
• Constructed the state-of-the-art Forensic Science and Protective Medicine Facility, the new home for the State Crime Facility, Medical Examiner’s Office, and Office of Emergency Management;  
• Published the Milwaukee County Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, which will significantly reduce serious vehicle-related injuries and fatalities; and 
• Implemented the Advance Peace & Credible Messengers initiatives to reduce violence among youth, resulting in 78% of participants having no new offenses while engaged in the programs.