Milwaukee County’s goal is to enrich your life by providing essential services that meet your needs and those of your family, neighbors, co-workers and friends.
We enhance the quality of life in Milwaukee County through great public service.
Milwaukee County is home to over 950,000 people living in one of 19 communities, which range in size from the City of Milwaukee, with 595,000 residents, to the Village of River Hills, with roughly 1,600 residents.
Still a manufacturing stronghold, the region features 16 Fortune 1000 companies and thousands of others in the financial services, medical device, hospitality and retailing industries.
Find information about things to do and happenings in Milwaukee County.
We provide housing...first.
The Milwaukee County Housing First philosophy provides housing to those most in need without pre-condition. This is because, we have found, the most vulnerable in our community can only solve one life-changing problem at a time. When you are living outside, without a roof over your head or knowing where your next meal will come from, that instantly becomes your most important problem.
Demanding the chronically homeless demonstrate sobriety, a clean bill of mental health, employment or anything else is, from what we have seen, putting the cart before the horse.
However, when you remove that housing problem, suddenly the next problem facing that individual becomes "most important," whether it be starting the road to recovery from undiagnosed mental health problems or substance abuse.
Moreover, Milwaukee County Housing First saves a lot of money.
In Milwaukee County, we've discovered a powerful truth: no community is incapable of eradicating homelessness. The challenge lies in the disjointed nature of institutions—law enforcement, the judicial system, healthcare—falling short of synchronizing efforts. Yet, Milwaukee provides inspiration. Through unified community collaboration and systemic integration, they've drastically reduced homelessness. Witness the transformative impact of cooperation in action.
Rates of homelessness remained stagnant for a decade before Milwaukee County implemented Housing First policy at the end of 2015.
46.3%
Overall homeless population reduced by 46.3% in 5 years
91.8%
Unsheltered, street homelessness reduced by 91.8% in 5 years
65%
Sheltered chronic homelessness reduced by 65% as of 2023
Since implementing Housing First policy in late 2015, Milwaukee County has become a national leader in ending homelessness, being recognized as the Lowest per capita Unsheltered Population in the Nation Twice - And Second Lowest Twice.
These accomplishments were achieved through meaningful partnerships with local governments, non-profits, and the private sector. The strategy focuses on increasing access to permanent housing for homeless residents, connecting each participant with services including primary medical care, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, and job training.
Due to a variety of factors, communities across the country have seen their homelessness rates increase over the past year. While Milwaukee County Housing First has encountered this national trend, it continues to be one of the most successful communities in the country and recognized a best practice leader.
Milwaukee County Housing First benefits essential public safety services as it reduces further strain on already overburdened resources such as EMS and police response units, jails, and courtroom proceedings.
Dozens of organizations and private individuals have partnered with us in this effort. Milwaukeeans have shown so much energy and generosity that we couldn't possibly list everyone who makes this work possible. Some donors and volunteers hope to remain anonymous. But we offer the deepest thanks to everyone.
by: Ryan Jenkins, TMJ4 News
According to the data, shared with TMJ4 News by Impact 211, the number of families living unsheltered has increased 14.3% year-over-year from 2022 to 2023. Nationwide, homelessness has risen 17.1%.
1/5
by: NewsNation
Milwaukee County takes holistic approach to tacking homelessness issues.
2/5
How Milwaukee County is investing millions of dollars into getting people out of homeless shelters and into permanent housing.
3/5
by: Jason Calvi and FOX6 News Digital Team
Three Milwaukee park-and-ride lots have become homeless camps. The state originally gave an ultimatum to those who were there to get out.
4/5
Photo by: Lee Matz, Milwaukee Independent
In 2022, Milwaukee was recognized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with the lowest unsheltered homeless population of any community per capita in the nation.
5/5