The Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee met on September 15, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Room 301-B of City Hall. The committee considered 13 agenda items, including an appointment to the Housing Authority, a rental property inspection pilot program, zoning amendments, a tax incremental district, and compliance reports. All items were approved or recommended for adoption, many unanimously.
Item 1: Appointment of Ayanna Ellzey to the Housing Authority – Ayanna Ellzey, a Milwaukee native and litigation attorney at MWH Law Group, was nominated. She discussed her previous work at the Housing Authority and her vision for implementing stable systems. Committee members praised her legal and community perspective. Recommended confirmation.
Items 2 & 3: Rental Property Inspection Program District and Ordinance – Commissioner Hesamila Royovega (Department of Neighborhood Services) and Deputy Commissioner Mike Desmanian presented a 5-year pilot program for a district in the 15th Aldermanic District, roughly bounded by West Center Street, North Avenue, North Sherman Boulevard, and North 50th Street. The pilot covers approximately 200 eligible one- and two-family rental properties (399 units). The program includes proactive inspections for habitability issues, with compliant properties receiving a five-year exemption and violators facing reinspection fees (up to $300 maximum). Alderman Stamper noted that 58% of eligible properties received at least one complaint between 2023 and 2025, with complaints increasing from 106 (2023) to 214 (2025)—a 100% increase. The program will involve community partnerships (e.g., Sherman Park Community Association) and tenant resource information. Approved.
Item 4: Climate and Equity Plan Update – Eric Schambarger (Environmental Collaboration Office) presented a technical amendment to update the Climate and Equity Plan, adding a disclaimer of compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and affirming equal opportunity employment. No substantive changes. Approved.
Item 5: Metcalfe Park Liberation Hub Zoning Change – Tony Fonseca (Department of City Development) presented a zoning change from Two-Family Residential (RT3) to Neighborhood Shopping (NS2) for 2600-2606 North 38th Street. Anthony Casey (KG Development) and Will Manley (architect) outlined plans for phase one (cafe, bookstore, soup kitchen, two affordable housing units) and phase two (commercial kitchen, office, laundromat, patio). Total project cost estimated at $2 million ($800,000 phase one, $1.2 million phase two). The site was purchased privately. Approved.
Item 6: Transfer of Funds for Zoning Analysis – A resolution authorizing $30,000 from the Capital Improvements-Advance Planning Fund to support technical review and engagement for zoning code updates to facilitate new housing development. Approved.
Item 7: Sale of City-Owned Tax Deed Property – Dwayne Edwards (DCD) presented the sale of 2872 South 8th Street to Enrique Murgua. Murgua plans to operate his screen printing business (Monwaukey-Oats) and a barber shop on the first floor, with his residence upstairs. The property is vacant. Approved.
Item 8: Tax Incremental District No. 137 (310W East Tower) – Seth Coston and Brad Gordon (Time Equities) presented a plan to convert the East Tower of 310 West Wisconsin Avenue into 220 apartments. The developer has invested $30 million since 2008 in office improvements, but COVID made office leasing unviable. The project includes 50 workforce housing units (at 70-90% AMI) with estimated rents of $2.70 per square foot. The TID includes clawback and cost-saving provisions. Approved.
Item 9: Maintenance Agreement with Business Improvement District No. 21 – Dan Casanova (DCD) presented an agreement for maintenance (landscaping, litter removal, snow) of Vel R. Phillips Plaza at $32,000 per year, funded by vendor rent. The agreement covers the remainder of 2026 and three additional years. Approved.
Items 10-13: Quarterly Human Resource Requirements Reports – Mary Reed (Department of Compliance and Engagement) and inclusion consultants reported on four projects.
To the housing authority where the mayor. Morning. Morning. Good morning. Good morning. Okay, so introduce yourself and tell us why you want to be on the housing authority board. Okay. Hello, my name is Ayana LZ. I'm a Milwaukee native. I am a product of Gold of My Year School and Rufus King International Baccalaureate School. After that, I went to Zavan University of Louisiana, where I got a BA in history with a double minor in philosophy and theology. And I graduated in my living room in May 2020 because I'm a COVID grad. And when I came back, I was lost and despondent and unsure of what I wanted to do, but I remembered all of the amazing summers that I had had working at the Housing Authority, working at Hillside, working at Locust Court, and I went back to the housing authority. And I always love being able to interact with the residents and feel like I could pour into my community even in a small way of sitting at a front desk. And now having graduated from Howard University School of Law, I know that I can use the education that I got there to implement and continue to help the board in the strides that they've made to concretize stability within the housing authority. You have a day job, is that correct? Yes. I am a litigator, general litigation, um also employment litigation, mostly employment litigation. I'm a defense attorney. With a firm? Yes, I work with MWH Law Group. I'm right up the street on Water Street, but we'll be moving soon, so look out for us. Okay, very good. I mean, I I I assume you're aware that the housing authority has had some challenges over the last uh five, six, seven years. Absolutely. Yes. Well, what's your thoughts on those challenges? I mean, what do you think the cause is? What do you think the pathway out of those challenges are? Um obviously when you have a system that serves as many people as the housing authority, and there are so many different cogs that come into place before it matriculates down to the residents. There will be issues and there can be issues, and it leaves much more room for error than something that could be something simple. So while it's easy to pass judgment from the outside, I can understand how things fell by the wayside. However, what I think is really amazing is that in just the past two years, the current Board of Commissioners has made such amazing strides to turn over the housing authority and bring it into the future and hopefully continue the stability. Any questions of committee? Yeah, I yes, uh I'm happy to support this uh appointment. Ms. Elzy, I'll think she'll do an outstanding job, bring a legal perspective and a community perspective to it. Uh Ms. Elzy, what would you like to what would be your vision for the housing authority? Well, specifically for the Board of Commissioners, what I hope to be able to do is help us implement systems, by laws, rules that can create stability such that no matter who joins the commission at any time, they can pick up the mantle and continue the work that will allow us to continue to pour into the residents of our city. Excellent, excellent. So uh I'm very happy with this choice. All right, and at the appropriate time, I'd like to move for approval. Any other comments of the committee? Mr. Members? Good morning, Alderman here. Oh glad I made it. Um thank you so much, Mr. Chair.