Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity
Pope Leo Villa Project houses under construction
Pope Leo Village houses under construction in Milwaukee's Harambee Neighborhood.
Picture a vacant lot on Milwaukee’s North Sixth Street in summer, the kind of block that's seen better days. Now picture that lot filled with teenagers in work gloves, retirees swinging hammers next to college students, and the homeowner’s family members helping frame their first future home.
That's the scene playing out in Milwaukee's Harambee neighborhood, where construction is beginning on seven new houses that will be built this year in that neighborhood.
The project is Pope Leo Village, a nod to the pontiff's devotion to the poor and his belief that faith means showing up for your neighbor. An anonymous donor ran with that idea, partnering with Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity to bring it to life here. This project is one piece of a larger interfaith movement now taking root in cities across the country.
But the real story is more than just blueprints. It's about who shows up to build. Church youth groups. School volunteers new to carpentry. Neighbors who remember what these blocks used to look like and want to see them thrive again. And at the center of it all are the families themselves, who are more than just recipients of a finished house. They are partners from the very first nail driven into a wall.
Before they ever turn a key, new homeowners will contribute hundreds of hours of their own labor, what Habitat calls “sweat equity,” and then pay it forward through an affordable mortgage, following a path thousands of Habitat families have taken before them.
By the time the last of the seven homes is finished in 2027, Pope Leo Village will have written its own small Milwaukee story that a house becomes a home through shared labor and DIY equity.
To find out more, I recently spoke with Kristi Sebald, Habitat for Humanity’s volunteer services & events manager, who is in charge of the Pope Leo Village project. With 30 years of experience in education, ministry and community, Sebald is a veteran in managing volunteers.
As the Volunteer Services & Events Manager at Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, what are your responsibilities?
I oversee three primary areas. One, our volunteers who help build our new homes and run our ReStores. On a yearly basis, we have about 3,000 volunteers who donate about 66,000 hours annually. Two, I plan our events and sponsorships for our annual gala, golf tournament, Women Build event, and smaller events. Three, I manage our faith partnerships, any organization or faith congregation that supports Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity.
What exactly is the Pope Leo Village initiative?
Pope Leo Village was launched by an anonymous donor about a year ago when Pope Leo was elected. The donor reached out to a number of Habitat for Humanity affiliates around the country. The Pope Leo Village initiative is designed to bring people of faith together, including the Catholic community to provide safe and affordable housing for families in need. This initiative is spanning 20 cities, representing over 250 brand new homes.
What about here in Milwaukee?
In Milwaukee, we are building seven homes within a two-block area in the Harambee area north of downtown. The first home in under construction. The next two will start next week. We hope to complete them all by the spring of 2027.
As I understand, you are the overseer of the Pope Leo Village project. What does your job entail?
My role is building the relationships and finding ways to engage members of the Catholic community. We have about 12 parishes, who might send out working volunteers or make a financial contribution to help match the major donor’s gift. We have congregations decorating 2x4’s that are part of the house structures. Other congregations are collecting Welcome Home gifts for the families when they move in. As for me, I’ve done information sessions at some of the parishes and also youth formation workshops with the kids. My role is coordinating all this support.
Are these parishes located all over the Milwaukee area?
Yes, all of Milwaukee County.
Describe a Pope Leo Village home. Are they all of similar design like the typical Habitat for Humanity home, namely a two-story row house with a clapboard siding, peaked roof, and a practical porch?
Yes, and that is a good description. We do have five or six floor plans depending on the lot. Typically, three-to-four bedroom homes of 1100 square feet with a full basement and including central air and the kitchen appliances. We landscape the yards and fence in the backyards.
How did you acquire the vacant lots?
These lots are typically owned by the city, and we buy them for $1 each.
Explain how the building process works, who builds each home and who ultimately owns each home.
We have a construction staff who is on site every day and we act as the general contractors. We contract all the foundation, roofing, and plumbing. Some of the construction tasks are handled by volunteers who help frame the walls, put up the siding and window installations. They might also do painting, flooring and cabinet installations.
How long does it take to build a house?
Nine months to a year. During that time, our family services department is qualifying the prospective buyer for financial approval. We coordinate mortgages with local lenders. That buyer will then put in sweat equity as their home is being built. In other words, the buyer helps build their own home.
How does a prospective applicant qualify to become a homeowner in the Pope Leo Village project?
Anyone who wants to be a Habitat homeowner should fill out the eligibility form on our website, milwaukeehabitat.org/homeownership. Our family services team will take them through the screening process, then the applicant would submit a full application, personal income and expenses. We look for low to middle income families. There is no down payment on our homes. Our goal is that the homebuyers mortgage payment is 30% or less of their overall income.
How does a person volunteer to work on the Pope Leo Village home building projects—or any of your projects?
You should go to our website and fill out the brief volunteer application form. We do a background check, and then you complete an orientation. Then you sign up each week for when you are able to volunteer. By the way, we have student volunteers from Catholic high schools around the county and students from Marquette University. We like to get young people involved.
For more information, contact milwaukeehabitat.org
