Department of City Development.
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 308-1
in effect308-1. Department of City Development.
1. CREATED. There is created a department of city development which shall have the same status and standing as any other city department.
2. FUNCTIONS, POWERS AND DUTIES. The department of city development shall have the following authority, functions and responsibilities:
a. To develop comprehensive plans and programs designed to promote the overall development of the city.
b. To provide assistance and programs to further the economic development of the city.
c. To create and manage adequate public housing to meet the needs of the city's residents.
d. To actively manage and promote the conservation and redevelopment of property in the city, and other activities or projects related to community development.
e. To coordinate the use of land and recommend changes in land use patterns.
f. To provide real estate, relocation and other services to other city departments and agencies.
g. To administer city youth initiative services.
h. To perform such other duties and functions as are assigned to the department or the commissioner elsewhere in this code.
i. To contract with various departments and agencies for the performance of duties and responsibilities relating to the powers provided for in this section. The powers herein provided for shall be exercised subject to the approval of the common council or the housing authority, or the redevelopment authority, or the city plan commission, as the case may be.
j. To provide assistance related to housing activities that encourage reinvestment in residential property as part of an overall neighborhood economic stabilization strategy.
k. To attend to the operation, maintenance and repair of improvements upon land acquired by tax deed by the city in order that the premises may be rented and kept rented until sold, otherwise disposed of or appropriated.
3. COMMISSIONER. a. Authority. The department of city development shall be under the supervision and direction of a commissioner who shall be known as the commissioner of city development. He shall be paid a salary as the common council shall by ordinance determine.
c. Jurisdiction. c-1. The commissioner of the department of city development shall have supervision, control and direction over all matters related to community development, city planning, urban renewal and real estate (except demolition and vacant lot maintenance).
c-2. The commissioner shall have such powers and duties with respect to redevelopment and public housing as from time to time may be delegated to him or her by either the common council, redevelopment authority, housing authority or city plan commission, as the case may be.
c-3. The commissioner of the department of city development is authorized to issue parking citations to illegally parked motor vehicles. Pursuant to sub. 6-b, the commissioner may designate special deputies within the department, including employes of the housing authority of the city of Milwaukee, to issue the citations to illegally parked motor vehicles on property under the ownership and control of the housing authority of the city of Milwaukee.
d. To Act as Executive Director. Said commissioner of city development shall serve as the executive director of the redevelopment authority of the city of Milwaukee, executive director of the housing authority of the city of Milwaukee, and the executive secretary of the city plan commission of the city of Milwaukee, subject to the approval of the aforesaid agencies.
e. State Compliance. Nothing contained in this section shall be considered to mean that the position of executive director of the redevelopment authority, the position of executive director of the housing authority, or the position of executive secretary of the city plan commission, are transferred to the department of city development. The duties and responsibilities set forth by either the statutes or by other ordinances shall not be affected by any transfer provided for in this section.
6. ORGANIZATION. a. Departmental Divisions. The commissioner of the department of city development shall be empowered to establish divisions and sections within the department and shall make such assignments of personnel under his or her supervision and direction as he or she shall deem appropriate. Assignments may include designations of supervisory personnel for each of the divisions within the department, subject, however, to the provisions of the positions ordinance. In doing so, the commissioner shall cooperate with and receive the assistance of the department of employe relations.
b. Special Deputies and Their Authority. The commissioner of city development may from time to time appoint and designate competent persons within the department of city development to act for and in his stead in specified matters, as special deputy commissioner of city development without additional compensation. Such appointments shall be in writing and copies thereof filed with the city clerk and city comptroller setting forth the specific acts each such deputy is authorized to perform in the name of the commissioner. Such authority may be revoked or amended in the same manner. Within the scope of their specified authority, such deputies may perform any and all acts required by law of the commissioner. The commissioner shall be responsible for all acts of such deputies and may require that additional bonds be furnished to assure their faithful performance thereof.
7. ANNUAL BUDGET AND OPERATIONS. An annual budget shall be established for the department of city development. The commissioner is authorized to execute all vouchers, requisitions, transfers or other documents required in the performance of his duties and in carrying out the function of his department. The commissioner is also authorized to designate in writing and to delegate to appropriate staff the execution of all the above mentioned operations.
8. CITY SERVICE RULES. The personnel of the department of city development shall be selected, appointed and shall serve under the provisions of city service rules and procedures.
9. BENEFITS RETAINED. All employes of the city plan commission, housing authority and redevelopment authority who were transferred to the department of city development shall in all respects retain their civil service status, their pension rights and all other privileges and prerogatives which they possessed as employes at the time of transfer.
10. ANNUAL REPORT REQUIRED. The commissioner of the department of city development shall keep a record of all his acts and doings, which at all times shall be open to the inspection of the common council, any member thereof, or of any committee appointed by said council. He shall make a detailed annual report of the acts and doings of the department of city development to the common council, and oftener when required by the common council.
11. EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY; CAPITAL ACCOUNTS. Neither the department of city development nor any employe of the department may expend $100,000 or more from any department of city development-administered capital improvement account, other than an account for tax incremental district financing, for a single project or a single property without common council approval. As provided in s. 304-31.5-4, in the case of an expenditure of this magnitude from the housing infrastructure preservation fund, the approval of the special joint committee on the redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed homes established by common council file number 080644 shall also be required.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-3/Master-V3.pdf#page=81Fetched: 10/26/2026