Public housing residents concerned over safety after homicides, break-ins, and trespassing
MILWAUKEE — A homicide, break-ins, and homeless people sleeping in the hallways. That's what some residents living in the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) said they're dealing with.
"I shouldn't have to live under no threats. I shouldn't have to live under no intimidation," Frederick Grace said.
Grace is one of several residents we talked to Tuesday at Locust Court, a HACM property. He's lived at Locust Court for more than a decade.
He and other neighbors said their concerns are endless.
"Someone came behind me at gunpoint and took my purse," resident, Tiara Murphy, said.
"I don't feel safe," resident Shavon Pope, echoed.
In the last year, these residents said they've seen a murder in their building, people trespassing constantly, car break-ins, and homeless people sleeping in their stairwells.
"It's traumatizing. It's very traumatizing. It's just, you don't feel safe," another resident, Felicia Shoates said.
Locust Court is one of the many HACM properties experiencing safety issues.
"On Sunday, we had 547 people come together and hear the stories of murders, and drug dealing, and people being sexually attacked in public housing," Kevin Solomon with Common Ground said. "All 500 people agreed to send a letter to Willie Hines."
We went with Solomon and the tenants to deliver that signed letter to HACM's director, Willie Hines.
Hines' assistant and communications director came out instead and told Solomon and the tenants that Hines was in the office, but unable to come down and speak with them.
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We sent an email asking for an interview with Hines and HACM's Public Safety Director, Marlon Davis. We still haven't heard back.
Data given to TMJ4 by Common Ground, from Milwaukee Police, shows Locust Court has had dozens of 911 calls since January 1, 2023. Several of those calls were for incidents like shootings, shots fired, battery, and armed robbery.
"So much violence has escapaded in this building since I been here. Inside, outside, no security guards," another resident, Vanessa Dodd, said.
The City of Milwaukee's website says for a property to qualify as a nuisance there must be a minimum of three phone calls for service in a 30-day period or two vice, violence, or gang complaints in a year. The city claims nuisance activities include loud music, loitering, illegal drug activity, harassment, and more.
Locust Court has had at least 187 calls to 911 this year alone, dozens of those considered violent crimes.
"The city, they're private landlords. They should be held to the same standard as regular landlords. There shouldn't be a special rule for them 'cause they the city," Dodd explained.