Residents speak out about living conditions in City of Milwaukee Housing Authority properties

Residents team up with local organization Common Ground to call for change. CLICK HERE TO WATCH WISN12 VIDEO

Emily Pofahl - WISN12 11/13/2023

More than 500 tenants living in properties managed by the City of Milwaukee's Housing Authority (HACM) met at Mount Mary University Sunday for a meeting calling for better living conditions in HACM properties.

Sunday's meeting focused on crime and public safety.

"About two weeks ago one of the trespassers was walking in the hallway with a needle hanging out of his arm," said Betty Newton, who lives at Becher Court. "We have another one, a female, who constantly urinates and defecates in our doorway."

"We've got people shooting constantly in the neighborhood," said Roye "Chris" Logan. "We've got bullet holes going through our entrance way."

Logan sent WISN 12 News pictures of her home at Mitchell Court. The pictures show a mouse, broken floors and bed bugs.

According to its website, the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee manages 22 housing developments and 371 scattered site homes around the city.

The housing authority manages subsidized and affordable housing. Many residents are elderly or disabled.

For months - residents have worked with Common Ground, a non-partisan coalition of business, faith groups, and other community organizations. The group is fighting for better maintenance and more accountability from HACM Secretary Executive Director Willie Hines.

"In the last couple of weeks, HACM and Hines have been reacting to the pressure of our organizing," said Pastor Willie Davis, from Invisible Reality Ministries.

Common Ground leaders say the housing authority has hired security guards for some of their properties, including College Court and Locust Court.

Common ground leaders say they invited HACM officials to the meeting Sunday, but Hines declined to attend.

"We issued a public statement asking for Willie Hines and HACM leadership to be replaced," Davis said at the meeting Sunday.

HACM officials were not available for an interview Sunday, but sent WISN 12 News a statement:

Our residents' safety and well-being is our top priority. HACM strongly condemns all illegal activity and takes aggressive action to eliminate criminal behavior when it occurs within and around our properties. Led by its Public Safety team, HACM works in close partnership with law enforcement agencies, our residents, community partners, and the court system to resolve safety issues. We are committed to implementing proactive safety measures and swiftly addressing safety concerns when they occur to foster living environments that support a good quality of life.

For more information about HACM’s public safety efforts, please visit HACM Public Safety.