A Milwaukee activist group seeks an investigation into the city's housing authority over numerous issues at its properties

Common Ground announced a public campaign Sunday aimed at forcing the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) to adopt a number of reforms the activist group engineered in conjunction with residents.

During the event, held at Mount Mary University’s Bergstrom Hall, Common Ground said its organizers interviewed more than 1,000 residents at 17 properties owned by the agency. Those residents expressed many concerns, including issues with maintenance, security, management, pest control and accessibility for tenants with disabilities.

Executive Director Jennifer O’Hear was present at the meeting along with Jose Perez, the 12th district alderman and Milwaukee Common Council president.

Perez said Common Ground has his full support and he is committed to working with the common council to pass legislation that will solve the problems residents are seeing in their buildings.

"I'm supportive. I get these same reports in my district and I am committed to creating legislation that can help with the common council," said Perez.

Roye Logan, a representative from a group of residents living at Mitchell Court, also spoke at the event and said that the calls for an investigation mark the start of what many feel is a long overdue change in the way that HACM operates.

"This is just the beginning of it and we will not stop until we start to see significant reform," said Logan.

Here's what you need to know about the campaign:

Why are some residents calling for an investigation?

Tenants such as Logan have reported several issues with HACM properties, including, but not limited to:

• People loitering around buildings
• The presence of drug dealers and sex workers
• Non-residents sleeping in the hallway/stairwell
• The presence of hypodermic needles in the building
• Inability to move disabled people to more accommodating locations despite them being unable to fully access/use their kitchens
• Nurses, aides and other healthcare workers being unable to visit patients due to a policy requiring disabled people to accompany their guests
• Management parking their cars in such a way that blocks disabled people's access to the dumpsters
• Frivolous violations being leveled at tenants
• Failure to address mold beyond painting over it
• Cockroach, mice and bedbug infestations
• HVAC issues
• Failure to terminate the manager at the properties of Mitchell Court and Lincoln Court, due to resident complaints

What has HACM said about residents’ allegations?

In a statement sent to the Journal Sentinel this weekend, HACM addressed the issues of public safety, maintenance, disability access and the manager. According to HACM:

• The agency is committed to putting up cameras, hiring security personnel when funding is available and working with the Milwaukee Police Department to increase patrols around their buildings.
• HACM has directed staff to work with residents, ensure work orders are being submitted and use whatever funding is available for maintenance to address structural issues and pest control.
• HACM said its staff is expected to provide excellent customer service and while they take complaints seriously, personnel decisions are internally investigated and made.
• The agency said it values its residents with disabilities and has limited accessible units available in its portfolio. However, the agency said it makes all reasonable accommodations where warranted.

What happened before the announcement?

Common Ground is an activist group that works with churches, schools, businesses, neighborhood associations and others to advocate for systemic changes. 

The group first reached out to HACM, including HACM Executive Director William Hines and members of his staff, at a meeting in October 2022, where they expressed concerns about the manager. In December, the group asked him to fire the manager, which did not happen.

After Common Ground brought Hines a petition signed by dozens of residents across Mitchell Court and Lincoln Court seeking her removal in February, Hines still did not remove the manager.

Several residents alleged that she targeted them because they had signed the petition. In a statement, HACM told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that it does not tolerate retaliation against residents and would act if it had any information of such retaliation.

The group next asked Hines to conduct an independent investigation into HACM to address the failings reported by residents. According to them, he refused but agreed to attend a meeting to listen to residents.

Common Ground and residents agreed to meet with Hines if he avoided bringing specific HACM leaders residents said had intimidated them. According to the group, he brought them anyway and refused to attend the meeting without them. In a letter, Hines said he felt that he was not allowed to participate and should have been given notice the meeting would be recorded. Hines was invited to the Sunday event but did not attend.

What does the campaign hope to achieve?

Common Ground and residents have expressed the desire for a number of reforms. In the past, they asked Hines for a commitment to:

• Fire the manager
• Spend $75 million on maintenance
• Hire an outside pest control company to address the pest and rodent infestation at several properties
• Develop a new public safety plan
• Support the creation of a direct and independent oversight position of HACM

Now, Common Ground said it is seeking an independent investigation into the management of HACM, including its finances and handling of rent collection.

Talis Shelbourne is an investigative solutions reporter covering the issues of affordable housing and lead poisoning. Have a tip? You can reach Talis at (414) 403-6651 or tshelbourn@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @talisseer and message her on Facebook at @talisseer.