Milwaukee, WI
Common Ground: Milwaukee Housing Authority overcharging renters
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee nonprofit Common Ground says the Housing Authority is overcharging some of the city’s lowest-income renters.
Despite its name, the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) operates on its own.
Some renters accuse the agency of stealing what little money they have. A spokeswoman for the HACM said they’re addressing the issue.
Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee
With her money orders in hand, Lavette Bell said she’s frustrated because her rent ledger at College Court shows her landlord is charging her late fees despite the fact that she’s paid her rent on time.
“It’s overwhelming,” said Bell. “Very overwhelming.”
HACM set her rent at $50 a month because she has no income. The late fee is $30.
Bell received an eviction notice on top of her outstanding balance.
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“While your worries are building, they’re doing nothing, so that’s why I need to get this handled,” said Bell.
She said her questions to management have gone unanswered, which is part of the reason why Common Ground launched a campaign in March 2022, calling for accountability at HACM.
Common Ground accuses the authority of using eviction notices as intimidation and overcharging tenants without helping them fix the problem.
“We’re concerned because they’re preying on people who are on the margins in our society,” said Kevin Solomon, Common Ground.
“We serve over 15,000 residents in the city of Milwaukee, and we take all of their concerns very seriously,” said Amy Hall, HACM.
Hall said a software change in 2019 caused an issue with renters’ accounts. She said Wednesday, Aug. 30 that they’re still working on it while insisting any renter with evidence of wrongdoing should come forward.
“We are aware of issues, and we’ve addressed many of them,” said Hall.
Common Ground’s goal is to give the city the power to oversee the housing authority. They said the Common Council’s Steering and Rules Committee plans to look into that during a September hearing.
