Community groups call for Housing Authority leaders to step down following report from federal inspectors

MILWAUKEE — Community organizers are calling for the director and board at the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) to step down after a report from federal inspectors shows the agency is “at risk for serious fraud.”

TMJ4 spoke to an anonymous resident who has lived inside a building run by HACM for two years.

He says the organization rarely responds to tenants’ requests to fix issues in the building like broken elevators in his high rise, broken pipes in units, and unsecured doors to the building

“That’s unsafe, you know what I mean? For the tenants, for me and everybody else. It’s not fair,” the resident shared.

Since March, community organization Common Ground has been working with tenants in HACM buildings to demand change from the organization that oversees thousands.

“At this point, we’ve talked to over 1,500 residents and really listened to their stories and their concerns, and have been trying to work with them,” said Jennifer O’Hear, the Executive Director of Common Ground.

“We want all residents, and particularly HACM residents, to have the same rights that other residents have.”

Two reports from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) say the housing authority is “at risk for serious fraud, waste, and abuse.”

One 47-page report that was filed just before the new year states one sole employee was in charge of the bookkeeping for 36 million dollars worth of rent subsidies in 2021.

The report also states that tenant social security cards were “displayed openly on unattended desks.”

For context, HACM estimates that they offer housing assistance to more than 15,000 Milwaukeeans.

They oversee the Section 8 housing choice voucher program, which helps with rent for people who are low-income, elderly, or disabled.

Another HUD report filed in April says the agency’s bank statements and books were millions of dollars apart.

In a written statement HACM said the most recent issues denoted by HUD “primarily from technology upgrades, staffing challenges, and the COVID-19 impact” but have since taken steps to improve internal controls and staff training.

Common Ground, now asking for the agency’s leadership to step down.

“We really think that Willie Hines needs to go and his board needs to go,” said O’Hear.

On Monday the Common Council will vote on whether or not to authorize the Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) to oversee HACM.

Right now, residents living in HACM properties can’t call the city if there are any code violations because it’s not a city agency.

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