Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee living has become unaffordable for too many people | Opinion

Published

4 weeks ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Milwaukee living has become unaffordable for too many people | Opinion

In the first half of 20th Century, Socialists helped make Milwaukess an affordable, comfortable, well-governed place. Now, there’s been a fundamental change to the character of this city.

Ryan Clancy
| Special to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Milwaukee is facing a housing affordability crisis, with some estimates suggesting a household needs $134,000 to live comfortably.
Median rent in the city has increased by 28% between 2020 and 2024, significantly impacting renters.
The author advocates for expanding the “Right to Counsel” program, which provides attorneys for people facing eviction.
Proposed solutions include banning discrimination against Section 8 voucher recipients and establishing stronger tenant protections.

Life in Milwaukee is unaffordable for too many people, and it’s getting worse. We’re a city that used to be an affordable, comfortable, well-governed place to live. Socialists helped make it that way in the first half of the 20th century through deep, sustainable investments in public infrastructure and public programs. Neoliberalism, though, has undone much of the strength of our world class city.

Now, after multiple recessions, decades of defunding infrastructure and services at the state, county and city levels, and now with an economy thrown into chaos by President Trump, Milwaukee has become one of the twenty most expensive cities in the country. By some estimates, a household now needs at least $134,000 in income to live comfortably here.

That’s a fundamental change to the character of this city, one that deeply worries me — as both a Milwaukeean and a legislator representing much of our city.

Change in city’s character hitting renters hard

This is hitting renters hard: between the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2024, Milwaukee’s median rent went up a staggering 28%. And this didn’t happen accidentally. We have a system that’s been made to work very well for landlords and real estate interests, who’ve made rent control and habitability inspections effectively impossible here. Unsurprisingly, that means rents are going up while housing quality goes down. It’s difficult to be a tenant in Wisconsin.

Housing isn’t like most other things we buy and budget for. People invest emotionally in the places they live and the people they live alongside. Homeowners build equity too while getting predictable housing costs, at least under most mortgages. But an East Side apartment that used to cost $1200/mo is not replaceable by a house in Oconomowoc that costs the same – very different people prefer one to the other, and we shouldn’t pretend otherwise.

We must keep this top of mind while making housing policy. Most people don’t want to leave their neighborhoods, especially the close-knit ones in our district. They want to stay where they’ve already put down roots, whether as a homeowner or a renter. When a family leaves, it’s too often because they can no longer afford to live here. That’s a problem that can’t be solved by zoning changes alone – it’s not a bad thing if some communities want to allow more back cottages and even duplexes and triplexes, but that simply isn’t enough, and isn’t a viable solution for many neighborhoods.

We can do much more to keep Milwaukeeans in their homes.

A Right to Counsel — providing attorneys for people facing eviction – is a proven way to do that: I led the successful effort to make it law in Milwaukee County back in 2021, and it’s since kept thousands of people in their homes, given them extra time to seek rent assistance, and sealed misleading eviction records to help renters keep renting. Expanding Right to Counsel statewide is a core part of our tenant protection package, but securing permanent funding for the existing program here in Milwaukee is critical.

Since its creation, Milwaukee’s executive leadership has attempted to defund the program – which has thankfully been saved by votes by the Common Council and Milwaukee County Board. This is despite the clearly positive results for tenants and landlords alike, and despite every dollar spent on the program saving us $4.66 in other costs. A statewide, well-funded program can build on and sustain that legacy, ensuring that Milwaukee residents — and folks across the state — will benefit from the stability that Right to Counsel creates.

Ban discrimination against Section 8 voucher recipients

We’re also proposing to ban discrimination against Section 8 voucher recipients, to establish stronger protections for tenants organizing for better living conditions, to lift arbitrary restrictions on inspections for lead and for other profound habitability issues, and to enact other key protections that blunt the worst practices of small and big landlords alike.

These protections are urgent and necessary because real estate interests and landlords are aggressively fighting to make things harder for tenants. Just before the end of the session, they pushed AB 202, a bill that would undermine some of the very few protections for tenants in Wisconsin law. Very few of my colleagues who are landlords recused themselves – that’s an obvious conflict of interest, but it’s the norm in a legislature where tenants’ needs come last.

The underlying problem in our housing system is a deep dependence on capital, not democracy, to choose where and when we build new housing. When the federal government raises interest rates, it makes both private and public housing funding more expensive, so developers build less. When rent forecasts go down, developers build less — putting the lie to the notion that private housing builders and landlords are somehow at odds.

Our long term goal must be housing as a human right. That means social housing or public housing for people who want them, but also transparency and accountability for private landlords, an end to exploitative, uncapped rent extraction, and an effective ban on low quality housing. In the meantime, better protecting tenants will help all of us.

Rep. Ryan Clancy represents the 19th District in the Wisconsin Assembly. He is also a former Milwaukee County Supervisor.

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Milwaukee, WI

Series Preview: Milwaukee Brewers @ Kansas City Royals

Published

9 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Press Room

Series Preview: Milwaukee Brewers @ Kansas City Royals

The Milwaukee Brewers, coming off a strong 5-1 homestand featuring a sweep of the White Sox and a series win over the Rays, will look to continue their momentum on the road against the Kansas City Royals. The Royals have also gotten off to a solid start, as they’re 3-2 entering Thursday’s series finale against the Twins.

The Brewers are still without a few key players, as Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio are both out for a few weeks with hand injuries. Quinn Priester (May), Rob Zastryzny (on rehab assignment), and Craig Yoho (mid-April) are also on the IL, while outfielders Steward Berroa and Akil Baddoo will likely be sent to Triple-A whenever they’re ready to return (Berroa in April, Baddoo in June).

Kansas City is without closer Carlos Estévez, who suffered a left foot contusion on a comebacker in the ninth inning last weekend. Infielder Michael Massey is also out with a calf strain, while pitchers Stephen Kolek, James McArthur, and Alec Marsh are also shelved (Marsh likely for the season).

Through two series, the Brewer offense is led by Brice Turang’s nine hits, while Jake Bauers and Gary Sánchez have each slugged a pair of homers to lead the team. Sánchez, despite playing in only three games (six at-bats) is hitting .500/.625/1.500 with those two homers and a pair of walks. Turang has added a homer and a team-best four doubles, and David Hamilton leads the team with four steals. Christian Yelich and William Contreras are the other key contributors, while Sal Frelick has gotten off to a slow start. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .279/.378/.448 (.826 OPS ranks third in MLB) with eight homers (tied for fifth), 45 runs scored (tied for first), and 15 steals (first).

Kyle Isbel leads Kansas City’s offense with two homers thus far, as he’s hitting .571 on the season with a team-best eight hits in 14 at-bats. Maikel Garcia is hitting .313/.429/.375 with five hits, while Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone have also added five hits apiece. Salvador Perez is still a threat offensively, and the Royals also feature former Brewer Isaac Collins, Jonathan India, Carter Jensen, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Lane Thomas. As a team, the Royals are hitting .244/.319/.400 (.719 OPS ranks ninth) with six homers (tied for 14th), 22 runs scored (tied for 22nd), and six steals (fifth).

Grant Anderson and Aaron Ashby lead the Brewer bullpen with four appearances each. Anderson hasn’t allowed a run and has struck out six over five frames, while Ashby has allowed one run (a solo homer) and struck out nine over 5 2/3 innings. DL Hall, former Royal Ángel Zerpa, Jared Koenig, and Abner Uribe have also held opponents scoreless, while Trevor Megill and Jake Woodford have the only other blemishes for this bullpen with one run allowed each. As a staff, the Brewers have a 2.83 team ERA (tied for fourth), including a 4.45 starter ERA (21st) and a 1.05 reliever ERA (second). They’ve struck out 76 batters (tied for third) over 54 innings.

Lucas Erceg is one of the few bright spots in Kansas City’s bullpen so far, with three scoreless outings spanning 2 2/3 innings with a pair of saves. Former Brewer Nick Mears, Matt Strahm, and Steven Cruz are the only other relievers to not allow a run, totaling just 4 1/3 innings between them. Bailey Falter (five runs in 3 1/3 innings), Alex Lange (two runs in 1 1/3 innings), Daniel Lynch (three runs, but only one earned, in two innings), and John Schreiber (one run in two innings) have all had a rough go of it early in the season, though Schreiber does have the team’s other save. As a staff, the Royals have a 4.36 team ERA (23rd), including a 1.98 starter ERA (third) and an 8.44 reliever ERA (28th). They’ve struck out 40 batters (27th) over 43 1/3 innings.

Friday, April 3 @ 6:45 p.m.: RHP Chad Patrick (0-0, 2.08 ERA, 5.02 FIP) vs. RHP Michael Wacha (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.34 FIP)

Patrick had a pretty meh start of the season, throwing 4 1/3 innings in Saturday night’s win over the White Sox. He allowed just one run but gave up five hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Patrick made his first MLB start against the Royals almost exactly one year ago, on April 1, when he allowed no runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.

Wacha, 34, is in his 14th MLB season with his sixth MLB team. This is his third year with the Royals, who he has a 3.54 ERA and 3.61 FIP over 61 starts with. In his season debut last weekend, he went six scoreless frames against the Braves, allowing three hits and a walk with seven strikeouts on just 80 pitches. A familiar opponent for Milwaukee, Wacha has faced the Crew 17 times (16 starts), with a 4.16 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 84 1/3 innings. This is his first start against Milwaukee since 2023, when he was with the Padres.

Saturday, April 4 @ 3:10 p.m.: RHP Brandon Sproat (0-0, 21.00 ERA, 18.17 FIP) vs. RHP Seth Lugo (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2.22 FIP)

Sproat got off to a rough start in his Brewer debut on Sunday, as he allowed seven runs on six hits (including three homers) and four walks with three strikeouts over just three innings. Luckily, Milwaukee’s offense bailed him out to deliver a late comeback win. This will mark his first career start against Kansas City.

Lugo, 36, also had a scoreless start against the Braves last weekend, though he has a win to show for it. The 6’4” righty went 6 1/3 innings in that one, allowing five hits and no walks with three strikeouts. The AL Cy Young runner-up in 2024, Lugo has made 10 appearances (two starts) against Milwaukee, with a 2.31 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 23 1/3 innings, including 6 2/3 innings with three runs allowed (two earned) and five strikeouts while with the Royals in 2024.

Sunday, April 5 @ 1:10 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (0-0, 1.80 ERA, 3.17 FIP) vs. LHP Kris Bubic (1-0, 1.50 ERA, 5.50 FIP)

Unlike Sproat, Harrison had a solid Brewer debut on Monday night against the Rays, despite the fact that Milwaukee lost that one. He allowed just one run (a leadoff homer by Yandy Díaz) on four hits and a walk while striking out eight. His lone appearance against Kansas City came last year while with the Giants, a relief outing that spanned 1 1/3 innings with one run allowed and a pair of strikeouts.

Bubic, 28, is in his seventh MLB season, all with the Royals. An All-Star last year, he got off to a solid start once again this season, allowing one run on a pair of hits and three walks while striking out four against the Twins on Monday. He’s made three career starts against Milwaukee, allowing no earned runs (one earned) over 17 1/3 innings with 19 strikeouts, including six shutout frames with eight strikeouts in a win last season.

Friday, April 3: Exclusively on Apple TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Saturday, April 4: Brewers TV, nationally on FS1; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Sunday, April 5: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

This is a tough battle, with Milwaukee’s younger arms going up against three veterans for Kansas City. The Royals are a pretty evenly matched team on paper, so I’ll give them the edge at home and say K.C. wins two of three this weekend.

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee weekend standoff began as family dispute, search warrant says

Published

21 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Press Room

Milwaukee weekend standoff began as family dispute, search warrant says

MILWAUKEE – An all-day standoff on Milwaukee’s north side Saturday, March 28, began as a family argument and ended without injuries, according to a search warrant.

What we know:

Officers responded to a home near 68th and Brentwood after a family member reported a 33-year-old man had threatened to kill relatives. Police used an armored vehicle while negotiating with the suspect, who remained inside the home overnight.

Police eventually used tear gas and pepper spray to arrest the suspect, per the search warrant.

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According to the search warrant, the dispute began after family members accused the suspect of “stealing some pots and pans from the kitchen.” A witness told police they saw the suspect walking around the house with a rifle and a handgun in his waistband.

Police say the suspect also called his brother and said, “We are all dying today,” according to the warrant.

Dig deeper:

Authorities said the suspect shot down a police drone during the standoff. Officers later found 10 guns inside the home. Police say the suspect is a convicted felon and should not have possessed firearms.

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FOX6 is not naming him because prosecutors have not formally charged him.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office said charges are pending.

The Source: FOX6 News obtained the search warrant utilized in this report.

Crime and Public SafetyMilwaukeeNews

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Milwaukee, WI

Weezer coming to Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee for ‘Gathering’ tour

Published

1 day ago

April 1, 2026

Press Room

Weezer coming to Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee for ‘Gathering’ tour

After kicking off a Summerfest show in the American Family Insurance Amphitheater in 2021 with Fall Out Boy and Green Day, Weezer is coming back to Milwaukee to headline Fiserv Forum.

Rivers Cuomo and company will be at the Bucks’ arena Oct. 7 for “The Gathering Tour” with The Shins and Silversun Pickups opening.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. April 3 at ticketmaster.com, with the presale underway.

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