Some in Milw. trailer park receive notice to vacate immediately

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Residents of a Milwaukee trailer court say the city is tossing them out in the cold! They live in a trailer park near 27th and Howard.

Kitty Wuerl and Kathy King say they have until Monday, February 3rd to get all of their worldly possessions packed up and out of the trailer they've called home for the past six years.

"They came in here this past Friday and put stickers on a lot of the doors -- just about every trailer and said that they're -- we all have to move and we have to move right now," Kitty Wuerl said.

According to letters residents say they received from the city, Milwaukee took over ownership of the property in August, thanks to a tax foreclosure.

The letters also said the city will be investigating the trailers and residents may then be offered a lease with the city.

Residents say they got another letter from the city in January. This one said the city could terminate the temporary license at any time for things like human health, safety or welfare concerns.

Residents say since then, they and their neighbors have been told to get out.

"Monday, all hell's going to break loose. Monday, the locksmiths will be back and they're going to change all the locks on everybody's trailer," Wuerl said.

That leaves many of these residents scrambling to find a place to stay.

"I'm scared. I don't know where to go. I have no family. My mom just died, you know. Everybody's gone," Arlene Fritsch said.

Wuerl and King are in the same boat and want to know why this is happening in February.

"They couldn't wait until spring to do this? They got to do it now in the bitter cold?" Wuerl said.

Residents say they've been given no information about temporary housing or shelters.

The city of Milwaukee says only the homes with orange placards must leave immediately. The trailers didn't pass safety inspections due to sewage, water and electrical problems.