Week before eviction deadline, 40-50 homeless remain in Milwaukee's 'Tent City'



MILWAUKEE -- As of Thursday, Oct. 24, 50 people had been moved out of the so-called "Tent City" near 6th Street and Clybourn Street under I-794, with county officials indicating another 40 to 50 were still in need of permanent housing with an Oct. 31 deadline for everyone to be out. State officials ordered them out because state statute says camping on highways is unlawful.

This important cause had those at Third Space Brewing pouring some pints Thursday to help out -- a place meant to serve as a home away from home and work.





Andy Gehl



"But you can't have that unless you have your first space, your home," said Andy Gehl, co-founder. "So it's really important to us to help people find that, and also, these are members of our community. Homelessness was a really important issue to the people that worked here, and youth development initiatives, that's the other. There's two pieces to the programs that we're going to be working with."

Once a month, the brewery's "Give 20" charitable arm will lend a hand to organizations that work in those areas, with 20% of beer sales going towards Milwaukee County's Housing First initiative.

James Mathy



"When folks move into housing, they're going to need a lot of help to get started," said James Mathy, Milwaukee County Housing Division.

County officials said the fundraising efforts would help purchase startup housing kids to help Tent City residents.

"If you don't have a place to rest your head, if you don't have the foundation of housing, you can't work on all those other issues," said Mathy.

County officials said Thursday housing was lined up for the approximately 40 people remaining in Tent City -- temporary housing initially, and then permanent housing, with a plan to move them in during the last week of October.