Milwaukee park-and-ride fight; homeless encampments persist
MILWAUKEE - A large fight broke out at a Milwaukee County park-and-ride lot on Saturday, and the people involved weren't supposed to be there at all.
A Wisconsin Department of Transportation camera captured Saturday's fight among people living at the College Avenue lot. The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office responded; no one was arrested.
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State law
Earlier this year, the state said people who camp at park-and-ride lots were breaking the law. There was a hard deadline of May 16 for people to leave, and those who did not comply had their vehicles towed in June. Still, the county said the problem is ongoing.
"The problem is once they move some people out, people come in," said Steven Shea, the District 8 county supervisor.
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From tossing tents to towing trucks, crews cleared out two Milwaukee park-and-ride lots where homeless encampments popped up.
Shea said the county has found housing for 15 people, but as rent prices continue to rise, so too does the number of people experiencing homelessness.
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"More and more people are finding themselves priced out of the rental," said Shea.
The county supervisor said agencies will continue to monitor the park-and-ride lots. There is a plan to put up signs to warn people they will be towed.
Increased need
James West sees the need for shelter first hand. He is the executive director of Repairers of the Breach, a nonprofit homeless resource center.
"It gets crowded, it gets stressful, it’s not great living conditions," West said in regard to the fight.
While the people involved in the park-and-ride fight are not supposed to be living there, West said there are some people who don't want to go into shelters.
College Avenue park-and-ride lot encampments (Aug. 28, 2024)
"Our lunch numbers are climbing, you know, 30% higher than normal," said West.
West told FOX6 people have not bounced back since the COVID-19 pandemic. After Saturday's fight, he hopes things do not get worse.
"Hope is lost, and that's a big thing," he said. "Any human being that does not handle that with the right outlet could lose it."