Milwaukee public housing residents; nonprofit helping renters

Nonprofit helping Milwaukee renters

Since March, Common Ground has campaigned for reform within the HACM. Its efforts are bringing more oversight for complaints starting next year.

MILWAUKEE - Some Milwaukee renters say their landlord isn't doing enough to protect them.

That landlord happens to be the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM).

Since March, the nonprofit Common Ground has campaigned for reform within the HACM. Its efforts are bringing more oversight for complaints starting next year.

However, renters say they do not feel safe in their homes.

For Betty Newton, this is reality.

"One of the trespassers was walking around with a needle hanging out of his arm," Newton said. "[And] a female who constantly urinates and defecates in our doorway."

She rents an apartment at Becher Court by HACM.

"These drug addicts constantly are in our building," she said. "We're constantly trying to run them out. You don't know what an addict is going to do."

HACM numbers

It’s stories like her that are driving Common Ground to act, because they say the HACM isn’t.

"You should be able to go home and have peace and comfort, provide for your family without having to worry about getting shot," Common Ground member Willie Davis said. "Without having to worry about getting stabbed, without having to worry about your home being broken into."

HACM said its public safety department has already responded to more calls for service through mid-September this year, compared to all of last year. Those calls include emergencies, disputes and more.

"I want a security guard in our building at night," Newton said. "I want them to monitor the cameras that they have."

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.

But renters say there’s more HACM can do to protect them, including evicting those who break leases.

"You have our elderly. You have our veterans who live there. You also have families, young families," Davis said. "No one should have to be exposed to that."

Common Ground is also inviting the head of HACM to spend next weekend at Locust Court, also under HACM, so he can experience it for himself.