Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee Board of Commissioners Meeting - July 8, 2026

The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (Hackham) Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting on July 8, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall Room 301B. The meeting included a consent agenda, a public listening session, a resolution to rescind 10 units from the Section 32 homeownership program, reports from the Executive Director, CBR Associates, and Public Safety, an update on the sustainability plan, and a resolution honoring Ken Barbeau for 27 years of service.

Consent Calendar

• All agenda items within the consent calendar were approved unanimously by roll call vote (Commissioners Nelson, Pez Classen, Hazlett, Gotzler, Burrell, Snyder all voting aye).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Karen Davis (Section 8 voucher holder, 30-year tenant) expressed concerns about uninhabitable conditions in her apartment, including malfunctioning smoke detectors and a fall that required emergency medical attention. She stated she has mobility issues and epilepsy.
• Carrie Moss (landlord for 20+ years) reported severe delays in payment (six months unpaid), lack of late fees, and administrative errors (e.g., an overpayment error took 10 months to correct). She requested a detailed discussion with the board.
• Diana Hinton stated she is being ignored regarding a fabricated report and a lease violation complaint, and her manager changed agreed-upon terms.
• Betty Newton (RAV member, RO secretary at Convent Hills) complained that her manager denied access to storage for resident social events, changed locks without warning, and falsely accused her of cursing.
• Batisse Wesley (on waiting list since May 2025) expressed frustration that the waiting list system for Arlington Courts appears unfair, as applicants are placed in a pool rather than a chronological queue.
• Anonymous speaker noted that the online rent payment system has been down for two months, causing residents to resort to money orders, and raised concerns about missing credits and unresolved issues with bingo rules.

Discussion Items

• Resolution to Rescind 10 Scattered Site Units from Section 32 Homeownership Program: Jeannie Dawson (staff) explained that HUD requested the 10 remaining units be recategorized to active occupied status, as they are currently rented out. The resolution passed unanimously (8 ayes).
• Secretary Executive Director Report (Harold Enns): Announced the hiring of new COO Zaina Farah, who comes with private sector and HUD experience. Public housing occupancy is 96.25% (including 200 units on hold). Work order backlog: 285 open orders, with 29 created per day but only 16 closed, causing a rise in backlog.
• Pre-Meeting Option Update (Patricia D): Staff will offer a pre-meeting walkthrough on Mondays at 2 p.m. for up to two commissioners, first-come, first-serve, to discuss agenda items in depth.
• CBR Monthly Report (Tracy Sheffield): The Housing Choice Voucher waiting list lottery randomly selected 5,000 from 8,801 applicants. Hackham was released from HUD shortfall status, allowing leasing activities to resume. Emergency Housing Voucher funding is expected to run out by end of 2026. A waiver to place emergency voucher participants at the top of the waiting list is pending administrative plan amendment and 45-day comment period.
• Commissioner Moore's inquiry about landlord payment delays: Moore requested data on the magnitude of landlords unpaid for 60+ days, citing evictions. Tracy Sheffield offered to review individual cases and noted that errors in documentation (leases, HAP contracts) often delay payments.
• Public Safety Report (Chief Marlon Davis, Captain Nicole McDay): Focused on Merrill Park development, where a community safety deployment increased proactive officer-initiated deployments (179 in April 14–May 19, 2026). Calls for service dropped from 90 (Jan 1–May 19) to 16 (May 8–19). Furniture was removed from the lobby to reduce loitering and non-resident access. A non-resident was found living in a vacant unit; police removed him. No evidence of retaliation against residents who spoke at the April 14 meeting. Public safety officers conduct foot patrols and use a checkpoint system. No ICE activity reported on Hackham properties.
• Sustainability Plan Update (Ken Barbeau): Of 24 major HUD findings, 14 are closed and 10 remain past due. Key open items include a cost allocation plan, asset management report, reduction of tenant accounts receivable to 2.5%, performance evaluations, inventory control system, and capital fund plan updates. No further extensions will be granted; work is ongoing.
• Resolution Commending Ken Barbeau: Recognized Barbeau's 27 years of service, including his role as interim Secretary Executive Director during the turnaround from HUD troubled performer status. The resolution was adopted unanimously by roll call.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar approved unanimously.
• Resolution to rescind 10 units from Section 32 program approved unanimously.
• Public safety deployment at Merrill Park will continue; furniture removal will be reevaluated when crime data improves.
• Sustainability plan: staff to prioritize completing the 10 remaining HUD findings as soon as possible; no further extensions.
• Executive Search Committee officially disbanded with the hiring of Harold Enns.
• Ken Barbeau's retirement effective July 10, 2026; plaque presented by the board.
• Meeting adjourned at approximately 5:30 p.m.