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

The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) Board of Commissioners convened on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 4:13 PM in City Hall Room 301-B, Milwaukee, WI. All seven commissioners were present. The meeting included a public listening session, approval of a resolution to rescind ten Section 32 scattered site units, reports from staff, and a resolution honoring Ken Barbeau for 27 years of service. The meeting adjourned at 5:51 PM.

Consent Calendar

• R13783: Approval of the minutes of the regular Board meeting held on June 10, 2026. Approved unanimously.
• R13784: Documents shared with the Travaux Board of Directors in June 2026, including meeting minutes, project updates, occupancy and work order reports. Approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

Six members of the public provided testimony during the Public Listening Session. Speakers and their primary concerns were:

• Karen Davis (HCV Section 8 participant): Described her Section 8 unit as uninhabitable and stated she fell due to unsafe conditions; she believes the conditions are unsafe for her.
• Carrie Maas (Section 8 landlord for 20 years): Reported multiple issues over the past 1.5 years including late payments, missing paperwork, and recertifications completed six months late; she requested a detailed meeting with a commissioner.
• Diana Hinton (Convent Hill resident): Said she is waiting for Public Safety to respond to a complaint about a serious lease violation and wants timely action.
• Betty Newton (Convent Hill, RO Secretary): Expressed frustration about a storage space reversal and a change of locks without notice after previous permission was given.
• Battites Wesley (applicant on waitlist): Stated that the lottery system is unfair and that a first-come, first-served numbered system would be fairer.
• Cornelius Sawyer (RAB, Highland RO President): Reported that the online rent payment portal has not functioned for two months and that issues raised are not being communicated to upper management.

Discussion Items

1. Resolution R13787 – Rescission of Section 32 Homeownership Units

   • Jeanne Dawson, HACM Program Specialist, presented the resolution authorizing a request to HUD’s Special Application Center to rescind ten remaining scattered site units from the approved Section 32 Homeownership Program. HACM had approval for 40 units; 30 have been sold to first-time homebuyers. The ten remaining units are occupied and HUD requested they be returned to active PIC status. Commissioners discussed the process and confirmed that a new application would be needed for any future Section 32 sales. The board voted unanimously to adopt the resolution.

2. Report from the Secretary-Executive Director (R13789)

   • Harold Ince, Secretary-Executive Director, introduced Zena Farah as the new Chief Operations Officer – Real Estate, who thanked the board and expressed enthusiasm about the agency’s opportunities.
   • Public Housing Occupancy: 96.25% (excluding 200 units on hold). Work order backlog: 657 opened in June, 372 closed, leaving 285 open; average of 29 created and 16 closed per day.
   • Market Rate & Tax Credit Portfolio: 93.14% occupancy; 550 work orders, 332 completed; backlog of 50 orders at least 60 days old and 18 at least 90 days old.
   • Pre-Meeting Q&A Option: Patricia Dee explained that a weekly pre-meeting session for commissioners is now held Monday afternoons at 2 PM on a first-come, first-served basis (up to two commissioners).
   • CVR Monthly Report: Tracy Sheffield reported that the Housing Choice Voucher waiting list lottery selected 5,000 applicants from 8,801 pre-applications (2021–2024), completing a HUD Corrective Action Plan item. HACM has been released from HUD shortfall status, allowing renewed leasing activities. The agency is currently performing at a SEMAP High Performer level.
   • Public Safety Report: Chief Marlon Davis and Captain Nicole McDade updated on the Merrill Park community safety deployment, where officer-initiated deployments increased after resident concerns. From April 14 to May 19, calls for service decreased from 90 to 16. Furniture removal in the lobby was implemented to reduce loitering and will be reevaluated when calls decline further. No major incidents occurred over the Fourth of July weekend. The captain described partnerships with Milwaukee Police and site checkpoint patrols. Commissioner Nelson noted the positive impact of increased visibility at his development.
   • Sustainability Plan: Ken Barbeau reported that of 24 findings in HUD’s plan, 14 are closed and 10 are past due. Key open items include a cost allocation plan, asset management reports, inventory control system, and required annual inspections. A new CFO is addressing financial findings.
   • Executive Search Committee Dissolved: Patricia Dee noted the committee, created in September 2025 to hire a permanent Secretary-Executive Director, concluded its work with the hiring of Harold Ince. No formal board action was needed; the board extended thanks to members.

3. Resolution R13788 – Commendation for Ken Barbeau

   • The board adopted a resolution commending Ken Barbeau for 27 years of dedicated service. Chair Hayslett presented a plaque. Barbeau thanked the board and staff, noting he was honored to serve the mission of keeping 11,000 families in stable housing. The resolution passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously.
• Resolution R13787: Unanimously adopted to authorize HACM to request HUD rescind ten scattered site units from the Section 32 program, returning them to active status.
• Resolution R13788: Unanimously adopted commending Ken Barbeau for 27 years of service.
• Executive Search Committee: Formally dissolved; no further action needed.
• Next Steps: Staff will continue addressing sustainability plan findings, work order backlogs, landlord payment issues, and public safety deployments. Commissioners will be invited to pre-meeting Q&A sessions.