Milwaukee Housing Authority received scathing federal report shortly before director resigned

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Published 5:03 p. m. CT Dec. 11, 2024 | Updated 9:44 a. m. CT Dec. 13, 2024

The Milwaukee Housing Authority remains a "troubled" agency, as problems with physical conditions, financial mismanagement and oversight persist, according to a new federal report.

The Housing Authority, which manages 5,200 rental units across the city, isn't doing enough "to ensure the provision of safe, decent, and sanitary housing for its public housing residents," according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Two years after federal auditors first warned of "risk for serious fraud, waste and abuse" inside the agency, the Housing Authority is still not tracking its finances accurately, the HUD report said.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Housing Authority leaders received the report on Oct. 18.

An authority spokesperson shared a copy publicly on Wednesday. That comes just days after Executive Director Willie Hines announced his retirement.

"The findings in HUD’s letter highlight serious issues," the spokesperson said, adding that the Housing Authority "has already taken steps to address many of these concerns and remains fully committed to resolving the remaining challenges."

The report echoes problems identified by HUD and residents in the past two years — criticizing the independent authority's finance staff, property managers and oversight board. It also suggests the authority hasn't corrected course fast enough after a troublesome HUD report issued in December 2022.

Local nonprofit Common Ground, which has been organizing residents to demand change inside the authority, said in a statement Wednesday: “HUD’s report shows a reckless disregard for tenants by Mayor Johnson and Willie Hines,”- adding: "The problems we’ve raised for two years persist and have worsened."