Media Statements

HACM Issues RFP for Operation of Section 8 Program

January 19, 2024

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Quality Assurance Division and Milwaukee Field Office have each instructed HACM to complete corrective action plans for our Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. HACM has implemented several components of both plans and will continue to partner with HUD to complete the identified actions.

One requirement outlined in the plans is the issuance of a Request for Proposal (RFP) to engage qualified vendors for the operation of HACM’s Section 8 program. To comply with this requirement, the RFP was released on Friday, January 19.

HACM will continue as the administrator of the program, with a designated HACM staff liaison collaborating closely with the selected contractor.

HACM is committed to ensuring a seamless transition throughout the process. It is anticipated that there should be little to no effect on the nearly 6,000 voucher households that HACM serves within the City of Milwaukee. It is believed these actions will enable HACM to house a greater number of people through its voucher program.

Click here to view the RFP.

HACM's Winter Heat Restoration Process

January 19, 2024 

During the winter season, HACM takes a proactive approach to ensure that staff is ready to address any concerns from our residents regarding heat. HACM’s HVAC technicians, maintenance mechanics, and third-party vendors routinely inspect and monitor our heating systems to ensure proper functionality. While HACM expects optimal performance from its heating systems, there are instances when HVAC systems at our properties encounter issues. When that occurs, HACM’s staff and third-party vendors are prepared to respond.

Regarding the recent news coverage of our Victory Manor building, there were eight units with minor heating functionality issues that were resolved within hours. Nearly all of the issues were due to residents tampering with the thermostats to bypass the 76-degree temperature limit. We are currently looking into ways to address this issue.

Our residents' health, safety, and wellness are a top priority. The quickest way for residents to get heat-related or any property management issues addressed is by contacting the property management office at their location. If you receive any heat-related inquiries from HACM residents, we ask that you please direct them to contact their property management office so HACM is aware of the matter and can promptly respond to it.

HACM’S WINTER HEAT RESTORATION PROCESS

We are in the winter season, and HACM is prepared to promptly address all heat concerns that residents bring to our attention. In the event HACM becomes aware that a heat source is not functioning correctly or needs repair, HACM proceeds as follows:

1. HACM is committed to responding to all heat-related work orders submitted to property management (during business hours) or Public Safety (after hours) within 24 hours, per HUD regulation. Call volume and weather emergencies may impact HACM’s response time.

2. Upon arrival at the unit, HACM or its third-party vendor conducts an assessment to determine the cause of the problem and to determine the need for a space heater or other corrective action items. HACM must meet the minimum required temperature level of 68 degrees as set forth by HUD regulations. HACM then proceeds to correct the issue(s) impacting the heat source or schedule the repair, if needed.

3. If HACM is still unable to provide heat to a consistent minimum temperature of 68 degrees, HACM will offer alternative accommodations to impacted residents until the heat is restored to at least 68 degrees.

Again, our residents' health, safety, and wellness are a top priority. If you receive any heat-related inquiries from HACM residents, please direct them to contact the onsite property management staff at their building so HACM can promptly respond to the matter.

Temperature in Victory Manor Apartments 

January 11, 2024

This week, eight of the 60 units at Victory Manor experienced minor heating functionality issues, and all issues were resolved within hours. In the rare event that the temperature in a resident’s apartment falls below the minimum HUD-required level of 68 degrees, the resident is provided with an electric heater until the issue is fixed. Residents at all HACM properties should always contact their respective property management office during business hours or HACM’s 24-hour Public Safety dispatch center after hours if they have concerns about the temperature in their units, and HACM will swiftly address any issues.

HACM's Work Order Process

The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) serves over 15,000 residents, and we take any concerns they raise very seriously. We are aware of issues raised by residents, many of which have been resolved, and others that we have been actively working to address with the resources we have available. Our process remains the same. We continue to encourage residents to contact their property management office with any concerns, and HACM will address those matters. 

Work Order Steps:

1. Call the development office, or submit by logging into your resident account at myportal.hacm.org if able, give a description of the problem and give permission to enter the unit if you are not present, or make arrangements.
2. The work order is assigned to a maintenance technician.
3. Maintenance goes to the resident’s unit and completes the work requested (if only minors are in the unit, maintenance will leave and return at a later time when an adult is present).
4. If a work order is put on hold, the maintenance staff will notify the resident and manager and estimate a date and time when the work order will be completed.
5. If the work order needs a contractor, staff will inform the resident, get the work order entered for the contractor, and contact them right away.
6. Once the work order is complete, if a resident is unsatisfied, they should first reach out to the on-site manager or contact the Quality Control Specialist at 414-286-8202.

Housing Authority Supports Additional Layer of Oversight

September 22, 2023

The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) supports proposed actions by Mayor Cavalier Johnson and the Milwaukee Common Council requiring the City of Milwaukee’s Department of Neighborhood Services to inspect reports of code violations at HACM properties. HACM is committed to providing safe, well-maintained homes for our residents. We believe the Mayor’s and Council’s directives offer an additional tool to help strengthen our established processes and to supplement existing investor and federal inspection requirements. This is a good opportunity for HACM, the city, and, most importantly, our residents. We welcomed Milwaukee’s Department of Neighborhood Services into our buildings earlier this year and look forward to working with them again as a result of this legislation.

HACM's Commitment to Public Safety 

November 20, 2023 

Our residents' safety and well-being is our top priority. HACM strongly condemns all illegal activity and takes aggressive action to eliminate criminal behavior when it occurs within and around our properties. Led by its Public Safety team, HACM works in close partnership with law enforcement agencies, our residents, community partners, and the court system to resolve safety issues. We are committed to implementing proactive safety measures and swiftly addressing safety concerns when they occur to foster living environments that support a good quality of life.

For more information about HACM’s public safety efforts, please visit HACM Public Safety.

Information on HACM's Section 8 (Rent Assistance) Operations 

September 13, 2023

HACM has always worked in close partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer our Public Housing and Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher programs, which provide critical affordable housing to thousands of Milwaukeeans. HUD routinely conducts reviews of HACM’s operations to ensure compliance with HUD’s requirements and HACM’s agency plan. Furthermore, HUD’s Milwaukee Field Office and Quality Assurance Division have been and continue to be instrumental in helping us identify areas for improvement.

Since 2015, HACM has been engaged in various corrective action plans focused on improving our Housing Choice Voucher program. The most recent corrective action plans address issues that stem primarily from technology upgrades, staffing challenges (training, turnover, hiring, etc.), and the COVID-19 impact. We are continuing to implement processes and strategies that will strengthen controls over our Housing Choice Voucher program. As a result, HACM is confident our Housing Choice Voucher program will emerge stronger and more resilient, which will enable us to better serve program participants while also ensuring regulatory compliance.

HACM’s Secretary Executive-Director, Willie Hines, whose family used the security of HACM housing as their own launching pad, takes these matters very seriously and has directed staff to investigate every verified issue. At HACM, we embrace accountability and action.

“HACM embraces its longstanding partnership with HUD and the valuable technical assistance it has been providing, especially in helping to stabilize our operations after the global challenges of the last three years. HUD’s guidance and expertise are providing actionable next steps and a clear path forward for our Housing Choice Voucher program. While significant improvements have been made, there is still more work to be done, and we are fully committed to addressing all issues identified by HUD. HACM has served families for nearly 80 years, housing hundreds of thousands of people. HUD’s audits and HACM’s corrective actions will better position us to provide affordable housing in our community for generations to come,” said HACM Secretary-Executive Director Willie L. Hines, Jr.

Summary of Progress on Section 8 (Rent Assistance) Corrective Action Plans

September 13, 2023

In December of 2022, HUD’s Milwaukee Public Housing Program Center stated, “We were very impressed with the level of engagement the staff and the board chairs demonstrated during the onsite visit. We found many instances where HACM staff had already implemented changes.” 

HACM remains committed to working with HUD in order to continue this forward progress. 

We want to highlight a few of the actions we have taken or are taking to address the findings and concerns that arose from HUD’s 2021 and 2022 reviews:

• Improved Internal Controls: Although there has been no evidence of fraud or misuse of funds, HACM will hire an independent contractor to conduct a 100% review of all financial Housing Choice Voucher transactions for the period from 2017 through 2022 to verify and ensure compliance. HACM has improved internal controls and revised responsibilities to create a clearer separation of duties in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. The agency has adjusted the department’s organizational structure to better align with the program’s needs. 

• Comprehensive Staff Training and Retention Initiatives: HACM has continued to refine and develop our onboarding process for new team members as well as our ongoing training curriculum for all staff. HACM’s finance and rent assistance leadership have completed a series of assigned financial management and Housing Choice Voucher management trainings. All staff (both existing and new hires) are now required to complete trainings on the Yardi system and Section 8 program operations, beginning with the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) 5-day training on “HCV Occupancy, Eligibility, Income and Rent Calculation” and the Yardi Data Entry Standard Operating Procedure. Additional training includes Yardi courses on specific tasks or processes in the Yardi software system, Housing Choice Voucher / Project-Based Voucher trainings from HUD Exchange, and other instructional materials that are required or optional, depending on the job role. In addition, we will use our human resources department or a consultant to perform fact-finding interviews and surveys to assess staff retention and recruitment issues in the Section 8 department.

• Implementation of Yardi Financial Software: Effective January 2023, HACM is using the full Yardi suite for Section 8. This will provide a more definitive audit trail and a more efficient and reliable reconciliation between Yardi and HUD’s Voucher Management System (VMS). If any Section 8 participant’s account was adversely impacted because of this process, HACM will correct the issue, and the participant will be held harmless.

• Conducted Business Process Review: HACM has engaged a Yardi consultant to perform a Business Process Review (BPM) to ensure accurate mapping of data and reporting to HUD systems (Public and Indian Housing Information Center and VMS). The BPM provides a roadmap to optimize the use of Yardi by HACM, and improve the agency’s processes. HACM’s engagement with Yardi to perform the Business process review related to the Section 8 program included ensuring the financial mapping was set-up in the Yardi system, ensuring that Yardi is used correctly and to its fullest extent, and ensuring that the VMS reporting and 50058 data in Yardi reconcile. This engagement ran from February 2023 to July 2023. 

• Hired Section 8 Accountant/Analyst: HACM’s accounting department has created a position to focus solely on Section 8 accounting and financial reporting. The top priority of the Financial & Systems Analyst is to strengthen the Section 8 financial operations. Once HCV’s financial operations are optimized, the analyst will focus on managing the remaining Yardi system implementation.

• Increased Use of Third-Party Vendors Where Needed: HACM has shifted to engaging third-party vendors when it is deemed the best course of action. We will continue to explore additional partnership opportunities to improve our service delivery as resources allow. In cases where HACM does not have the immediate capacity to address issues or where a contractor brings specialized knowledge or skills, HACM has begun to employ the services of third-party vendors and will continue to do so as needed. For example, HACM hired Nan McKay to perform some of the 2023 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) recertifications as well as processing of new applicants off of the HCV wait list. This will allow HACM staff to focus on data integrity and to participate in comprehensive training. Additional examples of use of a third-party vendor include:

Supplementing HACM’s in-house HCV inspection team when staffing shortages have occurred; 

Rent reasonableness determinations; and 

Using Nelrod Company to perform utility allowance study

HACM has identified other potential areas including but not limited to tenant file reviews, HUD Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) quality control reviews, Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program administration assistance, management and organizational reviews and assessments.

August 28, 2023

The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) serves over 15,000 residents, and we take any concerns they raise very seriously. HACM strives to keep people housed in safe, high-quality living environments and connect them to opportunities that support self-sufficiency, good quality of life, and other opportunities to help them thrive. We are aware of issues raised by residents, many of which have been resolved, and others that we have been actively working to address with the resources we have available. When other matters are brought to our attention, we will address them as well. 

HACM has a substantial number of monitoring, compliance, evaluation, and enforcement requirements already in place. Our Board of Commissioners, which includes resident representation and local leaders in community development, provides governance. In addition, our funders, who provide critical financial and technical support, provide oversight. 

HACM’s mission has been to provide critical affordable housing to Milwaukeeans for nearly 80 years. Despite significant underfunding for affordable housing and the recent pandemic, we have continued to be resilient in advancing our mission and providing opportunities for our residents to thrive. We will continue to find solutions and work with our many funding and enforcement partners to ensure safe, healthy living environments for our residents.

April 3, 2023 Update 

In response to the press event being held today at the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee’s (HACM) Mitchell Court building, HACM is releasing the following statement.

As part of ongoing efforts to maintain HACM properties for the health and safety of our residents, HACM conducts annual inspections according to its standards and those of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These inspections are conducted during the first five months of each year. Residents of Mitchell Court were notified on February 17, 2023 that the annual inspection process would begin on February 20, 2023. Most residents passed their inspections, but some did not and have received notices to cure the situation so they can pass the inspection. 

The reason for the notices is to help residents achieve compliance with their lease, not retaliation or eviction. HACM’s goal is to keep our residents housed in safe, healthy environments.

Additional updates are listed below.

In July 2022, in response to resident concerns regarding criminal activity in Mitchell Court and in the surrounding neighborhood, HACM took a number of steps. 

• HACM took eviction action against residents who we could document were violating their lease by allowing unescorted guests, misusing access cards, encouraging trespassing by non-residents, or bringing drugs, prostitution or other crimes into the building.

• HACM requested additional patrols in the area by the Milwaukee Police Department.

• HACM augmented our public safety temporarily by hiring contracted security staff beginning in July for the hours in which the majority of the issues were occurring (6PM to 2AM). 

• Fourteen (14) HD Cameras were installed in common areas to allow for more thorough monitoring of entrance and exit points.

• The laundry room and main lobby stairwell doors were keyed, allowing only residents with a key access.

• A security gate was installed in the rear stairwell to block ingress from anyone who attempted to make entry without a key.

• Key card scanner was added to the elevators.

• Door monitoring sensors were added to all exterior doors.

• LED lighting was added to enhance lighting in the parking lot.

From March 2022 to March 2023, Public Safety saw a significant 36% decrease in calls for service for the Mitchell Court building. The additional security measures taken, while costly, provided a significant relief to residents and to Public Safety’s need to respond to calls for service. 

HACM recently obtained competitive quotes for additional pest control inspections and remediation. We have since reviewed the responses to the Request for Services Pricing and have determined that Lincoln Court and Mitchell Court have the funding to proceed with engaging a third-party vendor to provide secondary pest control services.

March 26, 2023 Update 

The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee’s (HACM) highest priority is to provide excellent service and quality affordable housing options to more than 10,000 households throughout Milwaukee. HACM takes residents’ concerns very seriously. We are aware of issues raised by residents, many of which have been resolved, and others that we have been actively working to address. When other matters are brought to our attention, we will address them as well. HACM’s mission has been to provide critical affordable housing to Milwaukeeans for nearly 80 years. Despite significant underfunding for affordable housing, we have continued to be resilient in advancing our mission and providing opportunities for our residents to thrive. We will continue to find solutions to ensure safe, healthy living environments for our residents.

Like housing authorities across the country, HACM has been challenged over the past several decades by inadequate funding for operations and maintenance, capital repairs and improvements, public safety, and supportive services. This is both a local and national crisis. Funding for affordable housing across the nation has dwindled while ongoing and deferred capital/maintenance needs have continued to grow. HACM and other housing authorities have consistently advocated together for increased funding for affordable housing. Unfortunately, HACM has to work with the funding it has available and use it to serve the greatest needs across our affordable housing portfolio. 

Additionally, it is important to recognize that HACM, like other institutions, companies, places of worship, and communities, has been adversely impacted over the past three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, this impacted service delivery. We are restoring all operations to pre-pandemic best practices while also incorporating lessons learned to improve operations. HACM is committed to providing high-quality housing services in our community.

Safety and Security

Providing high-quality affordable housing in safe communities requires a partnership between HACM, residents, and law enforcement. Some HACM properties have faced heightened security concerns due to increased crime in surrounding neighborhoods, non-compliance with building safety protocols, and other challenges. 

When HACM notes significant criminal activity, HACM takes a number of steps. First, HACM takes eviction action against residents who violate their lease by bringing drugs, prostitution or other crimes into the building or have guests who do the same. Second, HACM requests additional patrols around our properties by the Milwaukee Police Department. Thirdly, HACM is increasing the security of our properties with additional cameras and by securing perimeters to prevent outsiders from entering the property. In cases of significant criminal activity, HACM has also augmented our public safety temporarily by hiring contracted security staff when resources allow. We are seeing progress from these efforts and will continue working to resolve security concerns.  

As with all operations, security services are available as resources allow. Like other independent living housing providers, we rely primarily on law enforcement agencies for public safety services. Beginning in the 1990s, HACM had the great benefit of receiving federal funding to provide supplementary security services through HACM’s Public Safety team. Unfortunately, federal and other funding for public safety services ended over 20 years ago, and most Public Housing Authorities have eliminated their public safety divisions. However, HACM has continued to provide this service but has had to reduce services as available funding has diminished. We are collaborating with residents and community members to encourage reporting of issues. 

The cooperation and assistance of residents is paramount in combating any criminal activity or other serious lease violations in our developments. Building stronger relations between residents, HACM staff, and law enforcement agencies will aid us in addressing safety and security concerns in our community. HACM offers ways to anonymously report fraud and safety concerns.

Deferred and Ongoing Maintenance

HACM strives to provide the best quality housing to our residents. Our maintenance staff addresses work orders as they are submitted by residents or by staff. Additionally, HACM properties are inspected annually. HACM further relies on residents to submit work orders to address issues when they arise. We will continue to work with residents to identify and resolve issues. 

Wisconsin is receiving $29.6 MM in capital funding from HUD in 2023 for all Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) in the state. Of that, $8 MM is allocated to HACM for all of its properties. We do not yet know what we will receive for 2024. 

Pest Control 

Pest control is a top priority both for the well-being of our residents and for the care of our properties. HACM manages pest control within the resources available through in-house staff who can most efficiently and cost-effectively provide services. This includes regular monitoring and treatment of properties as well as specific pest remediation when reported by residents and staff. Effective pest control requires a partnership with residents, who play a lead role in proper disposal of trash, upkeep of housing units, and preparation of units for pest control treatment. We will continue to work to build this partnership between our residents and our pest control services to keep pests out of HACM housing. 

Personnel and Management

HACM’s residents are our customers, and we expect all staff to provide excellent customer service. We take complaints very seriously. If HACM corroborates information that staff members are acting inappropriately, HACM will deal with it promptly. Please note, HACM does not tolerate retaliation against residents.

Property management staff work with residents to ensure compliance with the rules and regulations in the resident lease and handbook, which include responsibilities regarding safety, maintenance, and other issues. 

Ultimately, the Housing Authority and its residents have common goals, and we are partners in achieving them. HACM embraces this through its existing organizational framework. HACM’s seven-member Board of Commissioners includes two public housing residents to ensure resident voice is included at the highest level of decision-making. In addition, HACM has a Resident Advisory Board (RAB) that meets to assist in the development of the annual and 5-Year Agency Plan and to review proposed changes in policies. Finally, the residents of each housing development are able to organize and have a resident organization/council whose role includes the following types of activities:

1. To represent resident interests with the housing authority; 
2. To build participation among residents and build a sense of community among residents;
3. To build relationships with the housing authority and community organizations who can support the residents and bring programs to the community to improve people’s opportunities and quality of life;
4. To educate residents on their rights and responsibilities as public housing residents;
5. To organize recreation, social services and other resident participation activities; and
6. To use tenant participation funding to carry out eligible activities.

During most of 2020 and 2021, many resident organizations were not meeting regularly as community events and community spaces were curtailed due to the COVID pandemic. Most resident organizations began holding meetings and elections of officers again during the latter part of 2022. 

HACM agrees that good communication between HACM management and resident leaders is essential in working together and building trust, whether it includes communication about new policies or how to address concerns that have been identified by residents. HACM management makes itself available for all resident meetings and will host monthly meetings with resident leadership to discuss policies, procedures, concerns, and upcoming activities.

Tenant Rights

HACM supports and protects the civil rights of residents and values their participation in maintaining safe, healthy buildings and neighborhoods. HACM has a historically robust and well-established system for residents to address grievances and disciplinary actions. However, the system was adversely impacted during the pandemic, and we are working to restore it to full capacity. Residents receive information about these processes through the HACM housing programs through which they receive housing assistance. As an example, a copy of the current “Resident Grievance Procedures” for Public Housing is available on HACM’s website.  Any resident can also request a copy from their property management office.  

Reasonable Accommodations

Residents with disabilities are valued members of our communities. We work with residents to provide reasonable accommodations when needed. All residents can complete a request for accommodation, and HACM will review it for consideration and action within federal guidelines. 

Currently, HACM has a limited number of accessible units in our Public Housing portfolio due to the aging housing stock. Most of our housing developments were built between the 1930s to 1970s. As funding allows, HACM renovates our older housing stock through HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, which enables more accessible units.

Accountability

HACM is committed to transparency in its operations and the handling of complaints, while preserving the privacy rights of residents and staff who are involved. We also seek shared accountability between HACM operations, employees, residents and community partners.

HACM currently has systems in place to address complaints brought forth by HACM residents, employees, and citizens. It has built-in quality assurance practices to ensure the work being performed meets the appropriate quality standards. Residents can share their concerns with Housing Management or go through the grievance process, if appropriate. HACM also offers ways to anonymously report fraud and safety concerns. 

HACM takes very seriously its role in providing safe, healthy, affordable and quality housing to Milwaukeeans throughout our city. HACM strives to work with its residents to achieve this. As stated previously, our residents’ safety and well-being is our top priority. 

We encourage you to explore our website to learn more about the important work the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee does in our community.