[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6607785,"mediaKeyId","2948027-ceda4a1b7d8c5c54d091d6d34e44799d","parentId",2948027,"title","Residents and commissioners press HACM public-safety and customer-service staff on disrespect and service delays","audioSeconds",321,"startMs",4319000,"endMs",4640000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2948027-ceda4a1b7d8c5c54d091d6d34e44799d&start=4319&end=4640","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2948027-ceda4a1b7d8c5c54d091d6d34e44799d/thumbnail_4319000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6607785/Milwaukee/Milwaukee-County/Wisconsin/Residents-and-commissioners-press-HACM-public-safety-and-customer-service-staff-on-disrespect-and-service-delays","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607785-5c1a385cba7228aa1c26285e46b179ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1773145039&Signature=dLsMoiSikZwq0xxvp70uVgKfYovFm0AONNDs5PfTAZRuSkkbmL~5N2h3I1gazEn~Jx0C4qOmpROh9Xu-nkj9tBjBrc-cljsazrAUUJGTa4O9o3ie4qiXX9uxcU2UhpFQebvlg2tJ65BQatRffa~yEd9ciD~0tdQpRElT7EXYTPZqwVbB6KsYAFQXWHCsAEQR6l50ZSadtSYmO1fd0yfP3i0gjsuhXMjegA-jdNxmDlkfVXvvqFGM5UEjZsXmlm04PVdYTg-t2epL9bOGN~XPqg9uEiBawsvMIxaBiC3cfXilSZ3YNAOBHerQZ4Goc8kWZ87VI1NrEJku3N6HGa0piA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Milwaukee","date","2025-04-09T16:14:00Z","article","Commissioners and resident speakers at the April 9 HACM meeting raised repeated concerns about customer service, dispatch conduct and maintenance response times, and asked the agency to enforce expectations for respectful treatment of residents.

Chief Marlon Davis, HACM chief of public safety, told the board the department has adjusted priority coding and is focusing on proactive, officer-initiated patrols. He acknowledged operational data flaws that created duplicate counts and said the department is working with its vendor to simplify priority levels to high and low to avoid duplication.

Commissioner Jackie Burrell recounted a recent in-person interaction in which she said a dispatch operator responded to a maintenance inquiry with an attitude and poor courtesy. Burrell and other commissioners said residents also reported long waits at the Lisbon office, confusing or \"threatening\" letters, and instances in which building managers did not enforce resident organization decisions about hall use. Commissioners urged stronger enforcement of codes of conduct and suggested recording call lines to create teachable moments and to document inappropriate behavior. Chief Davis and other leaders said they would investigate specific incidents and said supervisors are available to review calls or in-person incidents.

Commissioners stressed that staff treatment of residents is a basic expectation and urged mandatory customer-service and de-escalation training for employees who interact with residents. Some commissioners recommended that HACM track complaints and disciplinary follow-up; others proposed routine supervisory reviews of dispatch and property-management interactions. Chief Davis agreed the department would address reported incidents and work with human resources on accountability.

No board action was taken; commissioners asked staff for follow-up reports and asked that supervisors be available to respond to specific complaints brought to them after the meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Milwaukee - HOUSING AUTHORITY on 2025-04-09 4:00 PM - Apr 09, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioners and resident leaders reported instances of poor customer service, dispatch rudeness and delayed maintenance; HACM public-safety chief and leadership pledged to investigate, improve training and consider recorded lines and supervisory reviews.","taxTitle","Milwaukee , Milwaukee County, Wisconsin","taxId",2851,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607790,"HACM presents reconciled 2023 financial statements; CFO flags \"going concern\" cash shortfall and vendor-payment risks",300,3100000,3400000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2948027-ceda4a1b7d8c5c54d091d6d34e44799d&start=3100&end=3400","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2948027-ceda4a1b7d8c5c54d091d6d34e44799d/thumbnail_3100000.jpg","/articles/6607790/Milwaukee/Milwaukee-County/Wisconsin/HACM-presents-reconciled-2023-financial-statements-CFO-flags-going-concern-cash-shortfall-and-vendor-payment-risks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607790-aeee76d0684c3566c9ce6c23856a92c2/orig.mp4?Expires=1773145039&Signature=NOYhurZGom1pAffnDbllcXiZPAaanj0Y3OdyPzKr8wGqsP9kzwtEYSCfhVBQV58TQ49taQSB31X6fXW7QCs30IdHvVwqKu6UTdiyF6L8myMqbAl2ae1Ui95ZB9L6ezDC~u2UCoUZJCW7l9FslpCrq5PJHwNHqlNbV8aOYOfiEJ7XVaAllbCwoUlP0yOuhfdF1TmTyLIrM82r6XD2gcCyNiE0IMCjwy~nR1D7ZZIDMrPpckGT4ty-EkrapTaetrC-pDZWE9ynh~yJyIQ7ugg7txa5RTxDTY4E1JkKUayHOfxVUoljW7K1NncySFrWdVZ4YCaE-sLnBngWJF8KPG3Ttw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brad Kalik, HACM chief financial officer, presented the authoritys reconciled 2023 financial statements to the board on April 9 and outlined a series of steps the finance department has taken to improve controls and reporting.

Kalik told the board auditors have the reconciled statements and are asking follow-up questions. He said the authority has strengthened internal controls and is training finance staff on Yardi, the agencys accounting and property-management software. Kalik noted the agency made a $500,000 pension payment on March 31, 2025, and described progress toward more timely pension funding in 2026.

Kalik said the 2023 statements likely will include a going-concern note because HACMs current assets at year-end were less than current liabilities. He explained in plain terms that if HACM were forced to liquidate all assets at that date it would not have had enough cash to cover all liabilities. Kalik and other staff said that, while they are working to improve cash flows, there remain short-term vendor-payment issues that disproportionately affect smaller, local contractors and mom-and-pop firms that supply day-to-day services.

Commissioners asked about vendor lists and payment prioritization. Kalik said the authority has identified a top-25 list of local vendors whose service continuity is critical and that the authority has negotiated extended payment terms with larger corporations while trying to prioritize payments to smaller vendors. He said about 60% of vendors are local mom-and-pop or midsize businesses and estimated those vendors account for 25'2% of non-utility, non-payroll costs. Kalik and staff said they have met with the city comptroller to clarify prior check handling and have cleaned up several reconciliation issues.

Kalik credited prior investments in Yardi and recent staffing and process changes for helping the authority produce reconciled financial statements for 2023. He said auditors have the statements and that one of the sustainability-plan milestones is timely audited financial statements for 2024 and a board-ratified audited 2024 statement by September 30, 2025.

No formal board action was taken; commissioners asked for continued updates and requested a vendor list so they can better understand vendors the authority relies on for operations.

","CFO Brad Kalik presented reconciled financial statements for 2023, disclosed a \"going concern\" qualification due to current liabilities exceeding current assets, and said the authority made a $500,000 pension payment March 31 while working to prioritize payments to small local vendors.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607795,"New vendor CVR begins HCV management; board presses for clearer communications, dashboards and resident inclusion",1680,384000,2064000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2948027-ceda4a1b7d8c5c54d091d6d34e44799d&start=384&end=2064","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2948027-ceda4a1b7d8c5c54d091d6d34e44799d/thumbnail_384000.jpg","/articles/6607795/Milwaukee/Milwaukee-County/Wisconsin/New-vendor-CVR-begins-HCV-management-board-presses-for-clearer-communications-dashboards-and-resident-inclusion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607795-3244e9c811e845c4e564ba58e9ebc2d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1773145039&Signature=JEYQdEaPMXUxdaT0woEaqmgXU8Fp-Z0lzSf7ewN~7QbaDsPTnYHVZgY4KtHBgly82xH5nWdaL1t38LEGOQPZlChdTLs0cI9jbBfpNulcnsZimWfepkfSrjYnqvFsuTEW3eUePjXQ5u1euE2dS1gY1zlYyV8loOn0yAJS2mYppfBOhiiJxbFgg9pYnBv56HCbVqRx4nPo2YxlyG5FGyFIRv-s-VeyFGxXJJweVtcKmn7S7h1PtLYiWBP0M0jOESdY-gvlZbuPrhugSbnC9XsKDY4tqTyjHHIxz68B0FxFL0RH3IqGLqVaZWX-jWPEgXguskjtDIDVw0kjIpha8zh7Zw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HACM commissioners and staff on April 9 reviewed early performance after CVR Associates began managing the agencys Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) operations and identified continuing backlogs and communication failures that are affecting residents and landlords.

Tracy Sheffield, senior vice president with CVR Associates, and Michael Tonovitz, CVR executive vice president, described four priority projects: percent file reviews, project-based voucher (PBV) backlog remediation, a research backlog tied to conversion, and reconstruction of Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) files and escrow amounts. CVR said it has begun scanning and reconstructing records and will deliver a data-driven report to the board at the May meeting covering initial progress.

Commissioners and staff focused on resident communications and customer service. Dina Hunt, HACM chief operating officer, and CVR representatives said some Yardi/RentCafe templates used to send automated letters mixed public-housing and HCV language, resulting in confusing notices and fear-inducing termination letters. Commissioners asked CVR and HACM to revise template language immediately, consider pausing problematic mailings where feasible, and to improve phone response capacity; staff said they will explore adding call-center staff and rework templates in collaboration with Yardi representatives.

Commissioners also said the public-facing experience should improve: Vice Chair Gotzler and others suggested a dashboard or Gantt-chart-style tracker of HUD and agency milestones and asked for quarterly briefings from CVR that include resident-organization leaders so residents can serve as partners and communicators. CVR agreed to provide a first formal, data-driven board report next quarter and said a senior presence will be maintained on-site while a permanent director is recruited.

Several commissioners and resident leaders reported incidents of poor service and disrespect at HACMs Lisbon office and other customer-facing locations; Commissioners stressed the need for staff training on de-escalation and customer service, and requested staff track and address reported incidents. CVR and HACM staff said they are reviewing call templates, phone routing and staffing; they also noted some letters are required by program timelines but promised to seek clearer, friendlier language and supplemental communications to avoid unnecessary resident distress.

The board did not take formal action during the discussion; CVR and HACM staff committed to provide more transparent reporting, to revise letters and templates, and to include resident organizations in quarterly briefings.

","Commissioners pressed CVR Associates and HACM staff on call-center performance, backlog in voucher processing and confusing rent/recertification notices after the authority transitioned Housing Choice Voucher operations to CVR; staff promised template fixes, better communications, and quarterly briefings with resident groups.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607800,"HACM holds HUD sustainability-plan listening session as agency works to exit —troubled— PHAS status",1502,1318000,2820000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2948027-ceda4a1b7d8c5c54d091d6d34e44799d&start=1318&end=2820","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2948027-ceda4a1b7d8c5c54d091d6d34e44799d/thumbnail_1318000.jpg","/articles/6607800/Milwaukee/Milwaukee-County/Wisconsin/HACM-holds-HUD-sustainability-plan-listening-session-as-agency-works-to-exit-troubled-PHAS-status","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607800-1b630994dedf130d5dc868344a1f2c75/orig.mp4?Expires=1773145039&Signature=UCWYmQ3otBaPpS7hrIde~6TLXxvU7Q1vOs~XvyUNov3LnuqVbG5p~ziuvRc5pGksq7r0shCBlN68PqM107aM5LDh7cVf16DeoX0GhW68DW-OifG~tL6cooA~j9naUyT06ZjLDJMBXT-ZalbHf6WFbfk9XSav5ICxumZSWMfVFoJfs9ti4VaJ3Nqi9mBsVg0yBGCbNcLmXHmdqKdYGFmrux6UjYxRk7PSDSL3NN8qlnLsbOmSgSiYBO7KLtgZO~jEQhGsFCf2MS2~1uCSpOCk2zlAESElg03IynAuxWB-83ElS387ji4uO-9ptffJeR1mykaWSNnWbCVgcnsduaZW6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee convened a public listening session on April 9 to gather community feedback on a draft sustainability plan prepared by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and HACM as part of a HUD recovery agreement.

Ken Barbot, HACMs acting secretary and executive director, told commissioners the authority had scored 53 points on its most recent Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) review, a score that places an agency in \"troubled\" status and requires a signed recovery agreement. Barbot described the sustainability plan as a working document drafted by HUD and revised by HACM staff that lists actions and target dates aimed at improving governance, financial management, physical condition, occupancy and other PHAS components over 20 months.

Barbot said the draft includes short-term items HUD expects the authority to complete to raise its score to 56 points by the end of 2025 and to 60 points by the end of 2026. The plan covers governance actions such as board training, bylaw revisions for instrumentalities and improving board reporting; organizational and staffing reviews; data-driven asset-management reviews; updates to financial policies and quality-control processes; improvements to work-order and preventive-maintenance procedures; and a physical-needs assessment and energy audits. HACM staff told the board they have already hired a contractor to complete the physical-needs assessment this year.

Commissioners pressed staff on staffing and timelines. Barbot and staff said work has begun on multiple items, that some tasks will be front-loaded in the first six months, and that other items may take the full two years. Staff said some consultant or contractor work is included in the plan and that staffing levels and skill sets will be assessed over the next year. Commissioners suggested producing a dashboard or Gantt-style public tracker so commissioners and residents can see progress against HUD milestones. Barbot said HACM already submits a monthly spreadsheet to HUD and that staff would explore more accessible public-facing options.

The session followed open-meetings requirements for listening sessions: commissioners did not engage in dialogue with speakers during the public comment portion. Cornelia Sawyer, a resident, noted that the resident advisory board had reviewed the plan and told the board she expected the authority to add two commissioners within about two months, an item she said appears in the draft plan. Other resident commenters raised concerns about hall operations, community rooms being used as private commercial spaces, and disputes about resident organizations authority to oversee building activities; staff said property-management personnel might follow up with individuals after the meeting.

The board did not take a vote at the listening session; staff said written comments received by 11 a.m. had been distributed to commissioners and that written submissions would be included in the public record. Barbot said HUD would expect the authority to explain any missed targets and present revised target dates when necessary.

Commissioners and staff emphasized transparency and resident engagement; several commissioners urged more frequent, clearer reports to residents and proposed quarterly briefings that include resident organization leaders. Staff committed to revising communications templates, exploring a public dashboard and continuing stakeholder engagement.

","The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee held a public listening session on a draft sustainability plan required by HUD after the agency scored under 60 points on the Public Housing Assessment System; commissioners and staff outlined timelines, staffing and reporting steps and invited public comment.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607804,"Housing Authority approves sale of two West State Street lots to D and S Real Estate for $51,000",1066,90000,1156000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2948027-ceda4a1b7d8c5c54d091d6d34e44799d&start=90&end=1156","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2948027-ceda4a1b7d8c5c54d091d6d34e44799d/thumbnail_90000.jpg","/articles/6607804/Milwaukee/Milwaukee-County/Wisconsin/Housing-Authority-approves-sale-of-two-West-State-Street-lots-to-D-and-S-Real-Estate-for-51000","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607804-73cd8a0a07f18fe31eae1737c8ae77ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1773145039&Signature=QoFrdFGN5AUbr2MyLJDiPKyguaSjvRCvUZ4ksjZl6rVQNiVUKPfl0ZuviuTTzl~mwOwR6hcHD5f4oR7jBzNNR3TMFqR0p-i5a14J1-wmVm2B3bRj5YYIHO-6VRX1sn8KU-hnCb5IsfnBG4ylIjAzYbxvHCAyP~HQ2BSELol7dKLSpRzT1Fl8gmdzxl-UqmPzrjErRIR63k58FA7bmXPNZ8ehWDOQESv5JYN-~IBjb7z2d2gW8sfSIJEQ17hh1N-e375gT22qTy19MLtNzmxcez5zrcE7IvlCov3r3gFzP67j7IjQ~Zxskk-e4kuQ5o10veMawUN0ZJFx2BOa1l6XzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee on April 9 approved a resolution to sell two vacant lots at 1510 West State Street and 1518 West State Street to D and S Real Estate Investments LLC for a combined $51,000.

The resolution, presented by Jeannie Dawson, senior program assistant with the Housing Authority, implements a disposition application previously approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Dawson said the lots were advertised publicly and the winning offer was submitted by D and S Real Estate, which offered more than the asking price.

Michael Amrein, an owners representative for D and S Real Estate Investments, told the board the company has not yet finalized plans for the site but intends residential development allowed under current zoning, including the possibility of duplex construction. Amrein said D and S has been coordinating with Alderman Robert Bauman and North Near Westside Partners and expects to seek community support before finalizing plans.

Dawson and commissioners described the HUD disposition process as lengthy. Amrein told the board his interest dated back three years and that the formal disposition application and public bidding process added to the timeline. Dawson said a disposition application typically can take about four months to be created, submitted and decided on, but she told the board the HUD special application center in Chicago is understaffed and processing times could be longer.

Commissioners asked about potential future sales of vacant lots and whether the authority could assemble groups of lots for market-rate disposition or sell infill lots at reduced cost to nonprofts such as Habitat for Humanity. Dawson said the housing authority must either receive market value for a lot or ensure the disposition serves a public benefit for households under 80% of county median income. She told the board the authority is considering putting additional lots on disposition applications but that specific plans remain under discussion.

The board voted by roll call: Commissioner Jackie Burrell, Vice Chair Gotzler, Chair Hazlett and Commissioner Moore all voted \"aye,\" and the resolution passed.

D and S Real Estate told the board it recently received MBE certification and indicated an intent to prioritize minority subcontractor participation if selected for development work.

The board did not specify a closing date in the resolution; the disposition package and HUD approvals remain part of the closing process.

Votes at a glance: Resolution approving sale of 1510 and 1518 West State Street to D and S Real Estate Investments LLC for $51,000 — approved by roll call (Burrell: aye; Vice Chair Gotzler: aye; Chair Hazlett: aye; Commissioner Moore: aye).

","The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee voted to approve a resolution selling two vacant lots at 1510 and 1518 West State Street to D and S Real Estate Investments LLC for $51,000 after HUD authorized a disposition application.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents and commissioners press HACM public-safety and customer-service staff on disrespect and service delays

HACM presents reconciled 2023 financial statements; CFO flags "going concern" cash shortfall and vendor-payment risks

New vendor CVR begins HCV management; board presses for clearer communications, dashboards and resident inclusion

HACM holds HUD sustainability-plan listening session as agency works to exit —troubled— PHAS status

Housing Authority approves sale of two West State Street lots to D and S Real Estate for $51,000