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| | | | Live Stream Link:
https://milwaukee.granicus.com/player/camera/5?redirect=true
City of Milwaukee Live Stream Two
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| | | | The mission of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) is to foster strong, resilient and inclusive communities by providing a continuum of high-quality housing options that support self-sufficiency, good quality of life, and the opportunity to thrive. | | | |
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| | | | Chair Hayslett expressed her excitement and noted that for the first time in her tenure, there was a full seven-member Board present. She then invited each of the two new Commissioners to share a brief introduction.
Commissioner Howard Snyder began by stating that he was honored to join the HACM Board of Commissioners and expressed his gratitude to the Mayor for the appointment and the Council for their approval. He shared some of his background, stating that before retiring in 2019 as the Executive Director, he founded the Northwest Side Community Development Corporation (CDC). Mr. Snyder noted that he currently serves on other Boards, such as the Milwaukee County Federal Library System Board, as a Trustee, the Clark Square Neighborhood Initiative Board, and the Milwaukee County Commission on Aging Senior Center Committee. Commissioner Snyder concluded by stating that he looks forward to working with both the Board and staff of HACM.
Commissioner James Nelson, Sr. followed by highlighting his thirty years of service with Career Youth Development, as well as his four years work | | | |
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| | | | Call to Order
Minutes note: Meeting called to order at 4:00 p.m. | | | |
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| | | | Roll Call | | | |
Roll call
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| | A. | | APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA | | | |
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| | | | CONSENT AGENDA – ITEMS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL
(All items listed under the Consent Agenda will be enacted by one motion unless a Commissioner requires otherwise, in which event, the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered separately.) | | | |
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R13626
| 0 | 1. | Motion | Approval of the minutes of the regular Board meeting held on July 9, 2025 | APPROVED | Pass | 7:0 |
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R13627
| 0 | 2. | Motion | Approval of the minutes of the Public Listening Session meeting held on July 23rd, 2025 | APPROVED | Pass | 7:0 |
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| | B. | | REPORTS AND DISCUSSION ITEMS | | | |
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| | | | Patricia Dee, HACM’s Administrative Services Supervisor, stated that there will be a switch in the order for items B.4 and B.5., which should provide the information in a more beneficial manner for the Commissioners. | | | |
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R13619
| 0 | 1. | Housing Authority Resolution | Resolution approving the fourth quarter 2024 write-off of delinquent former resident accounts for low-income Housing Authority developments in the amount of $304,495.31
This resolution will authorize the write-off of delinquent former resident accounts for the period October 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. Although these accounts are written-off for accounting purposes, the City Attorney’s Office seeks judgments against all tenants evicted by court action. These judgements, and all unpaid final tenant accounts, may be sent to the Department of Revenue to intercept tax returns.
Minutes note: Brad Leak, HACM’s Chief Financial Officer, reported that tenant rental revenue for the public housing developments for the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled $2.7 million. The write-off being presented is $304,000 of delinquent account balances, representing 11% of HACM’s income for the period, attributed to uncollectable accounts from tenants who vacated. Mr. Leak noted that HUD allows up to 15% for large public housing authorities, meaning HACM remains below the industry standard and in a strong position. He explained that one contributing factor to the write-offs is residents failing to report income changes in a timely manner—or not reporting them at all. HACM utilizes the web-based Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system to confirm income changes; however, discrepancies are sometimes discovered after the EIV process. While HACM offers payment arrangements, the balances can often be significant, making repayment difficult for residents. The tenant may eventually find themselves in legal proceedings or vacating the unit. | ADOPTED | Pass | 6:0 |
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R13620
| 0 | 2. | Housing Authority Resolution | Resolution approving the fourth quarter 2024 write-off of delinquent former resident accounts for Southlawn, Northlawn, and Berryland in the amount of $136,909.47
This resolution will authorize the write-off of delinquent former resident accounts for the period October 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. Although these accounts are written-off for accounting purposes, the City Attorney’s Office seeks judgments against all tenants evicted by court action. These judgements, and all unpaid final tenant accounts, may be sent to the Department of Revenue to intercept tax returns.
Minutes note: Brad Leak, HACM’s Chief Financial Officer, reported that the tenant rental revenue for the Berryland, Northlawn, and Southlawn market rate developments totaled $1.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2024. The proposed write-off is $136,909.47, representing 8% of HACM’s income for that period, attributed to uncollectable accounts from tenants who vacated. | ADOPTED | Pass | 6:0 |
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R13621
| 0 | 3. | Housing Authority Resolution | Resolution approving the sale of the single-family Scattered Site unit located at 3156 North 24th Place, to AHA 1, LLC, a subsidiary of Acts Housing, in the amount of $1,000.00
Minutes note: Jeanne Dawson, HACM’s Program Specialist, gave a summary of the background for the sale of the property located 3156 North 24th Place, stating that this request has come before the Board on a previous occasion. She also noted the condition of the house and the rehab costs to bring it up to code. She stated that the opportunity to sell the property for $1000.00 to AHA 1, LLC, a subsidiary of Acts Housing, is right in line with HACM’s mission as they will rehab the house and sell it to an income-eligible owner-occupied family.
In response to the Commissioners, the property was identified as being in Alderman DiAndre Jackson’s district. The Commissioners also requested that, moving forward, the Alderperson of that district be notified of potential sales of HACM property.
| ADOPTED | Pass | 7:0 |
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R13628
| 0 | 4. | Communication | Discussion - Third-Party Investigation Report Regarding a Complaint About HACM Personnel
Minutes note: Ken Barbeau, HACM’s Interim Secretary-Executive Director, stated that the investigation originated in July 2024 following a series of complaints from a Locust Court resident regarding the property manager. As one of the staff involved was related to a member of HACM management, and after consultation with the City Attorney, the decision was then made to engage an independent third party to investigate. Mr. Barbeau later requested that the investigation be broadened to assess all instances of employees in positions of influence or decision-making with relatives employed by HACM. The first portion of the report provided by the investigators addressed the specific, initial complaints, including suggestions related to the Resident Ambassador Program, which remain under review for potential policy changes. The second portion addressed the results of the nepotism investigation. The investigators reviewed five potential cases and concluded some needed no action taken, and made suggestions on the others. Due to the fact that the investigator had limited access to Human Resources records, it was necessary for the Acting Secretary-Executive Director to supplement the investigation report with an additional memo to clarify facts and timelines. The report also suggested changes to HACM’s Employee Handbook to match various HUD documents and policies regarding nepotism and other conflicts of interest that specify who is covered, what must be examined, and the required procedures. In cases where decision makers or policy influencers are involved, HACM must seek a waiver from HUD. He also stated that the report is a public document provided with the agenda, reflecting HACM’s commitment to transparency. | | | |
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| | 5. | | The Board may receive a motion to convene in closed session, pursuant to Section 19.85(1)(g) Wis. Stats., to confer with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved. The Board may then reconvene in open session concerning any such item following the Closed Session.
Minutes note: Commissioner Moore made a motion to convene in closed session at 4:33 p.m. Commissioner Snyder seconded the motion. There being no objections, the motion carried.
Chair Hayslett convened the Housing Authority Board in closed session, pursuant to Section 19.85(1)(g) Wis. Stats., to confer with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved. The Board may then reconvene in open session concerning any such item following the Closed Session.
Commissioner Burrell made a motion to reconvene to open session at 5:20 p.m. Commissioner Gotzler seconded the motion. There being no objections, the motion carried.
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R13622
| 0 | 6. | Housing Authority Resolution | Resolution approving the revised Conflict of Interest Policy for the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee’s Existing Employee Handbook
Minutes note: Ken Barbeau, HACM’s Interim Secretary-Executive Director, explained that the resolution is based on the information previously discussed in item R13628. He noted that the language was adapted from the HUD Exchange website and modeled after HUD’s Conflict of Interest policies, with additional provisions added to address HACM Board members and the organization’s instrumentalities. The resolution outlines what the policy covers and to whom it applies, as detailed in the attached document. In response to questions from Commissioners, Mr. Barbeau confirmed that the Conflict of Interest Policy will be reviewed and updated annually. | ADOPTED | Pass | 7:0 |
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R13623
| 0 | 7. | Communication | Presentation of the documents shared in July with the Travaux Board of Directors
As there was no business requiring action for the July 31st meeting of the Travaux Board of Directors, the meeting was canceled, but these documents were shared with the Directors.
Minutes note: Ken Barbeau, HACM’s Interim Secretary-Executive Director, explained that these documents were provided on July 31, 2025, to the Travaux Directors, who were welcome to contact the Executive Staff with any questions. No questions were raised. | | | |
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R13624
| 0 | 8. | Communication | Public Listening Session
The Listening Session is an opportunity for the public to provide input to the Board; for the Board to receive that information for their consideration. Persons who wish to comment may do so in person, via eComment on the internet, and via mail.
Those wishing to speak in person should register in person at the meeting and will be called in the order in which they signed up. As a courtesy to others and to ensure the widest breadth of input, all speakers will be limited to speak for two minutes.
Those wishing to provide written comment in person may provide the comments to the staffer who is also registering speakers, and those comments will be shared with the Board of Commissioners.
Those wishing to provide written comment via mail should send their correspondence to: Attention Public Comment, Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee, P.O. Box 324, Milwaukee WI 53201-0324. In order to be included in this meeting, all written comments for this meeting must be received two days before the meeting. If any comments are received after that date, they will be
Minutes note: Speakers:
Cornelius Sawyer, Resident Advisory Board, Highland Gardens – Mr. Sawyer welcomed the two new Commissioners and voiced his support for keeping Alderpersons informed about property sales within their districts. He noted that many of the key concerns raised by residents were addressed during the Board meeting. Mr. Sawyer also requested that a Resident Board of Directors be established at some point in the future.
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R13625
| 0 | 9. | Communication | Report from the Secretary-Executive Director
Minutes note: Ken Barbeau, HACM’s Interim Secretary-Executive Director, provided an update on the recent flooding’s effects on HACM properties. He reported on the extent of the damage, the cleanup efforts, and the number of work orders generated as a result. Mr. Barbeau expressed sincere appreciation to the maintenance staff for their dedication, noting that many worked past midnight and over the weekend to restore units for residents.
He also provided an update on CVR’s ongoing work, noting they are finalizing their analysis of discrepancies of individuals who reside in project-based voucher units but whose vouchers are not currently certified. CVR is currently focusing its efforts on Westlawn, where the highest number of discrepancies has been identified. Mr. Barbeau acknowledged that CVR continues to experience staffing challenges and a high turnover rate. To address this, they have hired six new employees and brought in six experienced team members from within their organization. While the staffing turnover has slowed progress compared to initial expectations, efforts remain on track toward the goal of seeing more significant progress by the end of October.
At the next Board meeting, the Commissioners requested a discussion with CVR to include the following
• Recruitment strategies
• Plans to resolve the discrepancies in the project-based voucher units
• Walkthrough of the recertification process with CVR’s Leasing and Compliance staff
• HACM’s staff will provide the full CVR Associates Contract (with attachments) to the Board of Commissioners by the next meeting
Marlon Davis, HACM’s Chief of Public Safety, presented the Analytics and Initiatives Report included with the agenda. He highlighted the initiative noted on page 6, explaining that, in collaboration with the City Attorney’s Office and leadership, a new Parking Compliance Form is being developed, tailored specifically to HACM’s needs, reflecting parking rules outlined in the Resident Handbook. Chief Davis noted that the form has not yet been implemented, as staff training, updates to the Standard Operating Procedures, and revisions to the Resident Lease are still required before rollout.
Ken Barbeau, HACM’s Interim Secretary-Executive Director, provided the Board with two News Releases from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials describing the initial 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Bills. He explained that the THUD Bill is the appropriations legislation that funds HUD and that these initial budgets offer insight into the House and Senate positions on FY 2026 funding. Mr. Barbeau noted that the House proposal includes significant reductions that would severely impact housing authorities. For example, the Public Housing Operating Fund is reduced by $500 million—a 10% cut—while the Capital Fund is reduced by one-third. Additionally, the Administrative Fee for the Voucher Program is cut by 56% from the current level. In contrast, the Senate proposal still reduces the Operating Fund for Public Housing but maintains the Capital Fund at the current year’s level, with no decrease proposed. The Senate bill also provides a slight increase to the Administrative Fee for the Voucher Program, which supports program operations.
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| | | | Adjournment
Minutes note: There being no further business, Commissioners Burrell made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:30 p.m. Commissioner Yepez-Klassen seconded the motion. There being no objections, the motion carried.
Minutes prepared by: Patricia Dee and Maria Martinez-Planas | | | |
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| | | | Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities through sign language interpreters or auxiliary aids. For additional information or to request this service, contact the Housing Authority ADA Coordinator at 286-5824, (FAX) 286-0833, (TDD) 286-3504 or by writing to the Coordinator at PO Box 324, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0324. | | | |
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| | | | Persons engaged in lobbying as defined in s. 305-43-4 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances are required to register with the City Clerk's Office License Division. Registered lobbyists appearing before a Common Council committee are required to identify themselves as such. More information is available at http://city.milwaukee.gov/Lobbying. | | | |
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| | | | Be hereby notified that three (3) members of the Crucible, Inc. Board of Directors may be present at the meeting of the HACM Board of Commissioners, as some members serve on both boards. While a quorum of the Crucible, Inc. Board may be present at the HACM meeting, they will not exercise the responsibilities, authority, or duties vested in the Crucible, Inc. Board of Directors. | | | |
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