The TMJ4 Lighthouse Team is shining a light on how Milwaukee County is investing millions of dollars into getting people out of homeless shelters and into permanent housing.
Ryan Jenkins spoke with the county's top housing official and someone who has benefited from county housing services in the past. The rise in homelessness is an issue he's been reporting on for months now.
In other parts of the country, some municipalities are considering criminalizing homelessness, and the US Supreme Court is hearing a case on that topic this week.
In Milwaukee, housing officials have purchased the Hillview Building on the city's south side. It's the first county-owned emergency shelter and will help connect people with resources, including permanent housing.
James Mathy, Milwaukee County's Housing Administrator, gave Ryan a tour of the space being rehabbed.
Ryan also met up with Kevin Perez who was once homeless and talked about how this type of development could make a major difference in the community.
"I was homeless for a few years, lived in a van, pop-up," said Perez.
From the Holt Avenue Park 'N Ride to a studio apartment where he doesn't have to think about rent for one year, Perez said the Milwaukee County Housing Division helped him get back on his feed.
"From where is my food coming from? What do I have to do? Hygiene? Do I get to shower today? To a life," he said.
Perez invited Jenkins into his new home and shared how having a space of his own re-enforces dignity.
"It's your place and that helps you get back to you. You can focus on what you need to do having your own space and that alone time, that comfortability, that's what makes people better people," he said.
That's just one example of how Milwaukee County is fighting back against homelessness. Back in February, Jenkins tagged along with the county's housing navigators as they worked to connect homeless individuals with both housing and resources.
Recent data shows homelessness rose year-over-year in Milwaukee County, by about 14%. Still, the county remains a national leader, counting zero chronically homeless individuals in both 2022 and 2023, meaning nobody was unsheltered without services for more than 12 months.
James Mathy is the county's housing administrator. He said the work continues at the newly purchased Hillview Building near 22nd and Lapham on the city's south side.
It's a noteworthy investment as communities nationwide debate how to handle homelessness, with even the US Supreme Court hearing arguments this week over whether local governments can legally criminalize homelessness.
"There are still communities across the country that are looking at homelessness the wrong way. Criminalizing homelessness is absolutely not the right approach. The only way to reduce homelessness is through permanent housing and services and that should be the focus," said Mathy.
The main focus will be to connect people with both shelter and services, that will eventually help them move into permanent homes.
Homes like the new 120 new construction homes being built using state ARPA funding in Milwaukee's King Park neighborhood.
It's an intentional effort to put an end to homelessness.
"Most governments across the country don't do their own homeless outreach, that's very rare for local governments to do their own homeless outreach so we're working with individuals directly on the street all the way through their housing process," said Mathy.
A process that Perez said is heaven-sent.
"It feels like genuine love and care again that people don't give or they don't have," said Perez. "It's a blessing."
Catch Ryan's full report on TMJ4 News, Friday night at 6:00 p.m.
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