MILWAUKEE — An overnight fire highlights a major problem in Milwaukee.
Our Lighthouse team found there’s an alarming number of vacant buildings and houses posing a risk to public safety. Data obtained by TMJ4 shows the city is struggling to keep up.
KC Tate calls them some of the biggest eyesores scattered across the city.
"Every time you see a vacant house, a lot of people will take advantage of it,” he said. “Hoarders, sitters, they open the doors up, they go in there, they strip it. They take everything out. Everything."
"I've seen people go in and gut them out," Tareco Hodges added.
The Milwaukee Fire Chief has shared his frustrations on several occasions because abandoned homes are often the target of vandalism, theft, and arson.
A multi-story mixed-use vacant building on the city’s south side is the latest to burn to the ground. It’s a real fear for Tate who can’t stand the amount of abandoned homes in and around his north-side neighborhood.
“What would you think if you lived next to this house?” TMJ4 reporter Ben Jordan asked.
“Woo-wee, wow,” Tate replied. “I would just pray to God no one burns it down and sets it on fire. Go to the next house like most of them do.”
Milwaukee’s Department of Neighborhood Services started tracking the number of vacant homes and buildings in 2010.
Since then, there have been nearly 10,000 reported. 3,300 have yet to be addressed.
DNS declined our interview request, but it acknowledges there are far more vacant buildings and homes out there that haven’t been brought to the city’s attention as city code requires.
“Do you think the city is doing enough to address vacant homes and buildings in the city?” Jordan asked.
“No sir, they can do a way better job,” Tate replied. “They can hire private contractors to tear down some of these houses. All these people out here want work. Give them some work."
Earlier this year, Mayor Cavalier Johnson announced a new initiative called Raze and Revive. It’s a multi-million dollar effort to address 90 vacant homes this year that are now owned by the city.
Tate calls it a drop in the bucket given that several thousand remain.
“What do you think about some of these homes being abandoned for more than a decade and nothing’s being done about them?” Jordan asked.
"I really think they should consider hiring minorities,” Tate replied. “Hiring people of color to have them come in and give them some work."
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