Dispute over park-and-ride parking spaces in Milwaukee; homeless camps continue to exist

MILWAUKEE – On Saturday, a major brawl broke out in a park-and-ride lot in Milwaukee County, where the people involved were not even supposed to be present.

A Wisconsin Department of Transportation camera captured the fight between residents of the College Avenue property on Saturday. The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office responded; no one was arrested.

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State law

Earlier this year, the state declared that people camping in park-and-ride lots were breaking the law. People had until May 16 to leave the lots, and those who didn't comply had their vehicles towed in June. Still, the county says the problem persists.

“The problem is that once they get rid of some people, new people come,” says Steven Shea, District 8 Supervisor.

Shea said the county has found housing for 15 people, but as rents continue to rise, so does the number of homeless people.

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“More and more people can no longer afford rental housing,” says Shea.

The county supervisor said authorities will continue to monitor the park-and-ride lots, with plans to put up signs to warn people they will be towed.

Increased demand

James West knows firsthand the importance of shelter. He is the executive director of Repairers of the Breach, a nonprofit outreach center for the homeless.

“It's crowded, it's stressful, the living conditions aren't great,” West said of the fight.

Although the people involved in the park-and-ride brawl are not supposed to live there, West said there are some who do not want to live in shelters.

“Our lunch numbers are up, you know, 30% higher than normal,” West said.

West told FOX6 that people haven't recovered since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and after Saturday's fight, he hopes things don't get any worse.

“Hope is lost, and that's a big deal,” he said. “Any person who doesn't find the right outlet for it could lose it.”