MILWAUKEE — What was hidden behind a blue tarp at an apartment building near 29th Street and Wisconsin Avenue revealed a dangerous reality for dozens of tenants: burst pipes, no heat, and often no running water — conditions that ultimately forced residents to evacuate their homes.
For Rosibel Flores and more than 50 other tenants, the last several days have been unlivable. Using Google Translate to communicate, Flores described the situation inside the building to TMJ4.
“The water is gone. We don’t have heating. It’s not good to live here,” Flores said. “There are even mice.”
Watch: Milwaukee apartment evacuated after heating, water fail amid dangerous cold
The Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) says it received a complaint about the property and conducted an inspection, which confirmed no heat and inconsistent — and at times nonexistent — water service throughout the building.
The property, owned by Berrada Properties, was issued an emergency order two days ago. When inspectors found no improvements had been made, DNS placarded the building Thursday afternoon, ordering all tenants to evacuate immediately.
“With this weather, and the weather getting worse over the next couple of days, it truly is a life safety issue,” said Jeremy McGovern, a spokesperson for DNS.
TMJ4 News reached out to Berrada Properties by phone and email. No response was received by the time this story aired.
The situation drew the attention of Alderwoman Sharlen Moore, who visited the building and expressed frustration with both the conditions and the lack of accountability.
“I was horrified,” Moore said.
TMJ4 News also asked how property owners can be held responsible in emergencies like this.
“There’s only so much the city can do legally,” Moore said. “We’re still fighting for other options to hold landlords accountable. If you’re going to be in the business of housing our residents, we want you to be a responsible landlord. Period. Point blank.”McGovern says displaced tenants will receive temporary shelter through the Milwaukee Department of Administration — an uncommon step.
“It’s very unconventional, rarely done,” McGovern said. “But we’ll be putting these tenants in a hotel temporarily.”While the shelter offers relief from the cold, the displacement remains painful for residents like Flores.
“That’s not good,” she said. “Because we have to leave our own apartment.”As of now, there is no timeline for when tenants will be allowed to return to the building.
Records show previous complaints of no heat at the residence were filed a year ago on Jan. 21 and Jan. 22, 2025.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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