Milwaukee Council Committee passes plan to fund warming shelters for homeless

Three weeks ago, Milwaukee alderman called for a solution to the homeless encampments throughout the city.

After holding a public hearing, they came up with a plan to give $75,000 to emergency warming centers. The plan just passed a common council committee, and Alderman Michael Murphy says he thinks it will easily pass the full council.

"It's a huge deal for us here at Capuchin Community Services," Brother Rob Roemer, OFM Capuchin Ministry Director said. "This will help us raise the bar, and be open more at nights."

More than half the money came from donations of city employees. The money will go toward expanding the capacity for warming rooms in Milwaukee and allowing them to open at 20 degrees or colder, instead of 10 degrees or colder like it is now.

"This is expanding the capacity for the warming rooms to take in people that want to be in a place where they're safe and secure, and they're not sleeping in a tent."

Murphy says another huge help is the Saint Anthony's project that just provided housing for 30 people who were low income or formerly homeless."

Once they're off the streets they can start concentrating on other things in their life. When they're on the streets all they can focus on are what their immediate needs are."

30 more are expected to move in by January.

"Over there we'll have more space for our warming center. We'll have showers, a laundry facility, and a barber for our homeless guests."