Gov. Evers weighs in on 'Tent City'

NOW: Gov. Evers weighs in on ’Tent City’
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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Governor Tony Evers said Tuesday, October 8, Wisconsin will definitely have a role in finding permanent housing for the approximately 90 people living underneath an I-94 overpass in Milwaukee near 6th and Clybourn Streets.

“We’re working with all the partners," Gov. Evers said. "Whether it’s city, county, whatever. You know, the important thing is that we find safe housing because of all the partners we have. So it’s going to be an ongoing process that we believe is going to be accomplished in a good way. And frankly, a better way for the people that are presently in that tent.”

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said the driving force behind an October 31 eviction notice from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), is a project to clean highway water runoff before it gets into the Menominee and Milwaukee Rivers.

“Really make that area under the overpasses more sustainable," Mayor Barrett said. "There’s some environmental remediation work that’s going to go on.”

Barrett added, it's becoming a safety hazard.

“Just personally, having come off that expressway several times just in the last week, the dangerous situation that is present when people are walking across a freeway exit as if it were a path."

The United Way of Greater Milwaukee has stepped in, donating $75,000 to help Milwaukee County’s effort to set up temporary shelters, and eventually find people permanent housing.

“The $75,000 from United Way will be to support the staff which are going to be operating the three temporary shelters," United Way of Greater Milwaukee Vice President of Community Impact Nicole Angresano said. "And what’s really great about this is these are going to be staff members that already work at shelters, or other places that."

The Milwaukee County Housing Division says if you want to help, they need donations of things like furniture, bedding and money for security deposits.

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