MPD to void citations issued at Holt Ave. park-and-ride
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee police announced that they would void citations given to people parked overnight at the Holt Avenue park-and-ride. This, after squads swooped into the park-and-ride just after midnight Friday, Dec. 1 where a large group of people have been living out of their vehicles for months.
Occupants like Beth who's lived the park-and-rid for three years, got several citations. Each ticket is worth $35 a ticket.
"I got one for my camper and then one for my truck," said Beth.
She said Milwaukee police did so without enough warning.
CBS 58 was there when the citations were issued. Our crews saw officers giving out tickets and placing tow warning stickers on vehicles.
Residents, like Beth, said they were being given 24 hours to leave before their vehicles would be towed.
Hours later, Milwaukee police said since issuing the citations, it has been determined city parking ordinances are not applicable to the park and ride.
Police are now in the process of voiding the citations that were issued.
MPD is in the process of voiding the citations that were issued.
The department shared the following statement within a news release:
"MPD prioritizes community safety and thoughtful responses to quality-of-life issues. The balance of addressing the concerns of the surrounding community with meeting the needs of the unhoused is often difficult. We do the best we can but sometimes in retrospect we know we can do better. Moving forward, MPD will work closely with our intergovernmental and system partners to build sustainable long-term solutions to address the needs of those affected by the Holt Avenue Park and Ride situation and similar issues involving the unhoused throughout the City. MPD is committed to viable housing options for the Holt Avenue Park and Ride occupants and will work with our county partners on this front."
MPD said they will work with county partners to help those in need of shelter. One of those partners-- the Milwaukee County Housing Services Department.
"We're at the park-and-rides pretty much on a daily basis so we do our own homeless outreach in Milwaukee County so we're out there first and second shift pretty much on a daily basis," said James Mathy, housing administrators for the HHS.
Mathy said they know all 19 occupants by name. Each connected with a housing facilitator who help them find their forever home.
Wisconsin's Department of Transportation said they are taking additional steps to get those who are unhoused into permanent housing or warming shelters as early as next week.
We first told you about the situation at the park-and-ride after a heated public-meeting on the issue back in September. At that meeting, County Supervisor Caroline Gomez-Toms told us they were working on assistance for the people live in the lot.