MILWAUKEE, WI — Residents in two Milwaukee apartment buildings near downtown were ordered to leave Wednesday after city inspectors found conditions officials described as severe life safety hazards. Tenants were told they had just 30 minutes to collect what they could and get out.
The order hit Barbara Brown, who said she was inside her apartment when someone knocked and told her to leave right away. Brown said she grabbed clothes, a purse, hygiene items and a picture of her mother before heading out. She has lived in the building for four years and was still trying to figure out what happens next after spending Wednesday night with a family member.
Inspectors Cited Electrical and Fire-Safety Problems in Both Buildings
Jeremy McGovern, a spokesperson for the Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services, said an inspector found problems with the electrical system and the fire alarm system in both properties. He said the electrical system had been tampered with and that fire doors were broken.
McGovern said the combination created a danger that could not be fixed quickly. He said the city saw the situation as a life safety issue and warned that the risk was serious enough that a fire was not a question of whether, but when. City officials also shut off power to both buildings after the emergency order was issued.
The properties are three stories tall and contain 30 units each. McGovern said 40 units were occupied across the two buildings, and inspectors also found evidence that squatters had been living inside.
City Order Followed Federal Allegations Tied to the Owner
The buildings are owned by Sam Stair through S2 Real Estate. Stair and other defendants are already facing federal charges tied to drug-trafficking organizations that prosecutors say operated from apartments Stair owned and ran.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, federal prosecutors allege Stair rented properties to drug traffickers so they could store and distribute controlled substances, including cocaine and fentanyl. The city’s emergency action did not address those charges directly, but the ownership connection has drawn added attention to the properties.
A notice posted on the buildings said they were illegally occupied and unfit for human habitation. The city’s emergency order said the inspection showed hazards to the safety and welfare of the occupants and the public.
Residents Left With Little Time to Gather Belongings
For tenants, the order created immediate uncertainty. Brown said she left with only a few belongings and had not eaten or drunk anything by the time she got out. By Thursday morning, she was sitting outside the building and still unsure where she would stay next.
Another tenant, Schonda Butcher, said she has lived in the building for nine years and shares the first floor with her partner. She said she does not have a car or a place to store possessions, so she took her cat, important documents and a few bags of clothing when she left.
Butcher said the situation was emotionally overwhelming and said she planned to take things day by day. Her comments reflected what many displaced tenants faced: a rushed exit, limited storage options and no immediate timeline for returning home.
Property Manager Says Repairs and Temporary Housing Are Being Arranged
Smart Asset Realty manages the property and said Thursday that it was aware of the city’s order. In a statement, the company said it had not known the electrical systems were tampered with and said its initial review suggested unknown individuals altered the wiring.
The company said it did not authorize any such work and is cooperating with city inspectors and other authorities. It also said it is contacting tenants and trying to line up alternative housing as quickly as possible.
Smart Asset Realty said electricians, fire-safety contractors and other specialized vendors were already on site Thursday morning working to identify the full scope of the problems and carry out repairs. The company also said it is helping tenants get back into the buildings to retrieve their belongings.
No Return Date Yet as Officials Call the Order Rare
McGovern said tenants can move back in only after the electrical and fire alarm problems are corrected by the owner. But he said the city cannot control how fast that happens, so officials cannot give a timetable for residents to return.
He also said emergency orders requiring an apartment building to be vacated are rare at this time of year. For tenants now displaced, that leaves a temporary housing problem layered on top of the larger question of when, or whether, the buildings can safely reopen.
For now, the city’s focus remains on the conditions inside the two properties and on making sure the buildings are brought back to a safe and habitable state before anyone is allowed to live there again.
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