WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and SportsSquatters move out; neighbor claims police ignored earlier complaint

Squatters move out; neighbor claims police ignored earlier complaint

By Tony Galli - bio | email | Twitter | Facebook | Blog

MADISON (WKOW) --  The possessions of a woman and two small children were moved out of  a Madison duplex Wednesday morning, in response to the homeowner's complaint to police  the family had trespassed and were illegally squatting.

The family members moved into the home with help and encouragement of Operation Welcome Home, an advocacy group for the homeless.   The group held a news conference Monday to highlight the use of unoccupied residences in the throes of foreclosure as homes for the homeless and had asked local authorities not to take any action against such squatting.

The homeowner became aware someone was living in his Tempe Drive property on the city's southwest side as a result of WKOW27 news coverage, and contacted police officials.

A spokesperson for the group said the family at the Tempe Drive address had been aware of the possibility of having to leave the home, and said with approximately 2,000 unoccupied homes in foreclosure in the Madison area, squatting may still be an approach to help the homeless.

The spokesperson rejected the notion family members had been used as pawns to help advance a nationwide movement of occupying foreclosed homes in protest of bank bail-outs and the alleged failure of banks to do more to address homelessness.  

"We've been open and honest,"   Z! Haukeness said.   "She's been onboard with what we're doing.   She wanted to improve her housing situation, but she also knew this was part of the bigger movement."

Neighbor Brenda Sweeney told WKOW27 News nearly two weeks before the Monday news conference at the duplex, she had filed a complaint with Madison police over potential squatting.

Sweeney said she was worried previous, water pipe problems with the residence raised questions about its habitability.

Sweeney said she was interviewed by an officer May 1, but said there was no police follow-up.

Sweeney said the officer failed to verify whether there was a lease agreement between the occupants and the homeowner.

Captain Jay Lengfeld said the responding officer accepted the occupant's explanation her family's presence there was legal and facilitated through an advocacy group's program.

"(He believed) This group was running the property."

The woman and two children who lived in the duplex had not been previously homeless.   The woman said after she was forced to move out of an apartment building as it went through foreclosure, she and her children had moved into her mother's home.

Operation Welcome Home members declined comment on what housing arrangements had been made for the family. 

Lengfeld said cases of squatting in Madison have surfaced from time to time, but without the publicity attending the Tempe Drive case.

Lengfeld said police response has been uniform in these cases:  If it is confirmed through the residence's owner someone is illegally occupying a property, police officials ask squatters to leave. 

Squatting as activism, on Inside Scoop: http://addins.wkow.com/blogs/scoop/

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MADISON (WKOW) -- A lawyer for the homeless advocacy group, Operation Welcome Home, confirms Wednesday morning that Madison Police are moving the family out of the foreclosed home on Tempe Drive.

27 News reporter Tony Galli spoke with attorney Victor Forberger and will be talking with Madison Police about their involvement in the case.  Tony will have updates on 27 News at 5 & 6pm.

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MADISON (WKOW) -- The owner of a Madison home being occupied by squatters reported the family to police for trespassing Tuesday, as a homeless advocacy group pushes for people to occupy vacant, foreclosed homes.

Owner Hans Olsen's attorney, Joel Winnig told WKOW27 News the owner became aware people were living in the home on Tempe Drive as a result of WKOW news coverage of a Monday media event at the home.  

Members of an advocacy group called Operation Welcome Home said a woman and her children had been living at the home after entering through an unlocked door and had changed the home's locks. 

Members said having homeless persons occupy foreclosed homes was one option to pervasive homelessness and asked local law enforcement not to take action against squatters.   They said the practice is growing nationwide, but the family's presence in the Tempe Drive home is the first case of squatting as a response to homelessness here.

Madison police spokesperson Joel DeSpain said police officials had received the trespassing complaint and were assessing their options.   DeSpain said an announcement of the police's intentions would be made Wednesday.

City Building Inspector George Hank told WKOW27 News an inspection of whether the home is habitable is scheduled to take place, after a neighbor complained a water pipe was broken on the property.

Hank said records show Madison Water Utility turned off water to the property, but electrical utilities were currently operating through Alliant Energy.   A spokesperson for Operation Welcome Home said all utilities are working and the family in the duplex will be billed for them.

Winnig said Olsen remains responsible and liable for the property, even though he will soon lose rights to it.

"The bank may end up with it, someone else may buy it at a Sheriff's sale.   The court's confirmation isn't scheduled until June 8,  so until then, he's on the hook for what can happen."

Operation Welcome Home attorney Victor Forberger disputed that Olsen retained the right to claim trespassing to the home, given the property's status in foreclosure.

The group's members have also called for Bank of America, which holds the property's mortgage, to donate the home to Madison's Land Trust.   They said Bank of America has been the recipient of millions in bail-out funds and has an obligation to give back to help with addressing homelessness.

Online reporting by Tony Galli.

tgalli@wkowtv.com

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MADISON (WKOW) -- A homeless advocacy group held a news conference and what the group called an "Open House" Monday on Madison's west side, to announce a formerly homeless family will be moving into a foreclosed home on Tempe Drive.

At the news conference, leaders of the group, called "Operation Welcome Home," asked the Madison Police Department and the Dane County Sheriff's Office not to take action against the family members but to instead "provide solutions that the government and banks have been unable to offer."

Cynthia Lin, president of the board of directors of Freedom Inc., spoke out in favor of Operation Welcome Home.

Lin said, "We are concerned watching how people of color are systematically excluded from decisions about how land and space is used in Madison."

For more information on Operation Welcome Home, click here.