Uncovering Fraud in Milwaukee Public Housing

In January of this year, local reporting revealed that the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) misused $2.8 million in federal funding that was intended to go to low-income housing assistance programs.

According to reports, the agency diverted this funding to staff salaries, administrative overhead, and construction cost overruns from 2019 - 2022. As HACM staff conceded, "using federally restricted funds for a different purpose other than/unrelated to the restriction is improper and illegal under federal regulations." The financial mismanagement at HACM was so severe that internal staff emails acknowledged the agency risked bankruptcy because of these actions.

Every dollar that goes to waste or fraud in our housing programs is a dollar that cannot go to meet the needs of Wisconsin families. 

This week, the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on fraud and mismanagement of federal housing dollars within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). During this hearing, I specifically raised the issues at HACM and pressed the HUD Inspector General on why this mismanagement was allowed to fester for years. 

My colleagues and I will continue working to prevent the waste, fraud, and abuse of federal taxpayer dollars in HUD programs that we saw in Milwaukee. If you know of any instances of fraud in your local public housing office, please reach out to the Financial Services Committee investigations staff or contact my office.

Watch my questions about fraud in Milwaukee Public Housing HERE. 

Working for our Veterans

Our nation is only free because of the brave. Our men and women who have worn the uniform have sacrificed for our nation and deserve the absolute best care and support when they return home. This week, I helped to pass three bills that will increase access to care and support for our veterans.

Recent studies have highlighted that a rare and deadly bile duct cancer that a number of Vietnam Veterans are experiencing has been linked to exposure to liver fluke, a parasite prevalent in Vietnam. On Monday, my colleagues and I passed the Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer Study Act, which directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to examine the links between this parasitic exposure and cancer diagnosis. Determining the degree to which this exposure causes illness in our veterans could prove important in early diagnosis and preventative care. 

The next bill, the Clear Communications for Veterans Claims Act, prioritizes eliminating duplicative and onerous paperwork at the VA. Reducing the clerical barriers to accessing treatment and care is a common-sense reform that received broad support in the House. 

Finally, the House voted to pass the Prioritizing Veterans Survivors Act to move the Office of Survivors Assistance into the VA in order to better coordinate service and supports to our veterans and their families.

As always, feel free to contact my office if you have any questions, want to share an opinion, or are having trouble with a federal agency.

On Wisconsin,

Bryan Steil
Member of Congress

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