|
First On NBC15 News: Squatters Evicted
First On NBC15 News: The squatters who moved into a home on the 7200 block of Tempe Drive have now been evicted.
Reporter: Chris Papst, Barclay Pollak, Zac Schultz Email Address: news@nbc15.com |
|
UPDATE Posted Wednesday, May 12, 2010 -- 5:11pm
By Zac Schultz
Madison: It was a quiet ending to a very short stay in a foreclosed home on Madison's southwest side.
Madison Police arrived at 8:30 am to ask Desiree Wilson to leave the duplex where she was illegally living.
"We came here this morning," says Capt. Jay Lengfeld. "Told them the legal standing that they had there- which was none. We asked them to move and they said fine."
Desiree was moved out by the same group that moved her in 10 days ago. Operation Welcome Home is part of a growing movement to put homeless families in foreclosed homes. They called a press conference Monday to announce Desiree and her two children would be squatting in an empty duplex.
Z! Haukeness is the group's leader. He says they knew this was the likely outcome. "From every step of the way that we've been open and honest with Desiree. She's been on board with what we're doing. She wanted to improve her situation. She also knew this was part of a bigger movement."
Their first problem was they thought Bank of America owned the building. But it's still in foreclosure, and on Tuesday the Verona man who owns the duplex asked police to kick her out.
"I know there's people that think we should have gone immediately," says Lengfeld. "But it takes time to make sure we have all the facts, to have someone that has standing there say that they don't want them there."
"I've very glad to see this happen," says Brenda Sweeney, a neighbor who has become a neighborhood spokesperson. She says the only public support was for eviction. "I really don't think they proved any point. They've gone about it all wrong. They're doing it illegally."
Z! won't say what their group's next move is, but says they will continue to challenge the law and try and put homeless families in empty houses. " We have gotten calls from people who are homeless and people who are ready to do this. We need to regroup with the community and figure out where people want to move."
Desiree and her kids are not out on the streets. They are back living with her parents.where she was before she moved into this duplex. Since Desiree's family is doubled up with another, she technically qualifies as homeless.
____________________________________________________
UPDATED Wednesday, May 12, 2010 --- 10:50 a.m.
NOTE: Click on the video link above marked "Squatter Evicted scene video 5/12/2010" to see video of the eviction. Also, click on "Squatter Evicted Breaking News Report 11am 5/12/2010" to view report from the 11am newscast.
Breaking News this morning on Madison's west side. The squatter who moved into a home on the 7200 block of Tempe Drive has now been evicted.
NBC15's Zac Schultz was the first reporter on the scene this morning as police officers evicted 24-year-old Desiree Wilson and her family.
The eviction started at approximately 8:30 a.m..
Officers moved her belongings out of the home and into a U-Haul truck. An officer tells Zac that Desiree was fully cooperative. The only delay in the process: getting the U-Haul to the location and pulling apart the bed.
As we reported yesterday, the owner of the home contacted police Tuesday to report the squatter. His lawyer told us yesterday that a meeting was planned today with the Madison Police Department. The homeowner's lawyer is expected to talk to Zac later this afternoon.
Neighbor Brenda Sweeney tells Zac that she is ecstatic about today's developments.
Stay with NBC15 and NBC15.com for continuing coverage on this breaking news story.
____________________________________________________
UPDATED Tuesday, May 11, 2010 --9:30 p.m.
By: Barclay Pollak
The owner of a home illegally occupied has called the cops on his unwanted guests.
But so far the people living on the 7200 block of Tempe Drive on Madison West's side still have a home.
For how much longer it's tough to tell. But for now it looks neighbors and unwanted house guests will have to co-exist.
Neighbors say Tempe Drive in Madison use to be quiet. The only noise came from birds chirping.
That was until Monday and Operation Welcome Home's big announcement.
Now, cars are constantly stopping and staring, looking at this house and it's illegal tenants.
"We're not happy. We want her out," says Brenda Sweeney.
Neighbors like Sweeney are upset. But Desiree Wilson, the 24-year old woman living in the foreclosed vacant home, has hopes of staying and calling Sweeney neighbor for a while.
She says this issue is larger than just her.
"It's not against the law. This is above the law. It's so much bigger than just me. Housing is a human right," says Wilson
NBC 15 was told by the Madison Police Department that the homeowner did call them Tuesday and let them know that somebody was trespassing on his property.
We spoke to his lawyer earlier this afternoon, he says he's meeting with police Wednesday.
"Since this is the end of an unsuccessful real-estate venture that he wants to put behind him. His reaction was like what could go wrong next," says Joel Winnig.
Joel Winnig represents the owner of 7201 Tempe Drive. He says his clients just wants this whole mess behind him.
We also spoke with coordinators from Operation Welcome Home.
We asked them if there was another way to help people. Their response: this is what they've been taught.
"People have been doing this in Miami for the past three years and this is the protocol that they've used. So we've learned this from them," says Z! Haukeness of Operation Welcome Home.
We still don't know what will happen to Desiree and her kids. But things should be a little clearer after the police meet with the property owner Wednesday.
Winnig also says his client isn't interested in a lawsuit. He just wants this to be taken care of before the home goes to auction.
____________________________________________________
UPDATED Tuesday, May 11, 2010 --- 5:30 p.m.
Script from NBC15 News at 6:00 p.m.
Now to an update on a story we told you about yesterday about a woman living illegally in a foreclosed Madison home.
The lien on that home in the 7200 block of Tempe Drive is owned by Bank of America.
The woman, Desiree Wilson, moved into the empty house and changed the locks.
NBC15 News spoke to the owner's lawyer a short time ago. He tells us when the owner found out Wilson was squatting there, he called police to complain she was trespassing on his property.
Police have told us they don't plan to take any action tonight, but there is a meeting set up between police and the owner's attorney tomorrow.
We will have more on this story tonight on NBC15 News at 10:00 p.m.
____________________________________________________
UPDATED: Tuesday May 11, 2010 --- 3:05 p.m.
By: Barclay Pollak
According to Joel DeSpain, Public Information Officer with the Madison Police Department, someone claiming to be the owner of the home (located on the 7200 block of Tempe Drive) did call police this afternoon.
DeSpain says right now there is no plan to take action today against the woman who moved into the home without paying rent (see story below).
But there is a meeting set-up between police and the homeowner's attorney tomorrow.
Stay with NBC15 and NBC15.com for continuing coverage.
Tell us your thoughts on this story. Leave your comments in the comment section.
____________________________________________________
POSTED: Monday, May 10 at 7:45 p.m.
UPDATE: Tell us what you think. Leave your comments.
"Everyday we are creating new memories in the house" said Desiree Wilson holding her young child. "New memories in the neighborhood are being made."
But those memories could soon turn to bad ones.
The house Wilson now lives in, on the 7200 block of Tempe Drive, was vacant until she moved in with her two young children. With the help of Operation Welcome Home and Take Back the Land, they fixed it up.
The only problem is they don't own it. The lien is owned by Bank of America. Wilson just changed the locks and move in.
"There's a housing crisis right now. There is a surplus of housing," explained Z! Haukeness with OWH. "The homeless people are on the rise. So, we want to keep the people in their houses at all costs because housing is a human right."
In the two weeks Wilson has lived there she has hooked up the utilities and does plan on paying those. But as for rent, there isn't any. Bank of America most likely does not even know she is living there.
"I feel like we are challenging law and doing something that is illegal, yeah. We are saying that the laws need to be changed. We need to change the laws so that when there's a situation like this people can move into the house and it won't be seen as trespassing," stated Haukeness.
Many of the neighbors are not happy. They called police about a week ago.
"We want them out," said neighbor Brenda Sweeney. "We work hard like I said to pay our rent and to maintain our bills. And for people to just move in and not pay any money and expect the community to support them it's not fair."
"Desiree is a spark for the movement," added Haukeness.
"Being allowed to stay here allows me the means to save for our next move if there needs to be one," concluded Wilson.
Operation Welcome Home wants Bank of America to give the house to the Madison Area Community Land Trust, so they can rent it to Wilson. Since Bank of America received bail out money they feel it's the bank's responsibility to give up the property.
Latest Comments
Z! You are a "SPARK FOR THE MOVEMENT"
well said Marge, also very funny. you said it best.
my parents are "winter texans", their MN home is empty 5 mos every year..so according to this group for the homeless one of these homeless families should have the right to move in?
|
Weather
Authority
Watch your local weather 24/7. |
|
|
News Links
Looking for something you saw on NBC 15? Find it here. |
|
|
Double
Dollar Deals
Experience our area's best restaurants at a Half-Off price. |
|
|
Perfect Home
Find out how to make your perfect home. |
|
|
What's On?
Click here to see our program guide. |
|
|
The Health
Professional
Find answers to your health questions. |
|
|
Madison Living
Advice and services to make the most of life in Madison. |
|
|
Money Minute
Get advice from the experts at SVA Plumb Financial. |
|



