Author: Insights

In neighborhoods already grappling with housing insecurity, a deeper pattern is emerging beneath Milwaukee’s high eviction rates: clusters of properties in eviction hotspots are owned by a small number of landlords, many of whom repeatedly appear in court records, delinquent tax rolls, and housing violation reports. While public attention has largely focused on eviction statistics, especially in the wake of the pandemic and subsequent rent spikes, less scrutiny has been applied to the owners profiting from the churn. A review of records from the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access system (CCAP), Milwaukee’s Assessor’s Office, and eviction tracking projects shows that...

A quiet influx of short-term rentals is reshaping residential neighborhoods across Milwaukee, with thousands of Airbnb-style listings populating areas never intended for transient lodging. The issue, long overshadowed by noise complaints and tourism discourse, reveals deeper regulatory gaps, especially in zoning enforcement, housing displacement, and owner occupancy compliance. A review of available public data and third-party rental analytics indicates that entire-home rentals, particularly those operated without an owner present, are proliferating in residential zones where such use is not permitted under Milwaukee’s zoning code. While the city requires short-term rental (STR) operators to obtain licenses and adhere to zoning...

In 1839, a new technology reshaped how the world captured itself. The invention of the daguerreotype by Louis Daguerre introduced photography to the public, not as a fringe curiosity, but as a legitimate tool with wide cultural and commercial potential. That year, the French government acquired Daguerre’s patent and released it freely to the world, ushering in the first wave of public access to image-making through mechanical means. Within a decade, photography had moved from novelty to enterprise. Studios opened in major cities across Europe and North America, offering portrait services at a fraction of the cost and time...

Imagine a man with a bullhorn standing in front of a school, shouting that giant spiders are abducting children from the playground. There is no evidence of any kind of spider, giant or otherwise, no missing children, and no eyewitnesses. But the claim is loud, repeated, and terrifying. Within days, some parents demand action. The man with the bullhorn declares the need for urgent safety measures. He insists that playgrounds be reinforced with concrete and wire mesh. He demands that funding be allocated to combat this threat. He drives the issue like a wedge between neighborhood parents, creating a...