New laws making it tough for convicted sex offenders to find a home
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Homeless sex offenders! New laws are making it tough for convicted sex offenders to find a place to live. So could that mean more will be roaming the streets?
A sex offender ordinance took effect last week in Milwaukee. It limits where sex offenders can live. Other municipalities surrounding Milwaukee passed their own ordinance, and another problem has emerged. There may be practically nowhere for sex offenders to live.
David Waszak is a convicted sex offender who has served his time. He is set to be released from prison on Wednesday, October 15th.
When Waszak was 19 years old, he was found guilty of having sex with a 14-year-old girl after giving her alcohol and drugs.
While he's leaving prison, where he'll go is yet to be determined.
"I'm not saying my son is innocent on this, but every person deserves to have a roof over their head, you know, and food, and they shouldn`t be forced to be homeless," Waszak's mother, Donna Waszak said.
From her home in Texas, Donna Waszak has been desperately looking for a place for her son to live when he's released from prison.
Because David Waszak is a registered sex offender, an extremely difficult job has become even harder.
Waszak must live in Milwaukee County -- but the question is, where?
Nearly every community in Milwaukee County, including Waszak's hometown of Oak Creek severely limits where sex offenders can live, or restricts sex offenders altogether.
Fearing they would become a sex offender dumping ground, Milwaukee has followed suit. Its own sex offender ordinance took effect last week.
"If he doesn`t live in the city of Milwaukee, if the offense didn`t take place in the city of Milwaukee, why is the city of Milwaukee being asked to shoulder this burden?"
Milwaukee's ordinance that passed this summer now involves a single page of addresses where sex offenders can legally live. And just because an address is on that list, doesn't mean there is availability at that address, or that a sex offender would be welcome there.
FOX6 News discovered two of the addresses on the list are homes. One was discovered to be an empty field.
It's a realization for sex offenders that they'll still be paying the price for their crime even after they've served their sentenced and are released back into the community.
"Winter is coming up. I don`t want my son living on the street. I want him to have a chance to make it," Donna Waszak said.
Related stories: