The City of Milwaukee has launched sweeping legal action against an out-of-state landlord, aimed at forcing long-delayed repairs or stripping control of hundreds of the company’s rental properties.
City Attorney Evan Goyke announced Thursday that his office has filed two public nuisance lawsuits against Highgrove Holdings Management LLC and its owner, David Tomblin. The cases target 138 properties and ask a judge to order repairs within 60 days or appoint a receiver to take over management. The city is also backing a separate foreclosure case filed by U.S. Bank involving another 85 properties tied to unpaid loans.
Taken together, the actions could affect more than 200 properties across Milwaukee’s north side, making it one of the largest coordinated housing enforcement efforts in recent city history, according to Goyke, who took office in 2024.
According to the complaints, the properties have been inspected more than 4,000 times since 2020, and have extensive code violations and unpaid taxes.
“When business practices start harming neighborhoods, we have to step in,” Goyke said. “This is about protecting residents and stabilizing communities.”
The lawsuits follow investigation and advocacy work by nonprofits Common Ground and Tenants United. Common Ground first gained recognition in 2023 after it launched a campaign to reform Milwaukee’s Housing Authority, exposing poor living conditions and mismanagement.
Leaders with Common Ground and Tenants United said they have spent months canvassing neighborhoods and documenting conditions inside Highgrove-owned homes.
According to Kiante Shields, a member of Tenants United, Highgrove owns 263 properties totaling about 425 units, almost all of which are on the north side of Milwaukee. She said the company has been sued by dozens of its own investors, owes more than $650,000 in unpaid property taxes, leads the city in lead abatement orders and has roughly 40% of its units sitting vacant.
“That raises serious questions about how these properties are being managed,” Shields said.
Highgrove residents shared accounts of living conditions during the Thursday press conference held outside two boarded-up homes owned by Highgrove in the city’s Harambee neighborhood.
Deshawn Harris said it took months for a broken window to be replaced after a bullet entered his home in the middle of the night, leaving a large opening during cold weather. Ebony Martin described a ceiling collapse following a severe storm, saying repairs were slow and incomplete, with ongoing leaks. Ishon Arnold said his family has been waiting years for a promised roof replacement while water damage and mold continue to worsen inside the home.
A Highgrove Holdings-owned home in Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood. Photo credit: Common Ground
Highgrove’s now-removed website described the company as “a Woman/Minority owned, Disabled Military Veteran, ‘Special Purpose Entity,’ formed in 2012, specifically for acquiring value-added distressed real estate within the United States of America for investment purposes.”
Company records list a Milwaukee address on West Florist Avenue as its headquarters, though property tax documents indicate bills are sent to an office in Torrance, California.
“We’re doing this because it’s right for these 200-plus properties, and we’re doing it because we want to send a message to other property owners in this community that we’re paying attention,” said Goyke.
Common Ground is not a plaintiff in the lawsuits, which allows the group to continue speaking out and organizing tenants independently, according to Kevin Solomon, senior associate organizer with Common Ground.
“We are a very powerful coalition today,” said Goyke. “This lawsuit may take time to resolve, but we’re in it for the long fight.”
Officials said the city will also continue pursuing tax foreclosure on eligible properties, though the goal is to stabilize housing rather than add to the city’s inventory of vacant buildings.
Tomblin declined to comment, saying he has not yet been served by the court
