Families living near the creek in La Crosse will have more time to find new housing

The city of La Crosse and some families living near Pammel Creek will have a little more time to resolve a land dispute.

City council members approved a one-year lease extension for six families at the Rivercrest Mobile Home Park, on city-owned land.

At Thursday's meeting, council member Doug Happel spoke in favor of extending the lease.

“It makes no sense for the city or for landlords to be talking about evicting people, when we are dealing with the homeless situation in the community,” Happel said. He says forcing families to move would also make them homeless. “That does not make any sense.”

Rivercrest Village's current lease was set to expire at the end of June. During the council meeting, City Attorney Stephen Matty was asked to explain the proposed options to council members.

“If you decide not to pass the resolution,” Matty said, “then what will happen is the lease will end at the end of June, and at that point I will ask people to leave, and if they do. If I don't leave, I will start eviction proceedings.

“If you decide you don't want this to happen, then you can pass this resolution,” Matty said, which would pave the way for a one-year lease. The council passed the measure unanimously.

City officials are concerned that families are choosing to live in a buffer zone within 100 feet of the Pammel Creek channel, which can be prone to flooding.