The battle for the patio of College Court

At a troubled Milwaukee public housing development, a padlocked patio becomes a battleground for some of America’s most talked-about voters.

Their emails to government officials had gone unanswered, their requests to testify at City Hall had been ignored, and now 14 residents of Milwaukee public housing were gathered in a pink linoleum common room to brainstorm how to get attention from the people with power.

“A woman got robbed in the hallway,” one woman said. “I don’t feel safe here.”

“I need to get the mold out of my apartment. I can’t breathe,” said another.

“There are mice everywhere,” said a man...