MADISON, Wis. — Madison officials are moving toward a public nuisance case involving the Social Justice Center on Williamson Street after documenting hundreds of police calls and dozens of arrests and criminal charges connected to the property. City Attorney Michael Haas sent the center’s property owners a notice Sept. 4 informing them of the city’s intent to file the action. The notice gives the owners 15 days to respond. If the mayor or a member of the Common Council wants the matter considered through a council resolution, that person must submit a written request to Haas by Sept. 19. The city’s memo says police received 300 calls for service at the address between January 2025 and Aug. 27, 2026. Those calls led to 20 arrests and nearly 50 charges, including allegations involving battery, disorderly conduct while armed, methamphetamine possession and depositing human waste. The city said it is not objecting to people using the center during its normal operating hours. Instead, the memo cites what it describes as ongoing conduct and conditions occurring at or associated with the property throughout the day and night. Haas said the city has spent more than a year working with the property owners to address the problems but has seen limited progress. He said the city ultimately wants the owners to comply with the law and take steps to reduce or eliminate the conduct identified in the notice. The proposed action follows a period of heightened tension along Williamson Street after the fatal police shooting of Corey Ruiz and a 12-day encampment nearby. That response cost the city at least $1 million, according to an earlier city estimate. Haas said the nuisance action is unrelated to the shooting and would have proceeded regardless. Marilyn Patterson, who has relied on the Social Justice Center for four years, said the center has problems but argued that its staff cannot control everything that happens outside the building. She questioned why the city waited until now to act and said closing the center would leave many people without an important source of support. Haas said he is not currently aware of plans to close the center if a court ultimately declares the property a public nuisance. Such a declaration, however, could lead to further court-ordered action. The Social Justice Center said it was not ready to comment immediately. Its board planned to meet Wednesday to discuss how to respond to the city’s notice.