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Wisconsin Workforce Housing News
This Weeks Articles for 4/6/2026 ...
- Housing Solutions Matchmaker Tool...
- Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson declares 2026 the 'year of housing' in his State of the City address...
- Workforce housing branches out ...
- New Housing Benefits Residents and Community in Madison's Hawthorne Area ...
- Milwaukee officials pitch $4.7 million in TIF funding for two affordable housing projects ...
- Baldwin Holds Housing Roundtable in Wausau...
- Bridging the Housing Gap: Stories from Two Midwest Communities...
Community Updates, News Stories, Best Practices, Resources, and other data supporting the development of affordable housing for the citizens of Wisconsin in every city and region in the State. Please consider partnering with us and sharing your story
Housing Solutions Matchmaker Tool
County Matchmaker Tool Overview
Living and working in the communities they serve, county leaders across the country understand the local housing conditions and challenges faced within the community. As these challenges appear on the doorstep of county officials, local governments often face complex decisions to effect substantive change.
The housing policy matchmaker aspires to be a resource for local officials, providing information that assists in understanding the elements of local housing markets, identifying key challenges and providing resources on policies that might help enhance the local housing landscape.
Recognizing that local governments vary in their available resources, as well as legal powers,there is no single comprehensive strategy that works for all places. Rather, the tool provides a data-informed assessment, referring local officials to resources that support county leaders’ continued actions to improve the affordability, quality and supply of local housing stock...
Explore the Tool
...Full Story Here
Leo’s notes: Rather than prescribing one-size-fits-all solutions, Housing Solutions Matchmaker tool emphasizes that housing challenges are inherently regional and require alignment across municipalities, funding sources, and regulatory frameworks. This reinforces a critical reality: no single jurisdiction can solve the housing crisis alone. The communities making the most progress are those acting regionally—aligning zoning, infrastructure, and funding tools across borders to scale housing production and affordability.
Ken Notes: There is no single solution but every County still has a problem. We need to build communities and neighborhoods to address the issue. Leo and I do have ideas that we have seen work in both the cities of Madison and Milwaukee and small rural communities across the state and we will continue to share as long as we can.
La Crosse County Farm development inches forward, despite pushback from West Salem
A study commissioned by La Crosse County found the County Farm property in West Salem could support 1,145 housing units.Consultants presented the study to the La Crosse County Board on Monday after presenting a similar, countywide housing assessment. They maintained that the 111-acre property near Lake Neshonoc would be attractive to both developers and renters.
They also cautioned that the project’s greatest risk was community resistance — a concern that seems well-founded.
Leo's notes: As an advocate for housing affordability and reform, this development underscores a familiar challenge across Wisconsin: large-scale sites capable of meaningfully addressing housing shortages often encounter local resistance before planning even begins. With La Crosse County projected to need roughly 4,900 new housing units over the next decade, projects like the County Farm property could play a critical role in regional supply — but only if local governments, school districts and residents are brought into the conversation early and collaboratively.
Construction underway on downtown Madison workforce housing development
MADISON, Wis. — Construction crews have broken ground on The Bankston Apartments on West Mifflin Street as demand grows for downtown housing that essential workers can afford.The 40-unit development represents a partnership between SSM Health and Madison Development Corporation to address the growing shortage of workforce housing in downtown Madison. The project targets middle-income workers who are increasingly priced out of the downtown housing market.
Leo's notes: Construction has begun on The Bankston Apartments in downtown Madison, a 40-unit workforce housing project developed through a partnership between SSM Health and Madison Development Corporation. Projects like this highlight an important shift: employers, nonprofits and community lenders stepping in where the market alone cannot meet workforce housing needs. If communities want to remain economically competitive and livable, expanding housing options for the workers who keep cities running must remain a central priority.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson declares 2026 the 'year of housing' in his State of the City address
MILWAUKEE — Hundreds crowded the Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy gymnasium Monday evening to hear Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson present his annual State of the City of Milwaukee address.
During his speech, Johnson shared how he’s declared 2026 the year of housing. Focusing on three factors — affordability, availability and quality.
“Everyone who currently lives in Milwaukee and everyone who wants to live in Milwaukee should have access to an affordable, safe home that meets their needs,” said Johnson....
...Full Story Here
Leo's notes: As highlighted by Mayor Johnson’s speech, housing is no longer a side initiative — it’s core economic and public policy strategy. Milwaukee’s approach of pairing financing tools with ecosystem-building (ownership pathways, workforce units, safety investments) reflects a more comprehensive model that other cities will need to replicate to meaningfully move the needle.
Workforce housing branches out
POYNETTE — In April 2025, Leah White and her aunt moved into an apartment in the new Point Gardens, an 80-acre development just beyond Dane County’s borders in neighboring Columbia County. White said she was seeking housing at an affordable price point and a community that felt safe, healthy and connected.Her window overlooks a courtyard of community gardens that have yet to awaken, but they’re beautiful during the growing season, she said. White has cultivated tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce and rhubarb.
Leo's notes: With homes priced below Dane County averages and apartments leasing quickly, Point Gardens in Poynette highlights how demand is spilling into nearby communities where land, entitlement and infrastructure costs are more manageable. While this expands access, it also raises long-term questions about commute patterns, regional planning, and whether core cities can adapt quickly enough to retain their workforce. Interesting trend worth following closely...
A federal housing bill could reshape who owns single-family homes. In Wausau, the stakes are personal.
A Senate-passed package takes aim at Wall Street landlords — but one provision is drawing scrutiny from builders who say central Wisconsin can’t afford to lose any housing investment.
A regional planning study projected demand for more than 2,000 housing units in the Wausau metropolitan area by 2025. A separate 2022 assessment identified a need for at least 586 additional affordable units in the city alone. A 56-unit affordable housing complex on Wausau’s west side — announced in 2021 — only recently neared completion, delayed for years by a financing gap.
Leo's notes: Despite federal momentum behind the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, local leaders in Wausau point to persistent shortages in entry-level homes, workforce rentals, and “missing middle” housing, all driven by rising construction costs, financing gaps, and regulatory delays. As I’ve mentioned before, it is supply—not speculation—that continues to constraint most of our Wisconsin communities (Midwest markets too!). While limiting institutional investors may resonate politically, communities like Wausau will see the greatest impact from policies that reduce barriers to building, unlock financing, and enable attainable housing at scale...
‘They are squeezing everybody in this park to death’: Owners of manufactured homes get little protection as private equity moves in
Experts estimate that more than 100,000 Wisconsin residents live in manufactured homes, the more accurate name for what many call mobile homes or trailers — structures that make up the country’s largest portion of unsubsidized low-income housing. Many live in parks where they own their homes but rent the land beneath them.But Wisconsin’s government is failing to enforce basic protections for residents at a time when private equity firms are buying up parks to maximize profits, a Wisconsin Watch/WPR investigation found.
Wisconsin law requires operators to keep parks “in a clean, safe, orderly and sanitary condition at all times.” The Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) is supposed to enforce that law and licensing standards. But it rarely inspects parks, allows many to go unlicensed and doesn’t even know which parks are operating... ...Full Story Here
Leo's notes: As private equity increasingly acquires parks, residents — who often cannot afford to relocate their homes — face growing instability with few clear avenues for recourse. This highlights a critical gap: preserving affordability without enforcing standards is not true housing stability. If manufactured housing is to remain a viable part of the affordability solution, Wisconsin must modernize oversight, strengthen tenant protections and treat this sector as essential infrastructure — not an afterthought.
Ken Notes: If the Wisconsin Legislature really wanted to make a difference in housing in Wisconsin they would draft regulations requiring investors to maintain clean safe home sites for their residents or lose the property. Also provide for a safe way to report abuse without fear of reprisal.
Northmarq Arranges $23M Sale and $18.265M Acquisition Financing for Douglas Terrace Apartments in Wisconsin
Northmarq’s Chicago Investment Sales team led by Alex Malzone, Parker Stewart, Dominic Martinez and Jake Lamb, in collaboration with its Chicago Debt + Equity team led by Brett Hood and Kevin McCarthy, successfully arranged the sale and acquisition financing of Douglas Terrace Apartments, a 202-unit garden apartment community located at 3706 Douglas Ave. in Racine, Wisconsin.Northmarq completed the $23 million sale representing the seller, MLG Capital LLC. The buyer was a private capital group from Illinois... ...Full Story Here
Leo's notes: transactions like this highlight a key dynamic: existing workforce housing is not only in short supply, but increasingly viewed as a stable, high-performing investment opportunity. While capital flowing into these assets reinforces their value, it also reinforces the urgency for communities to preserve and expand workforce housing inventory so affordability is not eroded as demand — and investor interest — continues to rise.
553 affordable housing units set to open in Madison
Madison is set for a major boost to its affordable housing supply on lands formerly belonging to Oscar Mayer.
The six-story Victoria at Huxley Yards — a 250-unit senior living complex with one- and two-bedroom apartments — is fully leased with most of its residents set to move in April 1. The View at Huxley Yards, a 303-apartment building with units ranging from one- through four-bedrooms, saw its first residents move in last week.
Both complexes are rent-restricted for residents making 50-70% of the area median income of roughly $90,000 for an individual or $130,000 for a family of four, according to Abby Thomas, regional manager at Seldin Co., the Omaha-based firm that manages both properties. Interest in both facilities has been high, with the company fielding around 150 inquiries a week from prospective residents, Thomas said...
...Full Story Here
Leo's notes: The Victoria (250 senior units) and The View (303 family-oriented units) are fully or rapidly leasing, serving households earning 50–70% of area median income, with additional deeply affordable units planned in a future phase. For communities facing persistent shortages, this model shows how underutilized sites can be repositioned into high-impact housing assets that serve seniors, families and the workforce alike.
Governors Applaud Progress on Housing Affordability
Washington, DC – Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, co-chairs of the National Governors Association (NGA) Education, Workforce and Community Investment Task Force, released the following statement on congressional consideration of the “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.”
“Governors have been on the frontlines of housing affordability and are pleased that Congress is now working to deliver the bold, supply-side leadership that states have pioneered,” commented Govs. Evers and Gordon. “Governors welcome alignment at the federal level with the approach they have long championed and stand ready to be partners in implementation. America cannot achieve economic competitiveness, workforce mobility or intergenerational opportunity without adequate, affordable housing. Governors have built the case, and we welcome Congress answering the call.”
This federal action directly reflects the bipartisan consensus Governors forged at NGA’s 2025 Winter Meeting, when they unanimously approved federal priorities including:
- Increasing housing supply by strengthening the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and giving states and territories the tools necessary to streamline zoning, permitting, and land use policies.
- Accelerating infrastructure project delivery and streamlining permitting to reduce the cost burden on developers and local governments while retaining critical review processes.
- Ensuring federal action is state led and locally driven — avoiding one-size-fits-all mandates that undermine gubernatorial authority.
...Full Story Here
Leo's notes: Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon are urging stronger federal action on housing as Congress considers the “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.” They also highlighted the importance of streamlining permitting and ensuring solutions remain state-led and locally driven. The message is clear: expanding housing supply is essential not only for affordability, but for workforce mobility, economic competitiveness and long-term community stability.
New Housing Benefits Residents and Community in Madison's Hawthorne Area
Madison, Wisconsin, has been growing steadily. Between 2010 and 2021, Dane County, the city's home, added more than 38,000 jobs and welcomed nearly 42,000 new households yet permitted only 34,000 new housing units. This shortage of housing contributed to an increase in the median price of a home from $226,000 in 2010 to $369,000 in 2022, exceeding the overall growth rate of home values in Wisconsin, and average rents rose by 28 percent over the same period. In response, Dane County has set a goal of adding 35,300 new workforce housing units for households earning up to 60 percent of the area median income (AMI) by 2040. In 2025, the opening of Rise Madison in the city's Hawthorne neighborhood helped close some of this gap, adding 245 units of income-limited housing as one of the largest government-subsidized housing developments to open in the state's history.
Project Background
Rise Madison is built on the 6-acre site of a former bakery; "Rise" refers both to the goal of uplifting the community and to the rise that yeasted dough undergoes in breadmaking...
...Full Story Here
Leo's notes: scale, mixed-income design, and integration with infrastructure and community assets all matter. Projects like this show that when public tools, zoning flexibility, and community alignment come together, housing can do more than fill units — it can actively strengthen neighborhoods.
New affordable housing in Duluth
Duluth’s inventory of affordable housing expanded on Friday with the grand opening of two new supportive housing developments: Wadena West and Welch Place Apartments.
Located next to each other on 52nd Avenue West, the new buildings offer a total of 90 units designated for single adults experiencing homelessness. As supportive housing, the apartments pair affordable rent with on?site services designed to help residents stabilize and rebuild their lives...
...The $31 million project was funded through a blend of local, state, and federal support. Major contributors included: Minnesota Housing, St. Louis County, City of Duluth, and Private investment partners...
...Full Story Here
Leo's notes: As communities look to reduce homelessness long-term, investments like this demonstrate how housing, health and social services must work together to create lasting outcomes. Affordable housing alone is not enough for the most vulnerable populations — supportive services must be integrated into the model.
Plans Approved for 39-Unit Affordable Housing Apartment
Sturgeon Bay’s Aesthetic Design and Site Plan Review Board approved plans on March 9 for Spoerl Commercial to build the first phase of an affordable housing project along North 14th Avenue. The initial phase calls for a three-story, 39-unit apartment building south of Georgia Street.
Developer Brian Spoerl has been awarded low-income housing tax credits through the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) to offer the units to households earning between 30-60% of Door County’s area median income.
Spoerl said his affordable housing project is “feasible and financeable,” with one-bedroom apartments for residents earning 30% of the county’s area medium income renting for $479 per month...
...Full Story Here
Leos’ notes: Sturgeon Bay is advancing an affordable housing development after site plan approval for the project’s first phase. Supported by Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, the project illustrates the reality housing developers face today — careful design adjustments and cost controls are often required just to keep affordable housing financially feasible. For communities like Door County, where workforce housing shortages continue to grow, projects like this represent an essential step toward restoring balance in the local housing market.
The Amazingly High Cost of Housing
Why the American Dream is becoming impossible in Wisconsin
That might sound like a city issue, for those who are less well-to-do. In fact, the problem of “housing affordability” and “housing availability” noted by the mayor is one that has become a massive issue across America. The statistics on this are jaw dropping...
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson declares 2026 the 'year of housing' in his State of the City address
Ken Notes: We may have mentioned this -- in fact weekly for the last five years. We need to address this as a community by working together...
Wisconsin Workforce Housing Resources
...Full Story Here
Wisconsin REALTORS® Association
Central Wisconsin housing summit aims to spark solutions April 15
Central Wisconsin leaders gather April 15 for a hands-on housing summit focused on supply, affordability, needs, and small?scale development.
STEVENS POINT ? The Central Wisconsin Housing Summit is set for April 15 at the Dreyfus University Center in Stevens Point.
The event will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It aims to bring together regional leaders, housing professionals, employers, developers, lenders, educators and community members to address housing challenges in the area, according to a community announcement.
The summit will focus on practical solutions for housing supply, affordability, workforce development and neighborhood reinvestment. It will include an overview of regional housing efforts, featuring new findings from the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission’s Regional Housing Study......Full Story Here
Leos’ notes: A great initiative that will bring together community leaders, developers and lenders to focus on practical solutions to housing supply, affordability and workforce development. The event will feature new insights from the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission’s Regional Housing Study and a keynote from UW–Madison urban planning professor Kurt Paulsen. A great opportunity to move beyond discussion and build coordinated regional action to increase housing development and reinvestment.
Madison officials float more financing tools to expand affordable housing supply
The City of Madison Economic Development Division discussed using tax incremental financing to support affordable housing development during a Housing Policy Committee meeting last week.
Madison officials are turning to new housing policies and financing tools as the city works to keep pace with rapid growth and one of the lowest rental vacancy rates in the country.
Launched in 2021, the city’s Housing Forward initiative aims to help create 15,000 new homes by 2030 through expanding housing choice. Some of the completed milestones include renovating rental homes and public housing units, constructing additional affordable housing and creating a transit district that prioritizes walking and biking access to bus lines.
To continue creating affordable housing throughout Madison, the city’s Economic Development Division said their staff has three main focuses: “[Monitor changes in TIF policies, strategically purchase land and provide accessible public transportation].”
At the committee meeting, Madison’s Economic Development Division Director Matt Mikolajewski said lawmakers at the Capitol have been revising state housing laws in recent weeks...
...Full Story Here
Leo's notes: Madison officials are expanding their use of Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) as part of the city’s Housing Forward initiative, which aims to create 15,000 new homes by 2030. City leaders say tools like strategic land acquisition, transit-oriented development and flexible TIF policy will be essential to closing the housing gap. Proposed state changes allowing longer TIF use for affordable housing and stacking multiple financing programs could significantly increase development feasibility. The pattern remains clear- solving the housing shortage will require creative use of public financing tools alongside private investment.
‘Missing middle’: La Crosse at ‘kickoff’ of plan to incentivize new family homes
The city of La Crosse is beginning a new push to incentivize the construction of family homes.The city’s Economic & Community Development Commission unanimously passed a policy outline for the Housing Incentive Fund, which would dedicate millions to building housing geared toward families and homeowners.
Leo's notes: La Crosse is taking a notable step to rebalance its housing strategy, advancing a new Housing Incentive Fund aimed at supporting single-family and “missing middle” development. Backed by roughly $1.5–$2 million, the program signals a shift from a rental-heavy pipeline toward homeownership opportunities — particularly for families. If structured well, targeted incentives like this can help close the feasibility gap for builders and reintroduce the kinds of housing — duplexes, triplexes, starter homes — that are essential for long-term community stability and generational wealth.
New DeForest affordable housing program utilizes multi-pronged approach
The Village of DeForest has officially launched its new affordable housing program, HomeReach DeForest, after the village board unanimously approved it on Tuesday, March 17.
The program is split into two parts: the Affordable Housing Development Fund and the Home Improvement and Downpayment Assistance Fund.
“HomeReach DeForest is about making sure our community remains accessible and livable for a wide range of residents,” DeForest Community Development Director Alex Allon said. “This program allows us to support both new housing development and the people who already call DeForest home.”...
...Full Story Here
Leo's notes: this is a strong example of using TIF not just for projects, but as a sustained housing ecosystem tool — supporting both supply and stability. For growing communities like DeForest, balancing new development with resident retention will be critical to maintaining long-term affordability and community continuity.
Cohousing Promises Lower Costs. Why Hasn’t It Worked in the US?
From shared meals to shared tools, cohousing offers a vision of lower-cost, community-centered living. While that vision is taking hold in the UK, communities in the US face barriers that drive up costs and limit who can participate.
Cohousing residential communities are designed to foster neighborliness, encouraging practices like borrowing ingredients from neighbors, sharing occasional meals, and watching one another’s children. Cohousing is a “community intentionally designed with ample common spaces surrounded by private homes,” according to the Cohousing Association of the United States (CohoUS), a national nonprofit that promotes these types of neighborhoods.
As CohoUS Board President Laurie Frank explains, “You bring in architects who know how to build for people who connect. … You’re always crossing paths. An example is that parking is on the outskirts of the building, not right outside your door.”
Nationally, there are about 160 cohousing communities across the U.S., says Trish Becker-Hafnor, CohoUS’s executive director. Industry numbers are imprecise, but a cohousing community in Santa Cruz, California, estimates that around 13,000 people nationally and over 60,000 worldwide live in cohousing communities. These communities are typically structured legally as condominiums, though other structures such as cooperatives can be used...
Notes: Leo's notes: While traditionally costly in the U.S., emerging models that pair cohousing with tools like community land trusts or retrofit existing neighborhoods are beginning to lower barriers and expand access. Simply put, affordability is not just about unit cost, but about shared resources, reduced space needs, and social infrastructure. If integrated with proven affordability tools, cohousing could become a meaningful part of the “missing middle” solution — blending housing supply with stronger, more resilient communities...
Baldwin Holds Housing Roundtable in Wausau
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — US Senator Tammy Baldwin was in Wausau on Monday to hear about the region’s housing crunch.
The discussion focused on several ways the housing shortage has impacted people, including businesses and individuals. She says she was glad to hear some companies are getting creative to solve the problem.
“They are looking at how their business can help meet this need,” said Baldwin. “Whether that’s the modular home industry, where they can create efficiencies of scale, or [developers] that have been focusing their construction efforts on affordable and workforce housing.”...
...Full Story Here
Leo’s notes: Tammy Baldwin addressed the housing shortage in Wausau, highlighting solutions like modular construction and employer-driven initiatives. She also promoted the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which would cap corporate ownership of single-family homes and encourage rent-to-own. This dual-track approach aims to address supply through innovation and rebalance ownership dynamics. However, long-term relief depends on scaling production, particularly workforce and attainable housing- alongside policy changes.
Milwaukee officials pitch $4.7 million in TIF funding for two affordable housing projects
Milwaukee officials are proposing two new tax incremental financing districts totaling about $4.7 million to support affordable housing developments in Bay View and the Near West Side. The first proposal would provide $2.6 million toward the redevelopment of a vacant former hospital at 2711 W. Wells St. into 124 affordable housing units. The project, ......Full Story Here
Leo's notes: Milwaukee’s proposal of two new Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) districts totaling roughly $4.7 million to support affordable housing underscores a growing trend: adaptive reuse paired with TIF is becoming a critical tool to unlock otherwise infeasible projects. As construction costs remain high, leveraging underutilized buildings and targeted public financing will be essential to scaling affordable housing in built-out urban areas.
Ken Notes: We need a new program for communities to buy and improve properties then ask builders, developers, and others to build homes for sale at unsubsidized affordable prices for our workforce. P.S. Sorry if the paywall prevents you from reading the details...
https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2026/03/31/johnson-state-of-the-city-
LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- Housing affordability in Wisconsin could be improving despite continued price increases and low inventory, according to a new real estate report from the Wisconsin Realtors Association.
The report shows home sales decreased 1.2% in February while prices continued to climb. According to the WRA, the median home price in western Wisconsin was $317,000.
In February, mortgage rates were lower and the number of listings increased, suggesting conditions may be shifting in favor of buyers.
"With the inventory low, you typically see competing offers and the competing offers tend to push prices higher. Whereas if we have more houses and less competition for those houses, obviously the prices will stabilize," said Mike Pietrek, former president of the La Crosse Area Realtors Association...
...Full Story Here
Leo's notes: Even with a shift toward more listings and potential reduction in bidding pressure and slow price escalation, this "market relief” still isn’t helping with the needed structural change. Improved inventory may help buyers at the margins, but affordability will remain constrained until supply meaningfully expands — particularly in entry-level and workforce price ranges where demand continues to far outpace available homes...
Opportunity Zone Program Presents Strategic Window for Multifamily and Affordable Housing Investment
Real estate developers, investors, and community leaders have a unique opportunity in the coming months to ensure that state officials appropriately designate low-income census tracts that will most benefit from investment dollars related to the federal Opportunity Zone program.Since the enactment of the program in 2017, Qualified Opportunity Zones across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories have attracted significant private investment, fueling housing development, job creation and economic revitalization in underserved communities.
With the current Opportunity Zone program set to sunset as of Dec. 31, 2026, recently enacted legislation expands and makes permanent Opportunity Zone tax benefits for investments made on or after Jan. 1, 2027, into newly designated Qualified Opportunity Zones.
Leo's notes: Recent updates to the Opportunity Zone Program — including rolling tax deferrals and enhanced incentives for rural areas — could make it an even more powerful tool for financing affordable and workforce housing after 2026. Another critical moment to act upon is here, as Opportunity Zones mapping will directly shape where capital flows for the next decade. If aligned intentionally, the program can help unlock housing in communities that are both underserved and development-ready — but without that alignment, it risks missing the areas that need it most.
USDA funds home repairs investments in 11 Wisconsin counties
STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WKOW) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development announced new funding for home repairs in 11 Wisconsin counties. The initiative is meant to assist low to very low-income homeowners with essential health and safety updates.
"Under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, USDA Rural Development is committed to ensuring safe, affordable housing for rural Wisconsinites," said Andrew C. Iverson, Wisconsin state director. "Every Wisconsinite deserves a safe place to call home. This investment makes it more affordable for families, seniors and individuals with disabilities to remain in their homes with the accessibility and security that is needed so they can live independently."..
...Full Story Here
Leo's notes: Local partners, including Habitat for Humanity affiliates, will use the funding to improve safety, energy efficiency and accessibility for dozens of households. This program is a reminder that preservation is one of the most cost-effective housing strategies available— especially in rural markets where new construction is limited. Helping residents stay safely in their homes not only stabilizes communities, but also protects existing affordable housing stock that would be far more expensive to replace...
Affordable housing bill headed to US Senate
WASHINGTON, March 12 (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate on Thursday was poised to pass legislation aimed at boosting affordable housing construction nationwide, giving lawmakers the ability to campaign for re-election this year by highlighting efforts to ease the burden of high living costs.The legislation, spearheaded by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott of South Carolina, a conservative Republican, and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, the progressive senior Democrat on that panel, would have to be reviewed and voted on by the House of Representatives if it passes the Senate, as is expected.
Leo's notes: The U.S. Senate is advancing bipartisan legislation aimed at boosting affordable housing construction and addressing the nation’s estimated 4 million home shortage. In summary, the proposal includes incentives to increase housing supply, streamline permitting, expand financing through federal block grants, and raise loan limits for multifamily housing. The bill also proposes limits on large institutional investors purchasing single-family homes, reflecting growing concern about investor competition in the housing market. This effort signals rare bipartisan recognition that increasing housing supply must be central to addressing affordability and easing pressure on first-time buyers.
Bridging the Housing Gap: Stories from Two Midwest Communities
An Innovative Cities Lecture
Communities of every size are facing mounting housing shortages—from overall supply constraints to the lack of affordable options. This session explores practical strategies for expanding housing availability through the experiences of a mid-sized Wisconsin city (La Crosse) and a small Minnesota community (Wabasha). Learn how each community gathers and uses data to demonstrate need, applies a range of financing tools to make projects feasible, and implements planning approaches designed to attract investors, encourage development, and deliver more housing where it’s needed most.
...Full Story Here
Ken Notes: Lecture at the link...
134 households ‘at risk of going homeless’ as northeast Wisconsin nonprofit abruptly closes
Closure came amid more than $2M deficit, calls from lawmakers for investigation into taxpayer funds
Newcap, which served low-income residents in 10 counties for more than 50 years, announced the closure on Tuesday. The nonprofit, funded primarily through state and federal grants, previously said it planned to close “sometime this year” but didn’t specify when....
Ken Notes: One more reason we need a new model to allow for actually affordable homes not subsidized homes. There are a number of nonprofits operating from grant to grant...
Work could start by summer on apartments near former Milwaukee Walmart
Construction could start by late summer on an affordable apartment community near a long-closed Walmart store in Milwaukee‘s central city.The 100-unit first phase of Midtown Commons is planned for a parking lot east of North 60th Street and north of West Hope Avenue.
That’s just north of the Walmart, 5825 W. Hope Ave., which closed in 2016, and south of a former Lowe’s store converted in 2018 into a distribution center for Sellars Absorbent Materials, 5800 W. Hope Ave.
Ken Notes: We should require that development sites have an exit strategy so that the locations do not remain vacant for years. This could be a key in providing more workforce housing in a region. And for our community development leaders this can be built into you development agreements. We almost always fail to think about what happens when, especially when a shiny new project is promising great retail, office or other use and the new tax revenue that comes with it.
Did you know that Walmart typically plans for an initial occupancy period of 15 to 20 years when developing new projects. While their buildings are often designed with a specific structural lifespan of roughly 15 to 30 years...
About Wisconsin Workforce Housing News (WWHNews.com)
Across Wisconsin many employees can simply not afford to live where they work. This is true in big cities and small rural communities. Both the availability and price of housing is not in line with the needs of those working in jobs that are vital to the success of our communities. Imagine a firefighter, teacher, city employee, service, or retail worker not able to afford a home in the community they serve.
List of Housing Resources
WRA Wisconsin Housing Statistics (Thanks Jon!)
State of Wisconsin Department of Administration Neighborhood Investment Fund (NIF) Program
ENABLING BETTER PLACES: A USER’S GUIDE TO WISCONSIN NEIGHBORHOOD AFFORDABILITY
WHEDA’s Rural Affordable Workforce Housing Initiative
Wisconsin REALTORS® Association
WISCAP Affordable Housing Network
Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources
Housing Authority City of Milwaukee (HACM)
Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corp
WEDA Legislative Tracker
NRA Housing Needs By State / Wisconsin
DANE WORKFORCE HOUSING FUND
Dane County Regional Housing Strategy (RHS)
A Housing Hurdle: Demographics Drive Need for More Homes
Wisconsin Homeowners Alliance
WRA’s “Falling Behind” report
Social Development Commission - Pathway to success
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE
Middleton Workforce Housing Committe
Milwaukee’s Collective Affordable Housing Strategic Plan
Workforce Housing Initiative For Wisconsin
2020 Symposia Series on Workforce Housing
Wisconsin Homeowners Alliance.org/resources/
City of Milwaukee Affordability Report
WHEDA Qualified Allocation Plan
10-Year Plan to End Homelessness
City of Milwaukee Consolidated Plan
Wisconsin Consolidated Plan
SEWRPC Regional Housing Plan
Wisconsin Policy Forum Reports
Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights
White House Fact Sheet on Rental Affordability
Community Economic Development / Division of Extension
Oshkosh Kids Foundation Tiny House Village