EAU CLAIRE (WQOW) - The Wisconsin Realtors Association released their final real estate report for 2024, and it remains a tough market for home buyers across the state.

December saw an increase in closings compared to 2023, but prices continued to rise. The median price for a home went up 8.8% from 2023 up to $310,000.

Wisconsin also saw a 10% decline in the overall affordability of housing, which factors in mortgage rates, median home price, and median family income.

David Clark, a consultant with the Wisconsin Realtors Association, said that decline was driven mostly by the increase in prices...

December 2024 Home Sales Report

SEE ALSO:

Wisconsin housing prices continued to increase in 2024 (video)

Housing report finds homes were less affordable in 2024 but sales were up

Affordability is down: What Wisconsin home buyers can do to navigate the housing market

Green Bay, Fox Cities, lakeshore area home sales, prices increase to end 2024: 7 takeaways

February’s report, “What local governments must do to participate in WHEDA’s workforce and senior housing low interest loan programs,” is the 12th and final briefing paper in the series. We highly recommend you read it and share with those interested in helping increase the housing supply here in the Badger State.

Along with the reports are monthly interviews that Mr. Witynski conducts with local experts on Wisconsin’s housing dilemma. We also encourage you to watch and share these insightful voices that help shed light on how to tackle Wisconsin’s housing needs.

READ THE REPORT!

Grants are also available to support housing in mixed-use buildings.

Tiny Houses for Homeless Veterans | Veterans Community Project

From April 28 through May 3, 2025, La Crosse Housing Week will offer a series of events and gatherings for community members to learn about local housing issues and how to get involved. Please join us! All events are free and open to the public. At each event, you’ll learn simple ways you can make change in the La Crosse community.

Sustainable Futures: Housing as a Catalyst for Healthier Communities with Habitat for Humanity

Case Study: City of Middleton Zoning Code Rewrite

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WEAU) - Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region and other local organizations are hosting the first La Crosse Housing Week. It will offer a series of events and gatherings for community members to learn about local housing issues.

Natalie Heneghan with Habitat for Humanity says they wanted to create La Crosse Housing Week because the city needs more affordable housing.

“For too long the wages in our community have not kept up with the cost of housing, the cost to build housing, and the lost of land and construction. We really want to draw attention to this issue and invite members of the public into this conversation. It shouldn’t just be housing advocates and organizations talking about housing. Housing affects every single person in our community. We want to invite more people into the conversation to shape a better La Crosse,” says Heneghan.

Part of the housing week involves a missing middle housing tour, which allows people to take a closer look at places with multiple housing units on the same lot. Heneghan says modern zoning codes have made housing options like this less available...

The State of Wisconsin is giving the green light to three proposed affordable housing projects in Milwaukee.

The funding commitments are part of 27 awards being made across the state by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA).

Each of the projects is receiving an allocation of low-income housing tax credits, the most commonly used affordable housing tool in Wisconsin, through WHEDA’s annual competitive funding allocation.

“We were able to fund nearly all applications for tax credits this year, helping to build affordable housing for even more people in Wisconsin,” said WHEDA CEO and Executive Director Elmer Moore Jr. in a statement. “Housing tax credits are one of the most critical tools developers can use to build a strong inventory of safe, affordable housing for people to call home.”

The winning Milwaukee projects are a new building at Midtown Center, new senior apartments in Bay View and a redevelopment of the building used for the Milwaukee County City Campus offices (and formerly Doctor’s Hospital)...

The City’s largest housing development in progress continues to be the Rock River Ridge, on the former Bethesda property at 700 Hoffman Dr., with 188 total units. 16 homes have already been sold and Harbor Homes is a year ahead of schedule on purchasing property lots from the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation, due to demand.

Council gets in the weeds on deal to redevelop state`s third tallest building

1) aligning existing housing supply and new construction with employer hiring needs

2) expediting construction of Workforce Housing

3) targeting market awareness of housing options and benefits

A dozen bills, some aimed at addressing the need for affordable workforce housing according to their Republican authors, passed the Assembly’s Housing and Real Estate Committee Thursday, with all but three gaining bipartisan support.

Several of the measures have already been put on the tentative calendar for the Assembly floor session scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 7.

AB 182, would modify Wisconsin’s low-income housing tax credit and require the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) to ensure that 35% of the tax credits it allocates are for projects in rural areas of Wisconsin.

AB 449 would require local municipalities with zoning to permit accessory dwelling units on the property of existing single family homes.

AB 451 would create residential tax incremental districts, to encourage residential developments with the resulting increases in property tax collection used to fund infrastructure investment. That measure passed the panel 12-2.

AB 454 would establish a workforce home loan fund through WHEDA to provide gap financing for new construction or significant rehabilitation of a single family home for the borrower.

AB 455 would establish a grant program at WHEDA for the owners of apartment buildings to offset converting their properties to condominiums. In an unanimous vote, the committee approved an amendment from state Rep. Lori Palmeri (D-Oshkosh) requiring grant recipients to give current occupants in a building being converted an opportunity to purchase their unit....

The City of Madison’s Sustainability Program has been awarded a $20 million grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Community Change Grants program. With this funding, Madison will lead a collaborative project to provide home energy upgrades, saving money on energy bills, improving indoor air quality, and cutting climate pollution.

A recent city report highlights Madison`s housing affordability and availability issues, including the fact that 47% (including college students) can`t afford their housing.

Wisconsin needs to build up to 227K housing units by 2030

Demand for services is `overwhelming` across the state, according to CEO

Local affiliates of Habitat for Humanity of Wisconsin are uniting in Green Bay to continue addressing the state’s affordable housing crisis.

For 40 years, the organization has served hundreds of low-income families as housing costs steadily rise across the state.

According to the Wisconsin Realtors Association, the median price of a home is $293,000...

Praire Eco Cottages holds open house event highlighting housing development that addresses growing costs

Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) is recognizing Affordable Housing Week (May 12-16) by travelling the state to host collaborative conversations on ways the department’s work regarding building codes could potentially lead to an increase in affordable housing development in Wisconsin.

DSPS Secretary Dan Hereth will visit multiple affordable housing facilities, engaging developers, architects, and other key stakeholders.

RACINE, WI — As Wisconsin confronts a shortfall of more than 227,000 housing units by 2030, state and local officials, developers, and housing advocates gathered at the new Arabella Apartments in Racine on Monday, May 12, to discuss one of the most pressing issues facing the state: how to build more affordable housing amid rising costs, outdated building regulations, and federal funding uncertainty.

The Arabella Apartments, part of the larger Belle City Square redevelopment of the former Horlick Malted Milk complex, features 60 rent-restricted units. The site served as a backdrop for a panel discussion on the intersection of policy, building codes, and affordability...

Cinnaire closes $340 million LIHTC fund, the largest in organization’s history

RICE LAKE, WI — Governor Tony Evers and Elmer Moore Jr., chief executive officer and executive director of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA), visited Hayward, Wisconsin, on June 16 to tour the future site of Trailview Cottages. The visit also included a roundtable discussion with local and regional leaders about the scope and potential impact of the development.

Trailview Cottages is a 40-unit multifamily workforce housing community being developed through a partnership between Northwood Technical College and IMPACT Seven. Supported by the Housing Opportunity and Mobile Education Solutions (HOMES) Workforce Innovation Grant, the project is located on a 15-acre parcel at the corner of Highway 77 and Hospital Road. It is one of three housing and workforce initiatives in the Northwood Tech District aimed at addressing critical housing shortages while offering on-site job training for area residents...

Co-authors of UW-Extension study speak on connection of health, housing, ways to address housing stress

PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. — Charities in Ozaukee County continue to work against a shortage of affordable housing in the area.

Joana Hemschemeyer works for the local chapter of Family Promise, an organization working to combat housing insecurity in the area, even among professions like teaching and firemen.

"The workers who are living here in Ozaukee County can`t afford to live here," Hemschemeyer said.

Family Promise operates a shelter outside of downtown Port Washington. The organization works directly with landlords to help individuals and working families find homes, particularly those who have experienced setbacks like job loss, medical debt, car accidents or criminal records...

Rep. Rob Brooks has announced a package of bills to build on last session’s bipartisan housing legislation and efforts to boost affordable housing in Wisconsin. 

Brooks, who chairs the Assembly Housing and Real Estate Committee, led a series of housing bills Gov. Tony Evers signed into law in 2023. The package sought to address the state’s housing shortage, setting aside $525 million for affordable housing development loans. 

At a Capitol press conference yesterday, Brooks joined fellow Republicans and stakeholders in announcing the latest effort. 

Brooks said Wisconsin is in an affordable housing crisis. 

A series of bills aimed at addressing what lawmakers called a “crisis” in the lack of workforce housing would redirect tens of millions of dollars from past workforce housing initiatives.

Wisconsin in 2023 set aside $525 million for affordable housing development loans aimed at growing the state’s housing stock and getting new homebuyers into housing. But some of the programs included haven’t seen significant use two years down the road. 

The last state budget set aside $100 million for the main street housing rehabilitation revolving loan funding program. Rental property owners could get up to $20,000 per rental unit for upgrades on apartments above retail spaces. But Sen. Dan Feyen during an Assembly Housing and Real Estate Committee public hearing yesterday said only $19 million of that has been doled out so far...

Republicans want lower property taxes and less regulation. Democrats emphasize funding affordable housing development programs and renter rights. Both want to incentivize developers to build cheaper options.

Western Wisconsin Health (WWH) and St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity (SCV Habitat) are proud to announce a meaningful partnership aimed at improving community health by expanding access to safe, stable and affordable housing.

WWH has donated a parcel of land near the original Baldwin hospital site to SCV Habitat, supporting the construction of future Habitat homes for local families in need.

The organizations are currently working closely with the Village of Baldwin to finalize property access and development details, with plans to begin building in spring 2026.

Access to stable housing plays a critical role in overall well-being. According to studies highlighted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), safe and affordable housing are directly linked to improved health outcomes, reduced health disparities, and greater health equity...

Key Points:

• The real estate company Redfin says Madison will be one of America`s hottest housing markets in 2026.
  
  
• The Great Lakes region has wide appeal because of affordability and being a `relatively safe haven` against climate change, the report says.
  
  
• Madison`s rapid growth is creating a housing crunch that city leaders are struggling to solve.
  
  
• Heat, wildfire smoke and flooding worsened by climate change still affect Madison.

When Lafayette Crump was sworn in as Milwaukee’s commissioner of city development in 2020, the city faced a series of stubborn challenges

When Lafayette Crump was sworn in as Milwaukee’s commissioner of city development in 2020, the city faced a series of stubborn challenges: a widening gap in housing quality between white and minority residents, a Downtown still grappling with vacant commercial buildings and districts of underused industrial land. Not long after, along came Covid.

Five years later, Commissioner Crump, 52, is still at the helm, steering projects that include redeveloping long-empty properties into affordable housing and coordinating with Public Works on the streets, sidewalks and public spaces that knit neighborhoods together. His work demands fluency in both economics and equity, skills he honed not in politics, but in law and the private sector...

Vilas home buyers struggle to find housing as prices vastly exceed income opportunities

The Salvation Army had big dreams for a former nursing home it had purchased in late summer 2021. Hopes ran high for renovating the structure into much-needed transitional housing before that winter, but construction issues bogged down the project and by last year reality set in: The building couldn`t be saved.

But a smaller structure on the property southwest of Barron has been renovated into housing and is now the temporary home of six to eight people.

Plus a bonus arrived on the Salvation Army`s doorstep: Two donated tiny homes, now waiting for occupants, symbolize the future as the Salvation Army pivots in its approach to housing.

Small proposal

Tiny homes are not new when it comes to proposed solutions to the area`s homeless and transitional housing crisis. Before COVID-19 struck in 2020, a couple had been built with plans to settle them in Barron County.

Made in a variety of materials, tiny homes, sometimes no larger than 400 square feet, started making appearances on the housing scene in the early 1990s. By 2019, they had come to the attention of Lori Zahrbock, then the executive director of Benjamin`s House Homeless Shelter in Rice Lake. After a visit to the tiny home community Hope Village in Chippewa Falls, she proposed placing a few on Heart Island near the shelter, said Jenny Jorgenson, a member of the steering committee of Community Connections to Prosperity...

TOWN OF ERIN, Wis. — There is a proposal to save a centuries-old church in the Town of Erin. However, not everyone is on board.

Developers want to build condos on the property of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

"I moved to Erin. I want to be in Erin because of the rural beauty that it is. Let`s not wreck that,” a resident said during public comment.

Currently, multifamily properties are not allowed in the Town of Erin. However, a local developer is hoping to change that.

"And suddenly, we`re a community of condo farms instead of the rural atmosphere that we have maintained," resident Patty Schwendtner said...

Join City of Madison staff to reimagine the future of the pedestrian plaza areas on Mifflin and Carroll Streets where State Street meets the Capitol Square. Mifflin Plaza (formerly known as Philosophers` Grove) will be redesigned and rebuilt after construction of the adjacent Wisconsin History Center is completed.  Similarly, other phases will follow as redevelopment occurs, including a new Wisconsin Veterans Museum.

The first public meeting was held on January 30, 2025 and discussed the expanded scope of the redesign, future uses, design issues and examples of other public spaces. Meeting materials and a summary of comments and perpsectives shared.  City staff will compile comments heard in the meeting and in the survey response form in the coming weeks and post a meeting summary here.

Presentation slides

Meeting Video

Meeting questions (survey)

Meeting Comment Summary

A controversial plan to build affordable housing in McGovern Park will not move forward

A five-county region in central Wisconsin will need more than 11,000 additional housing units by 2040 to meet projected demand, according to a study from economic development group Centergy. 

The organization, which focuses on Adams, Lincoln, Marathon, Portage and Wood counties, yesterday released its Regional Housing Study. It highlights the “growing need for affordable, workforce-ready housing” across these counties even as changing economic trends have led to fewer residents than previously expected. 

The study references earlier figures from the state Department of Administration, which in 2013 projected the region would have 142,506 households by 2020. An updated estimate for 2023 puts that figure at 140,380, reflecting that the region didn’t grow as quickly as initially expected. But the region did see an “unexpected population bump” between 2020 and 2024, authors note...

...See the study. 

Aug. 13—SUPERIOR — U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin learned from local experts on Wednesday, Aug. 13, about efforts to stem the housing crisis in Wisconsin.

The roundtable discussion at the Entrepreneurial Center included city leaders, the Superior Housing Authority and CheqBUILT — a community land trust that serves residents in Ashland and Bayfield counties.

Statewide, an estimated 200,000 additional units of housing will be needed by 2030. In Superior, more than 3,600 units will be needed by 2035, according to a 2023 housing study by Maxfield Research & Consulting...

See Also:

Housing crisis across Wisconsin draws federal attention from Sen. Baldwin

The impetus for increased access to affordable housing is a red-hot economic issue. What does Wisconsin do to address this problem and what should they do instead?

Milwaukee and other Wisconsin communities seeking to attract affordable housing by changing their zoning codes could be rewarded with grants from state taxpayers.

That`s through a provision in Gov. Tony Evers` 2025-27 budget proposal.

If approved by the Legislature, the $119 billion budget would include $20 million to encourage local governments "to adopt zoning changes that reduce barriers to the development of more affordable housing options."

The Wisconsin Department of Administration would operate the program. Local governments, including tribal nations, could compete for grants by adopting one or more zoning policies.

A $2.5 million investment in federal funds will help expand housing options for seniors and families as part of the Greenfield Affordable Housing Project, officials announced Thursday.

Layton Preserve, 9890 W. Chapman Ave., will be a 45-unit community that will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom townhouse units. It will feature 38 senior units and seven family units, as well as an on-site fitness center and a clubroom with a kitchen...

"To see this happening not only here but all across Milwaukee County, for me, is just showing that not only are we giving people greater access, but we`re starting to see more communities actually understand the need for more affordable housing," County Executive David Crowley said.

Fill out your bracket and tell us your perspectives!

Kahya Fox, executive director of Habitat For Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region, in the WIZM studio Thursday for La Crosse Talk discussing all things housing, as they get set for the Women Build Program this weekend, plus the first-ever housing week, preceded by Neighbor’s Day next month.

We also discussed Habitat’s first-time homebuyers program, which just led to a discussion about housing in general and the dilemmas that La Crosse — and everywhere — are facing...

Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – As the housing market continues to evolve, younger generations are redefining what they want in a home. New research reveals that a majority of Gen Z (53%) and millennial (52%) home buyers are willing to trade square footage for higher-quality materials and amenities.

This shift in preference is shaping how homebuilders approach new construction. “Builders are responding to home buyer preferences and constructing homes with less square footage, which are generally more affordable and easier to maintain,” said Wisconsin Builders Association (WBA) President Mike Derrick.

For more information about new homes in Wisconsin, visit the Wisconsin Builders Association at www.wisbuild.org/empowered-homeowners.

ATLANTA, April 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2024 State of the Nation`s Housing report, published by Harvard University`s Joint Center for Housing Studies, painted a stark picture. Home prices reached a new all-time high last year, slowing homeownership growth and widening homeownership gaps. Both housing shortages and housing cost burdens were at their highest rates in years, leaving millions of potential first-time buyers priced out.

The effects of the housing crisis are felt in every region of the country, from the most rural town to the largest metropolitan area, and families continue to face barriers to affordable homeownership. Today, Habitat for Humanity is kicking off its ninth annual Home is the Key awareness and fundraising campaign to call attention to the need for affordable housing and to help open the door to equitable homeownership across the U.S. As campaign sponsors, Astound, Lowe`s, At Home, and Richard, are providing financial and volunteer support for Home is the Key. iHeart Radio will help amplify key messages through nationwide radio features, social media, and digital during the month of April...

2024 State of the Nation`s Housing Report

Local housing study shows need to build 200-232 units every year through 2030

As this spring construction season begins, La Crosse residents have more options to help increase the housing stock in their city, thanks to a new online library of building designs. 

This comes after La Crosse passed an ordinance last year that allows building accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, also known as “granny flats.”

Lewis Kuhlman, the city’s environmental and sustainability planner, told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” these units can be built on the same lot as a primary home...

State`s low-income housing tax credit program may double under separate budget proposal

A new bipartisan bill aims to incentivize housing developments in rural Wisconsin.

It’s one of a pair of new bills aiming to address the state’s housing shortage. The other would raise lending limits for low-interest loan programs launched in a bipartisan push last year.

The tax credit bill directs the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, or WHEDA, to give 35 percent of its annual credits to developments in rural areas and loosens financing restrictions for projects receiving credits...

See Also:

Local legislators co-sponsoring bipartisan bill seeking to expand housing tax credits in rural Wisconsin

• Wisconsin needs 227,000 new housing units by 2030 to meet demand, according to Forward Analytics
  
  
• Construction costs rose 43% from January 2020 to April 2022, BLS reported
  
  
• Panelists called for building code reform to lower development costs

WI leaders discuss ways to combat affordable housing crisis (no paywall)

MADISON, Wis. — Madison has an urgent need for affordable housing. The city has one of the lowest rental vacancy rates in the U.S., according to a 2024 report on housing supply and affordability.

What You Need To Know

• Developers and real estate investors, such as Cody Wiseman of Wiseman Capital, are getting creative to come up with housing solutions


• Wiseman’s latest project converted a Super 8 motel on Madison’s east side into 129 units of affordable housing called Sandburg Studios


• The motel rooms were transformed into studio apartments


• The city is working towards a goal of creating 15,000 new homes by 2030. At least 25% of those homes will be designated as affordable housing, below market rates, for lower income residents

• Proposal 1: Allow duplexes, or twin homes, in all residential areas

• Proposal 2: Allow more property owners with deep residential lots to split those lots, creating “Backyard Lots”

• Proposal 3: Simplify the permit process for small and medium sized housing developments downtown...

PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. — Charities in Ozaukee County continue to work against a shortage of affordable housing in the area.

Joana Hemschemeyer works for the local chapter of Family Promise, an organization working to combat housing insecurity in the area, even among professions like teaching and firemen.

"The workers who are living here in Ozaukee County can`t afford to live here," Hemschemeyer said.

Family Promise operates a shelter outside of downtown Port Washington. The organization works directly with landlords to help individuals and working families find homes, particularly those who have experienced setbacks like job loss, medical debt, car accidents or criminal records...

A University of Wisconsin-Madison program educates renters about how to find affordable housing, what to ask landlords and more. It also trains people to teach others in their community.

On July 31, the Wisconsin-based housing nonprofit Pillars received the largest property donation they had ever been given. It came in the name of Richard “Dick” Reetz, a landlord who died in June at the age of 97.

Projects in Shawano, Rhinelander, and Eau Claire aim to address local housing needs and rising workforce demands

MADISON (WKOW) – At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Madison Common Council will consider a series of changes to its zoning codes intended to encourage more development of “missing middle” housing. New polling from the REALTORS Association of South Central Wisconsin finds the proposed changes are broadly popular.

“Missing middle” is a term used to describe the kinds of housing between large apartment complexes and single family homes. These can include duplexes, townhomes, or lots with multiple units. These types of housing are less common than the density of apartments and condominiums prevalent in urban cores or the sprawl of single-family homes in suburban areas.

Developers hope to create 48 units of housing on three-acre property.

FHLBank Chicago Releases 2024 Impact Report

The City of Green Bay could direct millions of additional dollars toward the development of more housing working families can afford.

The City`s Joint Review Board and Redevelopment Authority both on Aug. 12 approved an affordable housing extension resolutions to keep the I-43 Business Park tax incremental financing district open for an additional year. The action requires City Council approval before it can go into effect.

The TIF district was created in 2005 to pay to install infrastructure and utilities in what started as an industrial park and became a more general business park with a variety of uses. The infrastructure installed in the area east of Interstate 43 helped draw a variety of development that includes Aurora BayCare Medical Center, a Procter & Gamble distribution center and Marcus Green Bay East Cinema...

In response to the extreme shortage of attainable housing for essential workers, HAWCS will advocate for policies, partnerships, and community-driven solutions.

BROWN COUNTY (WLUK) -- From Howard and Suamico to Hobart, Rockland and De Pere, nearly 40 Brown County homes are going on display this weekend -- and one is making history.

The Brown County Home Builders Association is hosting its annual fall showcase of homes. All 37 on the tour are new construction, but one is an entirely new concept.

Home #33, at 940 Ricky Drive, is a Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity home in the newly constructed Habitat Homestead...

New zoning package calls for increased density in single-family neighborhoods

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A press conference was held at City Hall Monday, July 7, calling for the immediate passage of the Housing Element plan. 

Community leaders discussed areas of concern such as housing costs and public safety. 

According to a poll by Together for Homes, more than 80% of Milwaukee residents believe the city does not have enough affordable housing. 

The plan is a "Milwaukee first" approach, tailored toward long-time residents throughout the city....

DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — The Door County Housing Partnership says these homes are helping local workers stay in the community both living and working here long-term.

The units, located in Sister Bay, are among the first in a new development aimed at addressing the workforce housing shortage across the county.

"To try and fix this [housing] crisis that we have here," Scott Bader, the Preside of the Door county housing partnership said.

These homes are designed to help keep workers in the area, living and working in the community long-term.

"They want childcare, they want whatever somebody that serves their food, someone at the grocery store, the hardware store. Those people need a place to live," Bader said...

Key Points

VIROQUA, Wis. (WKBT) — City officials celebrated the opening of Main Street Apartments Friday, a 65-unit workforce housing development that combines affordable apartments with a childcare facility for working families in western Wisconsin.

The development features housing units, retail space and a 6,000-square-foot childcare facility called the Bumble and Bloom Early Learning Center. The center will serve approximately 65 children ranging from six weeks to six years old.

La Crosse-based VARC will operate the early learning center, which city leaders say addresses a critical need for working families in the area.

Governor Tony Evers attended Friday`s ribbon-cutting ceremony and praised the community-wide effort that made the development possible.

"There were so many players putting this together — the city, but you name it, anybody who is anybody in western Wisconsin had something to do with this," Evers said. "But at the end of the day it was a local project with local people."...

The Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) building could be demolished and replaced with a mixed-use residential development.

MPM Inc., the non-profit that runs the museum, is building a new facility at 1310 N. 6th St. MPM will close the existing museum at 800 W. Wells St. and open the Nature and Culture Museum of Wisconsin in 2027.

The building on W. Wells Street is owned by Milwaukee County, which hired consultants in 2024 to plan for the future of the empty building. The consultants GRAEF, Bear Real Estate Group and CG Schmidt are recommending the county demolish the building and market the site for mixed-use redevelopment, according to a report from the county’s Economic Development Division...

Residents say city officials have ignored them in moving forward to build duplexes on a green space in town. Meanwhile, home prices in the city have increased 76% since 2017.

In a new analysis, the online real estate marketplace Zillow ranked the 50 largest U.S. metro areas.

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - For the past 5 years, contractor and realtor Dan Majewski has been flipping Wisconsin houses of worship into homes.

While the first three churches Majewski converted were in the Milwaukee area, his fourth project is the former Lakeview Christian Church on Madison’s east side.

Built in 1950, the former church has now been transformed into a single family home, requiring months of renovations through Majewski’s real estate firm, Majic Properties...

Beloit, Wis. (WMTV) - One hundred and thirty-eight new homes are coming to Beloit after the Beloit City Council approved a $1 million market-rate housing incentive to a developer.

The project, a new subdivision at Murphy Woods and Creek roads, will be developed by Next Generation.

This is not the first time the City of Beloit has pushed for higher quantities of affordable housing.

Economic developers for the city said they are trying to expand available housing and affordability to keep up with the rising demand of people moving to Beloit...

A Madison church is working to tear down its old worship space so it can make way for affordable housing.

Leaders with St. John’s Lutheran Church had hoped to have broken ground by now, but financing challenges have delayed the endeavor.

Now the church hopes the $58 million project can be completed within two years, said the church’s pastor, the Rev. Peter Beeson...

A new form of housing could be coming soon to Madison: the “cottage court.”

Under a proposal to the City Council, Madison would allow clusters of up to eight small detached homes of up to 1,000 square feet — typically one to 1.5 stories in height oriented around a greenspace or courtyard — in all suburban residential and most traditional residential zones, excluding high-density urban residential areas.

Madison is one of the latest cities across the country to consider permitting cottage courts as municipalities wrestle with housing availability and affordability. Housing experts see cottages as a piece of the so-called “missing middle” level of housing between single family homes on one end of the density spectrum and apartment complexes on the other...

GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- An urban barn has long been part of plans for a new neighborhood that`s being built on Green Bay`s east side.

The city is now considering paying for the barn with ARPA funds originally set aside to increase affordable housing options.

Between Walmart and the Kroc Center, work continues on the 26 acres of land JBS donated during the COVID-19 pandemic that will include a variety of housing, a destination playground and the urban barn.

“It’s really designed to be a real food transformation hub for our community, and really linking community health, economic development, workforce development and food all in a central location,” said Natalie Bomstad, executive director of Wello, a nonprofit focused on community health...

Homelessness in rural Wisconsin, while often unseen, is increasing, yet a grueling funding landscape, among other challenges, poses obstacles for local shelters and rural providers.

Local experts say the housing crisis has just about eclipsed the need to attract new jobs to the area. The Carthage College Business and Professional Coalition will explore the problem in a luncheon that’s open to the public Thursday, February 27th. 

Panelists include S.R. Mills, CEO of Bear Property Development; Tim Case, director of development for the City of Kenosha and Jeff Towne, the community and economic development officer for the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. 

The discussion will be moderated by Ron Cronovich, a Carthage economics professor who appeared recently on WGTD’s Morning Show. In a pre-event discussion with the panelists, Cronovich says he learned that the crisis is due to a combination of things: High mortgage rates and homes prices, and a low inventory.  This can lead to workers who find jobs in the Racine/Kenosha area having to live elsewhere. "We lose most of the economic benefits of the new jobs when we can`t provide a stock of housing available to the people who are taking those jobs," he said...

The USDA`s Rural Development agency has provided billions of dollars each year to small towns, farmers and businesses. Now staffing upheaval and budget cuts brought on by the Trump administration may be eating into the agency’s effectiveness.

In its third and last Community Grant cycle of the year, Alliant Energy and the Alliant Energy Foundation awarded over $980,000 to various causes and nonprofits across Iowa and Wisconsin. This brings the 2025 total Alliant Energy has awarded to over $2.28M. 

All Community Grant recipients seek to make an impact on Alliant Energy’s four focus areas: Community safety and engagement, environmental stewardship, hunger and housing and workforce readiness...

The Corliss is a new private affordable housing development in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood.

The development cost nearly $200 million, including some public funding, and offers over 500 affordable rental units. It consists of eight buildings at the site of a former landfill at 135 E. Becher Street.

Milwaukee`s District 14 Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic represents the area where The Corliss is located. She spoke with WUWM’s Eddie Morales about how the project could help address housing challenges.

Eddie Morales: The project aims to address problems like resident displacement, rising costs, and keeping aging residents in place. Can you explain the scale of those concerns and how much of an impact that city officials hope The Corliss will have?

Marina Dimitrijevic: Just like many cities across the United States, affordable housing is still something we`re really struggling with. We, as the City of Milwaukee, are thousands of units under what we need for a city our size when it comes to affordability. It`s one of the top things I hear, especially in my community.

This is a way to chip away at what is a very large-scale problem. And speaking of scale, this is a pretty large-scale project. It`s just under 600 units and every unit is affordable, meaning that it`ll be somewhat income-based. There is specifically over 100 units dedicated for older adults who want to age in place. So this is quite the right step in the right direction on what I do think will be a long worthwhile journey to making our city more affordable and accessible for everybody....

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin is advocating for new measures aimed at making housing more affordable.

During a virtual town hall with western Wisconsin residents yesterday, Baldwin outlined two key proposals.

The first would create a refundable tax credit for first-time homebuyers, potentially saving them up to $15,000.

Additionally, Baldwin is pushing for legislation to limit the influence of out-of-state investors who buy properties and raise rent prices...

Rather than wait on Congress, states should act now to increase the supply of affordable rental housing by optimizing how they use their private activity bonds (PABs) cap.

While pushing Congress to expand affordable housing tax provisions (such as an increasing 9% low-income housing tax credits [LIHTCs], reducing the financed-by test for PAB-financed housing and allowing more basis boosts) in this year’s widely anticipated extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, developers, bond cap allocating agencies and others should act now to generate more PAB-financed affordable housing.

The dollar volume of the aggregate national PAB cap used for affordable rental housing more than tripled from 2015 through 2021, surpassing $10 billion in 2016 and reaching $21 billion in 2021 before retreating to $17.9 billion in 2022 (the most recent year for which such information is available from the Council of Development Finance Agencies [CDFA])...

Low Income Housing Tax Credits

Wisconsin REALTORS® Association Releases March 2025 Real Estate Report

Madison, Wis. - The Wisconsin REALTORS® Association (WRA) released its March 2025 Wisconsin Real Estate Report today, revealing a double-digit decrease in existing home sales of 10.2% compared to March 2024. Inventory supply remains well below what would be considered a balanced market, and the median price of homes rose to $300,500 in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2024. However, affordability has improved after a re-benchmarking of statewide median family income data showed positive growth. As a result, the Wisconsin Housing Affordability Index increased by 7.2%.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

With the scenic beauty of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, the charming towns in Door County, and vibrant cities like Milwaukee, there are plenty of reasons to love living in Wisconsin. If you’ve been considering moving to Wisconsin or are hoping to relocate to a new city, you also probably have a budget you’d like to stay under as you look for a place to live. As of April, the median home sale price in Wisconsin is $310,800. 

Don’t worry if that price doesn’t fit in your budget – we’ve got options to help you find a home or apartment that does. Redfin has rounded up a list of 9 of the most affordable places to live in Wisconsin – and they all have a median home sale price under the state’s average. Let’s jump in and see what cities are on the list...

#1: Racine...

#2: Oshkosh...

#3: Milwaukee...

#4: La Crosse...

#5: Kenosha...

#6: West Allis...

#7: Green Bay...

#8: Janesville...

#9: Appleton...

(The Center Square) — Wisconsin’s real estate agents say there are too few homes for sale, and those that are available are once again getting more expensive.

"Existing home sales fell for a third straight month," the May 2025 Realtors report released Thursday says. "Specifically, closed sales fell just 2.1% over the past 12 months. Relative to May 2024, the median price rose 4.3% to $330,000."

The report said May’s 2.1% drop in sales is much smaller than the 8.6% drop in sales in March, and 9% year-over-year drop in sales in April.

"As we move into the peak period for sales, it’s good to see a solid improvement in inventory levels over the last 12 months," Realtors Chairman Chris DeVincentis said in a statement. "More housing inventory will help moderate price appreciation and will lead to more buying opportunities."...

NOAH developments play a key role in addressing housing needs, according to the developer.

The City of Madison is celebrating the completion of a new set of town homes that create more affordable housing options for families on the city’s west side.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway joined Alder Barbara Harrington-McKinney, Department of Planning, Community and Economic Development Director and Community Development Authority (CDA) Executive Director Matt Wachter, and members of the CDA board and Theresa Terrace neighborhood in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new homes.

We wanted to prove you could build town homes in a neighborhood like this, and that they would look good and that people would want to live in them, and that they would fit right in with the neighborhood. 

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway

A new multifamily, workforce housing development by Kolbe Windows & Doors will bring 102 new, affordably priced rental units to Wausau, Wisconsin.

Named Evergreen Landing Apartments on 8th, Kolbe, its building partners and invited guests celebrated a construction milestone on August 6th with the “topping off” of its first building to be fully enclosed. The phased, four-building, 44,000-square-foot residential complex is expected to open in January 2026. Built on land owned by Kolbe, no public money has funded its development or construction.

“This four-building apartment complex will provide affordable, high-quality living options for individuals and families within our community,” said Mike Tomsyck, Kolbe Windows & Doors’ vice president of transportation and risk management, who is overseeing the project’s development...

ALGOMA (NBC 26) — In Algoma and across Kewaunee County, with fewer homes available, more neighbors are feeling the impact of the housing crisis.

Yvonne Bothe has owned Second Hand Rose in Algoma for the past 20 years.

"I have people stopping in all the time asking me if I know any places to rent," Yvonne Bothe said.

She says she hasn’t just heard about the housing shortage, she sees it every day.

"You don`t see too many `for rent` signs around, and if a house goes up for sale, I can guarantee you it`ll be sold in two days," Bothe said...

Phoenix Residential, a 31-unit affordable housing development in the works on Milwaukee`s north side, would become the first of its kind in Wisconsin — a small-scale facility with crisis units and access to mental health and housing education services for residents.

Construction started at the 2436 North 50th Street historical building in June and is estimated to be completed by April. 

The development combines 21 permanent rooms funded by residential assistance vouchers and 10 crisis units for individuals who need housing quickly, James Mathy, housing administrator with the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services, said during a walk-through on Aug. 20.

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- Construction is underway on a $23 million affordable housing development that will provide 70 accessible apartments for La Crosse residents, with half specifically designated for people with disabilities.

Haven on Main represents a collaborative effort between Haven for Special People, CouleeCAP, and Gerrard Corporation to address the community`s need for accessible, independent living options.

The development will feature 70 units, all designed with accessibility in mind...

“Wisconsin has a severe housing problem,” Armstrong said. “The median home price has more than doubled in the last 10 years, and there aren’t enough affordable options for would-be first-time home owners. Besides being a problem for potential buyers, this is a problem for employers, as no one wants to work where they can’t afford to live...

“The housing package my colleagues and I passed today will help to improve this situation, and I am proud that four proposals I introduced were included.”The four Armstrong bills the Assembly approved are:

• Assembly Bill 194, which grants additional flexibilities to three housing programs the Legislature created in the 2023-2025 session, for which $475 million was allocated...

• Assembly Bill 280, which updates the Business Development Tax Credit program to allow more employers to claim the credit for investments they make in workforce housing and childcare...

• Assembly Bill 451, which allows municipalities to establish residential tax incremental districts. This will help developers defray the costs of infrastructure — streets, sidewalks, sewers, etc....

• Assembly Bill 375 — relating to the Historic Tax Credit — was originally on the Oct. 7 calendar but will be taken up at a later date....

La Crosse, WI: October 14, 2025
free tickets here

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) — Homelessness remains a contentious issue in La Crosse, but a new documentary screening aims to unite people from various perspectives by showcasing what they say is a successful model.

The film Beyond the Bridge follows up on Under the Bridge, a documentary by A Bigger Vision Films about the criminalization of homelessness in Indiana. The new documentary seeks to answer the question, "What`s the solution?"

"We took that seriously and we started studying up and came across Housing First," said Don Sawyer, producer and director of Beyond the Bridge. "And so we met the guy who created Housing First as a solution to homelessness... And that`s where the story begins."

La Crosse native and Milwaukee County housing administrator James Mathy said Housing First is often criticized for its implementation in some areas. However, the film highlights Milwaukee`s model, which Mathy said boasts a 95 percent success rate in maintaining housing for individuals...

Alders raised concerns about the high bid price and the gap between the completion cost and the sale price – but city officials say the gap won’t be funded through local tax dollars

Current Milwaukee Housing Market Trends: What`s Happening in 2025?

Community Connections to Prosperity holds quarterly events under one roof to provide clothing, food, housing assistance and more

Are you curious about what the next 5 years hold for the U.S. housing market? The housing market is a complex and ever-changing landscape, making it difficult to predict with certainty what the next five years will hold. However, based on current trends and expert opinions, there are a few key things that we can expect to see in the years to come. The housing market is expected to remain strong in the next five years. However, some key factors could impact the market, such as rising interest rates and a growing supply of homes.

• Home prices will continue to rise in the next five years but at a slower pace. The rapid rise in home prices that we saw in recent years is likely to slow down in the next few years. However, home prices are still expected to rise, albeit at a more moderate pace.
  
  
• The supply of homes for sale will increase. The lack of available homes for sale has been a major driver of rising home prices in recent years. However, as more homes are built and come onto the market, we can expect to see some relief from the supply shortage.
  
  
• Mortgage rates will rise. The Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates to combat inflation. This has made it more expensive to borrow money, which has led to a decline in demand for homes. However, in the subsequent years, a reversal in this trend is projected, as interest rates are anticipated to gradually recede, potentially culminating in a resurgence of demand in the housing market.
  
  
• The housing market will remain competitive in in the next five years. Even with rising interest rates and a growing supply of homes, the housing market is still expected to remain competitive in the next few years. This is due to a number of factors, including strong job growth, population growth, and a limited supply of land.

MADISON, Wis. (CIVIC MEDIA) – A new report shows housing is getting less and less affordable in Wisconsin. 

According to the Wisconsin Association of Realtors, median home prices rose 8.8% in 2024. The median home value is now $310,000 statewide. 

Those increasing values, higher mortgage rates, and frozen incomes make housing less affordable for the average Wisconsinite. Affordability dropped by 10% last year, according to the report. 

“The Midwest fortunately has higher affordability than all other regions of the country. This is primarily due to the Midwest’s lower housing prices,” said Tom Larson, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Realtors Association. According to data from Redfin, homes in the Midwest are rising in price faster than any other region...

Around 40 veterans at centers in Chippewa Falls and Green Bay will have to move amid ongoing deficit in state veterans housing and recovery program

‘They’re scared’: Housing sites, programs for veterans to shrink without state funds 

GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- A new coalition is being launched to help address housing needs for tribal communities in the Badger State.

It`s called the Wisconsin Native Homeownership Coalition and is backed by Oneida Nation-owned Bay Bank.

"Really, we`ve had this issue in Indian Country for decades, with overcrowding and not enough housing stock," Wisconsin Indigenous Housing & Economic Development Corporation CEO Fern Orie said.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the home ownership rate in Wisconsin is 67.9% for all residents. For Native Americans in Wisconsin, it`s around 57%.

Now, with the creation of the Wisconsin Native Homeownership Coalition, work is being done to increase housing supply and affordability for tribal communities.

"We really want to address the key issues and come up with some fantastic solutions that will work for our people," Orie said...

EAU CLAIRE (WQOW) - Local and state leaders gathered in Altoona to talk about a new model that looks to solve the affordable housing issue in the Chippewa Valley.

Representative Jodi Emerson and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley were joined by members of the JONAH Housing Task Force and the Altoona city council. They met at Solis Circle for a roundtable discussion about the importance of creating more affordable housing units similar to Solis Circle.

The development used to be a nursing home until six years ago when it was renovated into a `Micro-apartment.`

Emerson is an advocate for affordable housing at the state level and said she is proud of the solution in Altoona.

"Any time I`ve got that opportunity to show off this development and talk about other places that are happening in the Chippewa Valley I`m always grateful to bring this in," said Emerson...

While many barriers to affordable housing exist, local experts are certain that a change in mindset is where solving the shortage begins. 

Every community has different issues that affect their particular iteration of the national housing crisis. In Door County, peninsular geography, limited infrastructure, a seasonal tourism economy, and market pressure from vacation homes and rentals are some of the forces affecting its lack of affordable housing. These factors are largely outside of any agency or individual’s control.  

Of the factors that can be manipulated, affordable housing development faces structural barriers—zoning codes, funding restrictions and state regulations. Getting around these specific roadblocks demands legislative changes, and there is some movement in Wisconsin to that end...

MADISON, Wis. — Construction has started on a project to replace aging public housing in downtown Madison.

Over the next ten years, eight new apartment buildings will be built on what’s known as the Triangle. It’s a neighborhood bordered by Regent Street on the North, South Park Street on the West and West Washington Avenue on the Southeast.

“It’s right downtown, right between parks, the downtown health care,” said Dan Johns, redevelopment project manager with the Community Development Authority (CDA). “It really is everything that you’d want in a downtown site. It’s been public housing now for about 60 years.”....

Partnering Together of Portage County`s mission is to ensure people experiencing housing issues have access to “coordinated, compassionate, and effective services.”

Key Points:

A former Greenfield shopping center`s planned redevelopment into roughly 250 apartments is taking a step forward with the project site`s sale.

The largely vacant Spring Mall, 4200 S. 76th St., was sold for $4 million by the City of Greenfield to a Mandel Group Inc. affiliate: Cold Spring Crossing Apartments LLC.

That`s according to a new deed posted online by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. The city purchased the 23.9-acre property in June 2023 for $3.7 million to help redevelop the site.

Mandel Group plans to begin construction during the third quarter, said President and Chief Operating Officer Phillip Aiello. That work should take around 20 months to complete, he said...

UW-Madison’s Kurt Paulsen discusses the state housing market and what factors are affecting housing affordability

The Realtor.com® State-by-State Housing Report Card gave the Badger State a C+, signaling moderate affordability but sluggish homebuilding activity. The report—part of the Let America Build campaign—grades each state on how well it balances housing costs and construction momentum.

President Donald Trump recently put pressure on homebuilders to increase construction nationwide, given the issues with construction in the country. In a post on his Truth Social platform in early October, he accused major builders of hoarding lots to prop up prices—likening them to OPEC, which restricts oil output to maintain high prices...

JANESVILLE — The Rock County Board has approved allocating $300,000 in prior year sales tax to help fund an affordable housing project for homeless veterans and community space in Edgerton.

The decision followed a month-long delay in the vote and the initial denial of payment on a Housing and Urban Development grant Edgerton Community Outreach was expecting for the project at 210 W. Fulton St...

Median home prices reach record levels; affordability challenges persist

BELOIT, Wis. — Family Services of Southern Wisconsin is transforming the former Royce Elementary School in Beloit into apartments and a community space for families in need, called Next Steps Family Resilience Center.

Rising home prices and mortgage rates are pricing out first-time buyers in Racine, with affordability at historic lows despite strong demand.

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- Housing solutions were on the menu at a creative community event in La Crosse on Thursday, where tacos and innovative housing concepts made for a productive lunch hour.

Community members packed the Pump House Regional Arts Center for "Let`s Taco `Bout ADUs," an educational workshop sponsored by AARP Wisconsin designed to inform residents about new housing options now available in the city.

Attendees enjoyed a complimentary taco lunch while learning about accessory dwelling units (ADUs) – compact, standalone homes that can be built on existing residential properties following the city`s legalization of these structures last year.

Affordable Housing development and management company Volker Development, has announced plans for the development of Kelly Station, a 76-unit affordable housing community located at 2462 E. Washington Ave. in Madison, Wis. Volker has selected McShane Construction Company as the general contractor for the project, the developer’s first within Dane County.

Expected to come online in 2026, the available residences will be reserved for low-income households. Of the 76 available apartments, some will be reserved for people experiencing homelessness and individuals or families with disabilities. Knothe & Bruce Architects was selected to design the community, which will feature a five-story podium-style building atop an above-grade precast 60-space parking garage...

MADISON, Wis. — Madison has launched a neighborhood redevelopment with “deeply affordable” housing for residents of city-owned property in the Triangle neighborhood.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, the city of Madison and the Community Development Authority on Wednesday celebrated the start of the first phase of construction of the “Taking Shape, Our Triangle” redevelopment in downtown Madison.

“From our smallest towns and villages and our state’s largest cities, affordable housing is the number one issue I hear most about across the state,” Gov. Tony Evers said at a news conference.

The CDA and Madison-based developer New Year Investments are leading the transformation of the Triangle neighborhood, bordered by West Washington Avenue, South Park Street and Regent Street.

Increasing needs addressed at recent Community Development meeting

Whitewater’s Community Development Authority Board of Directors gathered Thursday, Sept. 19, to discuss ongoing future housing developments aimed at addressing Whitewater’s growing population. The meeting began at 5:30 p.m. and was held at the Whitewater Municipal Building and streamed virtually for community members.

City officials outlined several housing projects in progress. Harbor Homes reported that 17 of 19 permits were pulled, and three homes are currently listed for sale. These are single-family owner-occupied homes, which help address the city’s need for a wider housing variety. The rest of the homes have been sold or are under contract. Meadowview has three properties available, while Waters Edge South recently issued permits for eight new duplex units, which will provide 16 units total. The largest upcoming project is Hartland Shores, a multi-family development on the city’s southeast side that broke ground earlier this year. This development will provide 32 new units of housing...

Churches in Wisconsin are now eligible for property redevelopment grants from a program organizers hope will spread to other states.

The Good Next Step Grant Program provides congregations with awards of up to $40,000 to create affordable housing or a mix of housing and community gathering spaces on existing parcels. Participants also receive expert support with architectural design, site development, zoning reviews and financial analysis.

A more efficient, affordable development model helps Habitat for Humanity build more homes during a housing crisis. But some Wisconsin municipalities exclude manufactured homes from neighborhoods.

Housing everywhere is less affordable, but the affordability crisis is accelerating fastest in rural areas, according to an analysis by Redfin.

Veterans Community Project provides temporary housing in 240-square-foot homes for veterans who stay an average of 335 days to address problems and implement a plan for independent living.

THE BLUEPRINT:

• Madison‘s population is projected to exceed 385,000 by 2050, with regional growth reaching 1 million
• Over 40 mixed-use and housing projects are underway, such as 1617 Sherman and Baker’s Place
• Madison faces challenges of housing shortages and infrastructure demands, similar to cities like Austin and Seattle.

  The Madison area population is expected to grow, which calls for investment in more housing and infrastructure.

  Madison will see a deluge of new multifamily housing projects this year and business leaders said they’re looking forward to growth over the next several decades.

  There are more than 40 mixed-use and housing projects alone across the isthmus, a development map by Downtown Madison, Inc. showed. The city of Madison expects the city population to reach more than 385,000 in 2050, a 2023 projection showed. However, housing costs and shortages remain big issues for the city, officials noted...

WASHINGTON — A federal district judge ruled Tuesday the Trump administration must wait until at least next week before it can move forward with pausing federal spending on trillions in grants and loans, though she emphasized the short-term administrative stay might not continue after a Feb. 3 hearing.

District Judge Loren L. AliKhan’s decision temporarily blocks the Office of Management and Budget from moving forward with plans to stop payments on multiple federal programs, which it announced late Monday.

The two-page memo from the Office of Management and Budget announcing the freeze led to significant confusion throughout the day Tuesday among members of Congress — including Republicans — about what programs were affected and frustration the White House appeared to be eroding lawmakers’ constitutional spending authority...

BELOIT, Wis. (WTVO) — On Thursday, Beloit’s empty Royce Elementary School was turned into housing for the homeless.

Next Steps, a program looking to capitalize on its name, is tackling homelessness in what it calls “a new approach.”

Program director Damonyka Roberts said, “Next Steps is bringing one, them into a home, and two, bringing the services to them. That way they can focus on supporting themselves and building some self-sufficiency.”

The initiative is part of the Next Steps Family Resilience Center, helping to house families by working with them to get them on their feet.

While many municipalities throw up roadblocks, Brown County village welcomes increased supply of homes

•     J. Jeffers & Co. to convert historic Mitchell Building into 60 apartments, bank vaults included
  
  
•     Exterior work begins spring 2026
  
  
•     Project will use state and federal historic tax credits for restoration

The Bill is Here.

If you’re an early childhood educator, you might be eligible to purchase an affordable home.

Since October, local groups like the Community Development Alliance, Acts Housing and Habitat for Humanity have partnered to create homes for early childhood educators. Herb Kohl Philanthropies announced a $1 million gift to help fund the development of more.

“One of our mantras every day is ‘we love teachers,’ ” said JoAnne Anton, the foundation’s president, at an April 30 event at Malaika Early Learning Center in the Harambee neighborhood. “That includes early childhood educators. Unfortunately, the early childhood education sector is struggling.”

How it works

The three-bedroom, 1,000-square-foot homes are part of a 42-home development being built around five early childhood education centers.

The homes are exclusively for early childhood educators and will be sold for approximately $100,000 each...

Some municipalities in Wisconsin are partnering with a company that creates an online directory to help connect people to affordable housing.

The city of Kenosha was the first municipality to work with CityWise — a Milwaukee-based startup company. The company created a subdomain on the official city website in October that allows renters to search for affordable and subsidized housing in the city for free.

Users can access a tool on the directory to find what subsidies they may be eligible for and they can search for properties that accept Low Income Housing Tax Credits and Section 8 vouchers. The listings also include any municipal code violations for the properties...

Kenosha System

A project there will transform vacant lots into affordable single-family homes, with construction expected to begin in July.

UW report examines how some Wisconsinites prioritize paying housing expenses over health care

Rising housing costs have been forcing some Wisconsinites to delay medical care, which can lead to negative health outcomes for residents and communities.

That’s according to a new report from the University of Wisconsin-Extension as part of a project examining livability in rural communities led by Tessa Conroy, associate professor of agricultural and applied economics at UW-Madison...

Celebration of community and collaboration took center stage Thursday in Milwaukee’s Bronzeville district to mark the opening of 90 housing units as part of the multi-phase ThriveOn King development.

Milwaukee-based Royal Capital Group has been leading an effort for the better part of seven years to redevelop the former Gimbels and Schuster’s department store building at Garfield Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive into a community hub.

Construction work wrapped up last year on the project’s 470,000 square feet of commercial space for organizations that include the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), among many others, which will serve as support services for the affordable housing units...

GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- A local nonprofit is working to get ahead of homelessness in Northeast Wisconsin by increasing the number of affordable living options.

Many working class people are just above the poverty line, living paycheck to paycheck. City Center Lofts in downtown Green Bay opened nearly a year ago -- and the question is, will this limit homelessness?

The Gateway Collective is working to bring affordable housing to renters living just above the poverty line...

See Also:

$16M plan would add 95 workforce housing units in new Green Bay neighborhood

McShane Construction Company’s Wisconsin regional team was selected by Volker Development to build Kelly Station, a 76-unit affordable housing residence in Madison, Wisconsin.

“We’re proud to partner with Volker on Kelly Station,” commented Alison Gorham, Vice President & Director of Wisconsin Operations at McShane. “This development not only brings much-needed affordable housing to Madison, but also incorporates thoughtful design, modern amenities, and green building practices that will benefit residents and the surrounding community for years to come.”

Volker is a development and property management company focused on providing affordable and workforce housing options nationwide. Based in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, this project will be Volker’s first new construction project in Dane County, and their 27th in the state of Wisconsin...

MENASHA, Wis. (WBAY) - The Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity is bringing together local leaders and lawmakers from both parties to address the housing crisis.

They’re doing this by building new homes. 18,000 homes need to be built in the next decade to keep up with the area’s growth.

In an initiative to address the housing crisis in communities like Northeast Wisconsin, habitat for humanity partners with business leaders and state legislators called the ‘leader build’.

“When we can bring all of us together in our collective resources and our collective knowledge and skills, we can really make a big impact,” said John Weyenberg, President & CEO of Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat For Humanity...

The city of Stoughton Common Council voted to approve a development agreement with Fitchburg-based The Alexander Co. to buy land ahead of the Riverhavn development. The first phase of the project, located on the Yahara River near the intersection of South Fourth and East South Streets, will deliver 122 apartments in 2027, developers said.

The project calls for two construction phases and a total budget of $76 million, developers said. There will be both market rate and affordable units for those making 60% of the area median income; in the first phase, 101 units will be 60% AMI and 21 will be market rate.

THE BLUEPRINT:

• The city of Stoughton approved a development agreement with The Alexander Co.
• The Alexander Co. is planning 250 apartments in two phases along the Yahara River, budgeted at $76 million.
• First 122-unit phase to open in 2027, including affordable housing.

The project is designed to bridge gaps related to housing, workforce development, mental health and economic opportunity

Neu-Life Community Development, a nonprofit providing educational and recreational programs for young people, is raising $16 million to construct NeuVue, a six-story youth and community development center on Milwaukee’s Near West Side.

From career development to afterschool and summer programs, Neu-Life provides youths with engagement, life skills and opportunities to keep them on the right path. This includes participation in culinary, mentorship and annual service projects. ..

CHIPPEWA FALLS (WQOW) - Members from a statewide agency visited Chippewa Falls this morning to learn about a successful alternative housing solution.

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, known as DSPS, toured Hope Village. The event is part of their work to explore trends, innovations, and needs in homebuilding. Hope Village provides transitional and affordable workforce housing to low-income people and families in the Chippewa Valley area.

DSPS Secretary Dan Hereth said this project is a great example of finding solutions on a local level that could be implemented statewide...

Wisconsin residents feel stuck as private equity buys up manufactured housing parks

Priced out of traditional homes during an affordability crisis, many in Wisconsin have found another way to pursue an ownership dream.

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...

The proposals still need to pass the state Senate, which hasn`t convened in months

Milwaukee County may explore creating a revolving loan fund for affordable housing developments.

A revolving loan fund is a pool of capital, typically managed by a governmental entity or a non-profit, providing short-term loans to projects and then using the interest on repayments to fund more loans. They can provide gap financing for projects that are difficult to finance through private lenders, like affordable housing.

State and local governments around the country have started using revolving loan funds to finance affordable housing projects, to speed up development and eliminate the uncertainty of the federal funding process. The funds have proven a new way for the governments to develop public housing...

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s home sales report continues to sound like a broken record.

The Wisconsin Realtors released their latest report Thursday, showing October home prices were up, inventory lacked and affordability continues to be a problem.

“For the fifth straight month, both existing home sales and median prices increased statewide,” the report states. “October home closings rose 3.4% compared to October 2024, and the median price increased to $331,500, which is a 6.9% increase over the last 12 months.”...

If village trustees were to extend the TID, the increment captured for the housing betterment fund would total approximately $700,000, according to Deputy Administrator Lauren Freeman....

Middleton’s plan commission recommended against rezoning the property

While reiterating its commitment to affordable housing, the Wausau City Council on Tuesday rejected an initiative to build an affordable house on a city-owned lot amid cost concerns.

The council voted 1-10 against the initiative, which was to be funded by external sources rather than local tax dollars, with Alder Chad Henke as the sole supporter of the project...

WAUKESHA - Fast forward to this likely future: Homes in a variety of styles spring up within a 76-acre area that for 60 years has been a place for college students on a campus associated with the University of Wisconsin.

Now, step back to today when the campus currently known as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Waukesha remains an institutional property, featuring buildings and facilities typically found at such places. Not at all residential in nature.

How the property at 1500 N. University Drive, currently owned by Waukesha County, will transition to the future is all part of a process that`s already underway, involving a planning strategy in which the city of Waukesha plays a large role. Here`s what it`s all about...

Since Park Falls Mayor Tara Tervort took office she’s heard from local employers about the lack of housing available.

“I know there`s many that live outside of the city that have to commute. I talked to one industry leader that said he had employees living all the way in Minocqua because they couldn`t find rentals,” said Tervot. “There`s a lot of houses on the market, but it`s a quick housing, like the rentals or the smaller housing that are just in high demand, that just aren`t readily available.”

It`s why she knows the 60-unit housing development of duplexes and fourplexes planned for Park Falls will make a big difference.

The city has been working with the Dalmark Development Group and the Alpha Development Corporation on the development which will be called “The Pines at Park Falls.”

In the spring of 2024, Dalmark Development Group was awarded $1.4 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) to support this project...

See Also:

Park Falls Working with Developers on 60 Affordable Housing Units

Drilling down further, according to the Census Bureau, the median family income of families in the city of Beloit grew from $55,442 in 2020 to $59,975 in 2023, an 8.1% increase. At the same time, the median sale price of homes in Rock County soared from $185,000 at the end of 2020 to $250,000 at the end of 2023, a 35% jump. The median sale price of homes at the end of 2024 jumped again to $269,950....

GREEN BAY, Wis. — As of March, Sebastian Kravick and his sister now call the City Center Lofts in downtown Green Bay their home.

“I get to walk to work because it’s only a couple minutes away. My sister as well works right downtown so we’re both right here,” said Kravick...

Development to help city meet goal of creating 15,000 new homes by 2030, with 25% offering long-term affordability

Family Promise of the Great Rivers approaches community advocacy with rotational housing and other resources

Homelessness is often seen as a big city problem. But rural and small town communities also face unemployment, limited access to affordable housing and poverty.

Last year, 217 people were unsheltered in west central Wisconsin, according to the Institute for Community Alliances.

A new homeless shelter in Monroe County recently opened their doors to those individuals and families in need to provide food, clothing, life skills and community support...

"We are proud to partner with Cinnaire Solutions and Wisconsin Management Company to bring high-quality, affordable housing to the heart of the Wisconsin Northwoods," said Kevin McDonell, LAC Vice President and Regional Project Partner. "Forest Edge Apartments will support the local economy by giving workers and families a place to call home."

Forest Edge Apartments features a mix of two- and three-bedroom homes with energy-efficient appliances, large closets, and complimentary internet packages for residents. The majority of units will be leased to those earning between 30 and 60% of the area median income (AMI), with 8 units reserved for residents with disabilities via Section 811 Housing Vouchers. Communal amenities include a fitness center, community room, business and meeting center, and a parcel room for package delivery. A significant portion of the property`s energy consumption will be offset by solar panels installed on each building...

GREEN BAY - A developer interested in buying and rehabbing Monroe Plaza Apartments, the 1970s-era affordable housing complex for seniors at 400 N. Monroe Ave., is looking to the Green Bay Housing Authority for the funds to pursue its project.

The housing authority on June 19 will consider a request by Monroe Plaza Housing I LLC, whose principal office is based in Manhattan Beach, California, to access up to $27.5 million in revenue bonds to cover the cost of acquiring and rehabilitating the 197-unit apartment complex.

Here`s what to know.

What is the developer requesting from the Green Bay Housing Authority?

The official request is for the housing authority to give the developer up to $27.5 million in "tax-exempt conduit revenue bonds."...

BELOIT, Wis. — Like many communities throughout Wisconsin, Beloit is actively working to build more apartments and homes to meet a growing demand for housing.

What You Need To Know

• Developers are building the Western Hills subdivision, which consists of 23 single-family homes. Each one of those homes sold within a week or two of being listed


• Now, a larger 138-home subdivision is on the way, after the city awarded a $1 million market-rate housing incentive to another developer


• The city also set aside $6 million in a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Housing Fund, which uses taxpayer revenue to create more affordable housing options for people with lower incomes


• Beloit’s former YMCA is being converted into apartments and so are the upper floors of some storefronts downtown

The city’s population has grown for a second year in a row.

When George and June Arrowood decided to move back to Beloit from Tennessee to be closer to their grandkids, they quickly realized that finding a home was going to be difficult.

“There weren’t very many options at all,” June Arrowood said.

“We found out that renting is probably, in the long run, more expensive than buying around here, which is terrible,” George Arrowood added.

As they were looking, developers began building the Western Hills subdivision, which consists of 23 single-family homes. Each one of those homes sold within a week or two of being listed. The Arrowoods are the proud owners of one of them.

See Also:

Madison company gets extension on $3 million in city incentives

GREEN BAY (NBC26) — With nearly $3 million in city funding and loans, a workforce housing development seeks to provide a place to live for a population that`s been left out of housing conversations.

• A piece of land donated to the city along Guns Street near a Walmart Super Center will soon be home to a 95-unit apartment complex.
• The complex, with financial backing from the city, focused on a place to live for working families, is a first-of-its-kind project for the developer.
• Construction is set to begin in September and finish in September of the following year.

• A $52 million multi-use development in South Milwaukee received a $250,000 state grant.
  
  
• The project will transform existing office buildings into apartments, commercial space, and a K5 school.
  
  
• The development is expected to be completed by fall 2026.

MILWAUKEE — The Annex Group has broken ground on Union at Rose Park, a $25.8 million affordable housing community in Milwaukee. The property will offer 75 one-, two- and three-bedroom units for households earning a range of income levels starting at 30 percent of the area median income to market rate. Nine units will be targeted to veterans. Amenities will include a community room, fitness center and business center. The development will include rooftop solar panels and is designed to meet Enterprise Green Community Standards.

Project partners include Ware Malcomb, raSmith, Integrity Structural Corp., Latimer Sommers & Associates, Terracon, Heartland Energy Consultants, Baker Tilly, ACC Management Group and Impact Housing Indiana, an organization dedicated to supporting residents of affordable housing communities within Annex’s portfolio. Impact Housing Indiana will have a dedicated onsite space within Union at Rose Park.

MADISON, Wis. — The City of Madison is receiving $1.3 million in funding from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to help clean up contaminated soil at affordable housing development project sites...

What You Need To Know

• The City of Madison is receiving $1.3 million in funding from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to help clean up contaminated soil at affordable housing development project sites


• There are three properties being used in the Huxley Yards redevelopment project on the city’s north side: 1846 Commercial Avenue and 905 and 1003 Huxley Street


• The site had previously been leased by the neighboring Oscar Mayer facility, where it stored fuel oil and used it as a coal yard.


• After an environmental assessment of the properties, officials found contamination...

Owner says 80 percent of newly-created units will qualify as `affordable`

Several people died in freezing temperatures, as hundreds live on the street

What You Need To Know

• Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway introduced three new proposals Wednesday to address the city’s affordable housing shortage
  
  
• One of those proposals would let homeowners with deep residential lots split them and create new “backyard lots,” where an additional home could be built
  
  
• Sabrina Hilton built a permitted accessory dwelling unit in her backyard that can be used as a rental party or as a home for her aging parents down the line. She started her own business to help others do the same
  
  
• AARP Wisconsin supports the changes, citing benefits for homeowners earning income and creating homes for others

Madison mayor unveils another round of zoning changes designed to increase the city’s housing supply

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) - The city of Stevens Point issued a request for proposals Monday to develop a downtown lot along the Wisconsin River.

The former Edgewater Manor site south of Clark Street currently has no timeline. The city is just fielding proposals from developers to take on building at the site.

“It’s not a rush to get something done. What we want to do is we want to get something done that fits and that is a benefit to the city as a whole,” Mayor Mike Wiza said. “So, just rushing to put something up there for tax money is not how we operate.”

The site is not dedicated to specific income-level housing, but Mayor Wiza said he welcomes “affordable” housing.

There would be incentives for the developer to create residences in the area.

“This is an Opportunity Zone, so there’s tax credits if the project fits within the scope of that Opportunity Zone,” Wiza said.

He said that building and diversifying residences in downtown will bring more foot traffic and customers to area businesses.

“One of the things that I’ve been a big proponent of is having people live in the core of our city,” he said...