This Weeks Articles for 4/28/2025 ...

1. La Crosse Housing Week...
2. Grand opening event celebrates innovative housing project in Prairie du Chien ...
3. State Affairs Wisconsin Feature: Evers proposal aims to help boost affordable housing through zoning changes...
4. REPORT: March Home Sales Slide As Median Price Appreciation Moderates...
5. Wisconsin Sees 5.8% Growth in Total Housing Units Over the Past Decade...
6. Wisconsin home prices jump, despite March sales drop ...
7. Odyssey Project, long focused on academics, urges new housing model ...
8. New Monroe County homeless shelter expands support to rural Wisconsin families ...
9. HUD Secretary Scott Turner Announces Newly Available Funds to Expand the Tribal HUD-VASH Program...

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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

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

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PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (WKBT) -- A new affordable housing development powered by solar energy celebrated its grand opening Monday in Prairie du Chien.

Prairie Eco Cottages features 24 units ranging from one to three bedrooms, each with a garage. The development provides quality housing for income-eligible workers, seniors and residents with disabilities.

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

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Leo`s notes: It’s inspiring to see a development like Prairie Eco-Cottages that truly understands the needs of the community. Affordable, sustainable housing options are essential for keeping our neighborhoods vibrant and welcoming to all. Projects like this show how thoughtful design can strengthen community ties and offer more people a place to call home. Thank you for investing in solutions that put people first!

UW–Madison Urban Planning Professor Kurt Paulsen said Gov. Tony Evers’ budget proposal to provide incentives to local governments for zoning changes would be an effective tool to bring more affordable housing to the state.

But the chair of the Assembly Local Government Committee, Todd Novak, argued zoning incentives would not make a difference in supporting affordable housing.

“I firmly believe zoning isn’t the issue,” the former Dodgeville mayor said.

However, another Republican working on housing, Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate Chair Rob Brooks, R-Saukville, said “everybody thinks we need to address’’ zoning but said he would like some changes to the governor’s current proposal.

The governor’s proposal would provide $20 million for a pilot program that would provide grants to local municipalities if they enact zoning changes to build more affordable housing.

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Leo`s notes: Governor Evers’ proposal is a smart, much-needed step toward making housing more affordable for Wisconsin families. Modernizing zoning laws to allow for greater flexibility will help create more attainable homes, strengthen communities, and support our local economies. Affordability and access must be at the center of our growth — and this plan moves us in the right direction

Ken Notes: I promise zoning is an important PART of the problem but it is only a part. We need to work with developers and builders to address the rest of the issues. We need to build neighborhoods with homes for all income levels.

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

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The need for affordable housing in the United States has never been greater. After a dizzying run-up in residential real estate prices and rents in the last few years, housing costs are putting a financial squeeze on renters and homebuyers nationwide as they compete for a scarce, expensive supply of housing.

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(The Center Square) – Home prices in Wisconsin continue to go up, and there continue to be fewer homes for sale.

The March report from the Wisconsin Realtors Association shows a double-digit drop in home sales and a nearly 4% increase in the median price in the state.

“Wisconsin home sales fell 10.2% compared to solid sales in March 2024,” the report noted. “[And] the median price rose 3.7% over the past 12 months to $310,000.”

The median price is statewide, and homes in the Madison and WOW counties areas are much higher.

Wisconsin’s price increases and number of homes for sale are not just a March problem, the report points out. March was also the end of the first quarter of 2025, and the numbers show a trend.   ...Full Story Here

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

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Nate Notes: to be included as a Workforce Housing resource email us a link and a brief note to: wwhnews.com@gmail.com...

Seeking to help more low-income adults earn college degrees, a longtime academic program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is urging a new housing model for its students.

Leaders of the Odyssey Project say the shift is needed due to the rising costs of housing in the Madison area, which is the most common barrier to their students’ success. A city housing committee recently reported the median monthly rent in Madison is about $1,465.

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Leo`s Notes: Affordable housing tied to education is a powerful force for breaking generational poverty. When students have a safe, stable home, they can focus fully on building their future — and that lifts up entire families and communities. Every person deserves the chance to succeed without the crushing burden of housing insecurity. Investing in models like Family Scholar House isn’t just smart — it’s life-changing.

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...

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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.

We believe Wisconsin employers will support these efforts so they can successfully recruit workers to fill the thousands of job openings now hampered by a shortage of affordable housing.


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WWHNEWS Notes: To add a resource or correct above send data and link to wwhnews.com[at]gmail.com...