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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

Where we live shapes how we live—our independence, our health, our social connections, and our ability to stay rooted in the communities we love. That’s why AARP Wisconsin has a keen interest in housing, and why we’re proud to support Madison Housing Week (May 3–8) and La Crosse Housing Week (May 3–9) in 2026.

Across Wisconsin, and nationwide, most adults want to remain in their homes and communities as they age. Yet many worry their communities don’t offer the housing choices or supports needed to make that possible over time. Housing Weeks in Madison and La Crosse create space for communities to learn, share ideas, and explore solutions that expand options, strengthen neighborhoods, and support people of all ages...

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Ken Notes: See you there!

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Leo's notes: Robert Dietz framed the housing affordability crisis as fundamentally a “supply and demand” imbalance shaped by overlapping economic, regulatory, demographic, and labor pressures.The broader takeaway was that Wisconsin’s housing challenges are not caused by a single issue, but rather the interaction of land-use policy, financing costs, labor shortages, infrastructure constraints, demographics, and macroeconomic conditions. As a result, long-term solutions will likely require coordinated action across zoning reform, workforce development, financing tools, infrastructure investment, and streamlined approvals rather than relying on any single policy change.Ken Notes: Tom Still bring a number of key issues to the table, we need to follow all of these and develop a series of solutions for a series of very complex problems.

As rural housing becomes harder to find, one Wisconsin dairy is building more than a workforce by providing homes for nearly all of its employees and helping families put down roots in the community.

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Leo's notes: The Breys’ approach highlights how workforce housing increasingly overlaps with immigration, economic development and community sustainability. Perhaps most notably, the farm’s strategy reframes housing not simply as compensation, but as part of organizational culture and employee investment. In regions where housing supply remains constrained, employers willing to directly participate in housing delivery may gain a significant competitive advantage in attracting and retaining workers.

Ken Notes: This is a double edged sword, it is a great idea for creating quality housing for employees but needs some regulations or legal representation to prevent the 2026 version of indentured servitude. I know some larger city hospitals and doing something similar for nursing and support staff.

Also note the photo is from a development in Darlington WI - not the Brey farm...

The Community Development Authority met April 16 for its monthly meeting at the Whitewater Municipal Building. Board members discussed various topics such as redevelopment resources, home renewal programs and Bluff Road properties.

Principal and CEO of Redevelopment Resources Kristin Fish-Peterson attended Thursday’s meeting to analyze the development resources’ economical-based data findings from both citizens and students in Whitewater.

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Leo's notes: Whitewater officials are advancing a mix of housing and redevelopment strategies, including a 14-home single-family project on Bluff Road, updates to a home renewal loan program, and efforts to remove deed restrictions that have limited residential development. Addressing barriers like outdated deed restrictions while investing in both new construction and existing housing stock will be critical if smaller communities like Whitewater want to retain residents and strengthen their local workforce.

Ken Notes: These meeting are happening across the state at most units of local government. We need to develop a set of legislative policy goals for both state and federal governments and talk to our elected officials to find flexible affordable solutions that work. Leo and I have several ideas and have been following projects across the state. We also know there are different needs in most communities. We need measurable outcomes and "in the dirt" solutions. We need ownership (equity building) opportunities for our service and retail workers. We need to partner with developers, builders, manufacturers, nonprofit organizations, and government entities to develop a variety of solutions and remove the obstacles, that will allow us provide the new and rehabbed homes we need moving forward.

Welcome to La Crosse Housing Week!

May 3 - May 9, 2026

This week-long series of free events highlights our community’s housing challenges, offering opportunities to learn, engage, and take part in solutions for the future. Join us.

La Crosse needs to build more than 200 new units of housing every year through 2030 to meet current demand. How will we get there?

Join local builders from both for-profit and nonprofit development as they share their front-line perspectives on the housing crisis. This conversation will dive into the real barriers slowing progress as well as the structural changes and innovations that could create a more accessible, affordable future for La Crosse...

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Ken Notes: Consider a summit in your community...

Housing instability for young adults in Milwaukee is a growing problem. Looking for solutions, young adults, residents and leaders gathered at Wellpoint Care Network in late April to discuss systemic gaps and realities young adults face with renting and homeownership. 

“Homeownership is a privilege when it shouldn’t be,” Tamia Abney, youth-coordinated entry liaison at Pathfinders, said.

The convening challenged members to think of possible solutions to the young adult housing crisis...

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Leo's notes: The discussion reflects a broader shift happening across Wisconsin: communities are increasingly recognizing that solving housing instability requires more than building units alone. Long-term solutions are likely to involve a combination of workforce housing production, zoning reform, faster approvals, housing rehabilitation, tenant stability programs, and expanded pathways to homeownership for younger households.

Oregon, Wisconsin-based development firm Gorman & Company plans to build a 200-unit affordable housing development next to the former Walmart store at 5825 W. Hope Ave within the Midtown Center retail complex on Milwaukee’s northwest side. The plan advanced Monday after the city’s Plan Commission approved a zoning change for the project.

The housing development, named Midtown Commons, will consist of two four-story buildings, each containing 100 apartment units of 25 one-bedroom units, 40 two-bedroom units and 35 three-bedroom units. The project site is east of North 60th Street and north of West Hope Ave and is currently a surface parking lot of the former Walmart store building. The project will span across 10 acres of land and is part of a broader multi-phase redevelopment of the site, developers said...

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Leo's notes: Milwaukee’s Midtown Commons proposal marks a major step toward reinvesting in underutilized retail land, with the project combining family-sized units, service partnerships, and public-facing amenities—both a housing solution and a catalyst for broader corridor revitalization. As seen in a few instances now, the market is heading towards large-scale affordable housing delivered through retail-to-residential conversions. As aging commercial sites lose viability, they represent one of the most scalable opportunities to add meaningful housing supply in built-out urban areas.

MADISON, WI – Yesterday, State Senator Brad Pfaff held a press conference in La Crosse, highlighting Senate Democrats’ commitment to addressing Wisconsin’s housing crisis and cutting costs.Senator Pfaff was joined by La Crosse County Board Supervisors Grant Mathu and Kelly Liebold, who emphasized that housing remains one of the top issues in their communities.

The four bills introduced, and part of the Health and Housing legislative package, included expanding the Homestead Tax Credit, banning hedge funds from buying single-family homes, banning algorithmic rent hikes, and improving Wisconsin’s housing stock...



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Leo's notes: Brad Pfaff’s “Affordable Wisconsin” legislative package ties housing affordability to other household pressures—healthcare, childcare, and groceries—positioning housing as part of a wider cost-of-living strategy. While these measures may provide short-term relief or market stabilization, long-term impact will still depend on whether they are paired with sustained efforts to increase housing production across Wisconsin.

Ken Notes: Interesting, but we still need a simple plan that allows local government units to buy and improve land, and then make denser properties available to builders, developers, or manufactures for homes priced well under $250K. New owners must occupy the homes for a specific period of time or repay the community. A modified version of TIF could reimburse the community for up front investment and help finance neighborhood amenities like parks, day care, health care facilities, and grocery...

Across the country, more people are experiencing loneliness and social isolation – trends that affect not only emotional well-being, but overall health and quality of life. Yet the solution may be simpler than many expect: a conversation, an invitation, a shared moment.

What if something as small as inviting someone to coffee could help strengthen connection – not just for two people, but across an entire community?

During La Crosse Housing Week, coordinated by Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region, AARP Wisconsin sponsored a community lunch discussion at the Pump House Regional Arts Center to explore exactly that.

Centered on the concept of “third places,” the May 7 conversation highlighted the everyday spaces – and everyday actions – that help people build relationships, find belonging, and stay engaged...

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Leo's notes: This particular session from last week’s La Crosse Housing Week reflects an important evolution in housing conversations. Creating healthy communities is not only about building units, but also about designing places that encourage interaction, accessibility, and long-term social connection. As communities address workforce and affordable housing shortages, there is growing recognition that public spaces, walkability, community programming, and opportunities for belonging are equally important components of livable neighborhoods.

PESHTIGO, Wis. — The City of Peshtigo’s motto, “Reborn from the Ashes,” is a testament to the resilience of its citizens and leaders. Since the Peshtigo Fire of 1871, the city has turned its historical roots into a draw for tourists.

Mayor Katie Berman joined Spectrum News 1’s “Your Local Leaders” segment to share how the city is creating sustainable growth.

“We are in a bit of a unique situation for a small community in Wisconsin,” Berman said. “We are three square miles. We are kind of land landlocked. We don’t have a lot of urban sprawl, so housing is top of mind for us.”

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Leo's notes: Peshtigo is a great example of how smaller Wisconsin communities are increasingly tying housing policy directly to economic development and long-term population stability. Facing geographic constraints and limited room for outward expansion, their approach focuses on ownership-oriented housing scaled to the realities of a small, land-constrained city. Their blended solution of heritage preservation, walkability, local events and modest workforce housing investment reflects a strategy worth following for smaller regional communities trying to grow without losing their character...

Democratic and Republican candidates in the 2026 race for governor of Wisconsin discuss what policies they would pursue to help address the high cost and limited supply of housing around the state.

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Leo's notes: From a housing perspective, the takeaway is less about differences and more about convergence: there is broad agreement that supply constraints—driven by regulation, cost, and underproduction—are at the core of the problem. The real test ahead will be execution: aligning state policy, local control, and funding mechanisms into a coordinated strategy that can meaningfully increase housing production across diverse Wisconsin markets.

Ken Notes: DO NOT allow the candidates to point fingers or cast blame on others. We need to work together on real solutions for very real problems. Ask the simple question, "Where does your Barista live?", why ask that, because if they do not have an answer they should be making their own damn coffee.

The 2.5-acre property is scheduled to be fully open for business by 2031.

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Leo's notes: opening the door for a potential 135–155 unit development. While no specific project is approved, Cambridge is taking an important early step toward higher-density housing by rezoning land near Westgate Court to “neighborhood mixed use.” the move signals the need to “build up” to address shortages versus concerns about infrastructure, scale, and neighborhood character. For small and mid-sized communities, decisions like this are increasingly unavoidable—without zoning flexibility, housing supply stalls.

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Leo's notes: Cambridge is taking an important early step toward higher-density housing by rezoning land near Westgate Court to “neighborhood mixed use,” opening the door for a potential 135–155 unit development. While no specific project is approved, the move signals a shift toward allowing duplexes, multifamily buildings, and mixed-use structures in a land-constrained community. For small and mid-sized communities, decisions like this are increasingly unavoidable—without zoning flexibility, housing supply stalls; with it, communities must actively plan for infrastructure, services, and growth management.

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
Wisconsin Housing Alliance	Office of Rural Prosperity Wisconsin Economic Development

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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...

MADISON, Wis. — Providing more “affordable housing” is a popular campaign slogan these days in Wisconsin and across America, but it’s not as simple as proclaiming the goal and wishing it into reality. A mix of factors make it harder for people to find the shelter they want or need — but untangling those economic knots can make housing more “attainable.”

That was a core message Wednesday to the annual Wisconsin Economic Forecast Luncheon, where the chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders laid out an array of issues that are tugging in opposite directions on the “supply and demand” curve for housing of all types.

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Leo's notes: At a recent housing-focused event in Madison, economist Robert Dietz of the National Association of Home Builders outlined the complex forces driving housing affordability challenges—ranging from regulatory costs (now nearing 25% of a home’s price) and tariffs on materials to elevated interest rates, labor shortages, and demographic pressures. To me, the takeaway is clear: there is no single lever to fix affordability. Progress will depend on coordinated action across regulation, workforce development, financing, and production—because in today’s environment, housing costs are not driven by one issue, but by the cumulative weight of many.

Ken Notes: This is a must read, if a paywall prevents this open a private or incognito window and try again. remember to support you local media outlets.

GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- Green Bay high school students are constructing homes and building their resumes in one fell swoop.

It's all part of the Bridges Construction & Renovation program -- a collaboration between the Green Bay Area Public School District, NeighborWorks Green Bay and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.

Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, juniors and seniors from all four Green Bay high schools (East, West, Southwest and Preble) worked together to build a two-story home from the ground up. It's located at 158 N. Maple Avenue.

"This is my second year doing the program. I think we're doing pretty good. A little bit more difficult of a home -- two stories this year, a little bit larger square footage -- but we were able to get most of it done. There's still some tweaks that we've got to get done inside yet," said Bridges instructor Chris Ziegler...

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Leo's notes: Through the Bridges Construction & Renovation program in Green Bay, students are not only helping address local affordable housing needs, but also gaining direct pathways into skilled trades careers. The program reflects a broader trend emerging statewide: solving the housing shortage will require more than financing and zoning reform alone. Expanding the construction workforce, creating early career pipelines, and connecting education directly to community development are becoming essential components of long-term housing strategy.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council on Tuesday night took steps toward expanding recreational access and addressing housing and infrastructure needs, approving a resolution to pursue federal funding while reviewing proposed updates to several tax increment districts.

Council members approved a resolution authorizing the city to apply for funding through the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. The grant application, to be submitted through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), focuses on city-owned property at 600 Nautical Drive and would support future outdoor recreation improvements.

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Leo's notes: Sturgeon Bay is advancing a coordinated development strategy that links housing, infrastructure, and public investment, including proposed updates to multiple TIDs supporting more than 100 housing units and key infrastructure expansions. From a housing perspective, I believe that communities that align TIF, infrastructure investment, and land use planning in this way are far better positioned to deliver housing at scale; all while maintaining long-term fiscal sustainability.

A church in Wisconsin is looking to build 181 senior housing units on its property, with some designated as affordable housing.

Kingdom Faith Fellowship Church, a 250-member congregation in Milwaukee, is working with Scott Crawford Inc. to construct the units for residents ages 55 and older.

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Leo's notes: A Milwaukee church is advancing an increasingly important model in the housing space: faith-based land redevelopment for senior and workforce housing. Their proposal reflects a broader trend emerging nationally as churches, schools, and nonprofits look at their land holdings as opportunities to address housing shortages while reinforcing community missions. In this case, the project blends aging-in-place housing with community amenities and proximity to worship and support services. As it stands, the development would dedicate 20% of units to workforce housing — an acknowledgment that affordability challenges increasingly affect middle-income seniors and working households, not just the lowest-income residents. Great initiative worth following.

Ken Notes: Land is the key element in developing lower cost workforce housing. Any organization, business, or community with available land can control the type of development that they feel would be in the best interest their neighborhood.

But one alderman offers fierce dissent and questions concept of aldermanic privilege.

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Leo's notes: The debate at the Milwaukee Common Council highlights a growing tension in affordable housing policy: the difference between increasing the number of income-restricted units and preserving neighborhood control over housing decisions. As a whole, this discussion and decision reflect a larger challenge of balancing the urgent need for affordable and workforce housing against concerns over neighborhood change, local autonomy and trust in outside developers. As construction costs remain high, preservation and acquisition strategies like this are likely to become more common — and more politically contested.

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Leo's notes: The project—now in WHEDA's tax credit pipeline—reflects a growing model where housing is integrated with culturally specific programming and community services. From a housing perspective, this is an important evolution/ solution: housing is being designed not just as shelter, but as a platform for community identity, stability, and cultural continuity. Projects like this also highlight a broader reality—without tools like LIHTC and layered financing, even innovative, mission-driven developments still hinge on closing complex funding gaps. Definitely a development worth following!

A 2023 report found Wisconsin needs around 200,000 new housing units to meet demand by 2030.

Forward Analytics, the nonpartisan research arm of the Wisconsin Counties Association, said in the 2023 report that Wisconsin needs between 140,000 and 227,000 new housing units.

Those differing estimates are based on population changes, migration to Wisconsin and other trends, such as whether young adults choose to live with parents. Forward Analytics concluded the total need is “200,000 or more” units.

The League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Wisconsin Realtors Association and Wisconsin Builders Association cite that 200,000 estimate as part of their joint effort to address the shortage...

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Leo's notes: Simply put, YES. Research from Forward Analytics and partners highlights a wide range (140,000–227,000 units), reinforcing that regardless of methodology, the gap is substantial and growing. This is not a marginal shortage—it’s a structural deficit. Closing a gap of this scale will require sustained, multi-year increases in production across all housing types, alongside policies that ensure affordability for the lowest-income households who face the most acute shortages.

Ken Notes: The links in the article work...

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Leo's notes: Green Bay’s latest neighborhood concept reflects a shift toward master-planned, mixed-product neighborhoods that integrate recreation, walkability, and housing choice rather than separating them.It’s encouraging to see an evolution of communities moving beyond unit counts alone and focusing on livability as a driver of long-term value and demand. If replicated, this model can help attract residents while still delivering the range of housing types needed to address supply gaps. A model worth following!

A Dane County program is working with rental property owners to make multifamily homes more energy efficient through renovations that make the buildings more environmentally sustainable while lowering energy bills, all at no cost to renters.

The Efficiency Navigator has helped small- and medium-sized apartment buildings in Madison, Middleton and Fitchburg for about five years, said Claire Schaefer Oleksiak, the executive director of Sustain Dane, a sustainability group that offers the Efficiency Navigator program.

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Leo's notes: While this may not be focused on new housing stock, it still directly impacts our workforce households. Many owners of older “naturally affordable” apartments face difficult tradeoffs between maintaining buildings and keeping rents attainable. Programs covering efficiency improvements can help bridge that gap by preserving affordability while improving housing quality. As Wisconsin communities continue grappling with rising housing and utility costs, programs like Efficiency Navigator suggest that housing policy may increasingly extend beyond construction incentives into energy systems, sustainability upgrades and long-term operating costs.

MONROE, Wis. — St. Vincent de Paul in Monroe is experiencing a growing demand for assistance with housing costs across Green County. A recent large donation is helping them achieve their community goals.

St. Vinny's store manager Alyssa Morris says the thrift store’s sales directly fund assistance for people facing unexpected expenses like rent, utilities, and car repairs.

With a new $20,000 donation from SSM Health to support its housing stability program, the organization is better positioned to keep families housed across Green County.

"Just the little communities that are in Green County, I think it's just a huge aspect to just have something here that maybe the county can't help with everything. They can't help with certain bills. United Way can't help with everything either. So I just think that having another organization that can help with those bills would be super helpful," Morris said...

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You can buy a house outside Detroit for $158,000. That’s why the Midwest just beat the coasts—again—for America’s hottest neighborhoods.

Six of the 10 hottest neighborhoods in the U.S. for 2026 are in the Midwest, according to a Redfin analysis released Wednesday. This marks the second consecutive year the region has dominated Redfin’s annual ranking of the 100 most populous metro areas by year-over-year growth in listing views. Redfin also measures buyer competition for its ranking. 

This year’s ranking makes one thing clear: In a housing market still strained by the affordability crisis, buyers are following their wallets and opting for more accessible markets. The Midwest has become a more attractive place to plant roots, given that housing costs there can be at least 30% cheaper than in major coastal metros...

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Ken Notes:Several Wisconsin Cities on the list, unfortunately all priced north of 350K but new buyers still help the market...

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Hundreds of advocates toured six brand new homes, some built for families with early childhood educators, Friday

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee's Community Development Alliance (CDA) showcased two single-family homes built for low-income families as part of its annual effort to highlight affordable housing initiatives in the city.

The CDA has organized these tours every year for the last three years to show partners, elected officials, Milwaukee residents and affordable housing advocates the kind of affordable, entry-level homes being constructed in the city. The organization also helped craft Milwaukee's Collective Affordable Housing Strategic Plan in 2021.

The plan aims to advance racial equity in home ownership by providing "a quality affordable home for every Milwaukeean", according to the CDA. It includes converting higher-rent homes and creating new rental properties for up to 32,000 families earning less than $50,000 annually...

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Leo's notes: Milwaukee’s Community Development Alliance’s efforts are part of a broader strategy to advance equitable homeownership, particularly for Black and Latino households, alongside rental preservation and affordability initiatives. This reinforces a critical point: production alone isn’t enough—access and stability matter just as much. CDA’s model shows that pairing new construction with homeowner support systems can begin to reverse long-standing inequities in homeownership and create more durable pathways to generational wealth.

What does housing have to do with your daily life?

If you had been in the room during Madison Housing Week’s “Six Minutes, One Idea: Everyday Perspectives on Madison,” you might have come expecting a conversation about zoning, development, or policy. Instead, what unfolded was something more personal – and more universal.

This Pecha Kucha–style event, developed by AARP Wisconsin, invited presenters to share short, visual, fast-paced stories drawn from lived experience. For many in the audience, it was a new format. The curiosity in the room was palpable. What could possibly be said in six minutes?

As it turns out—quite a lot...

See Also:

Low supply is pushing Madison’s home values higher and higher

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Ken Notes: Send us your Pecha Kucha presentation on any Workforce Housing image and we will publish it...

Applications Due June 12 with Up to $2 Million Available Per Project

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) has opened the application period for its 2026 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) General Fund. With $51 million available and up to $2 million per project, the program supports the development and preservation of affordable housing across Illinois and Wisconsin.

AHP grants help fund the acquisition, new construction, or rehabilitation of rental and owner-occupied housing. Through the program, FHLBank Chicago financial institution members partner with developers and community organizations to help move projects forward and expand access to quality housing.

“The need for affordable housing continues to outpace supply in many communities,” said Katie Naftzger, SVP and Community Investment Officer, FHLBank Chicago. “Through AHP, we’re able to partner with our members to move critical projects forward, supporting housing that might not otherwise be built and helping expand access for individuals and families.”...


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Housing permits issued by cities in the past 13 months

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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...