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Wisconsin Workforce Housing News



Leonardo Silva - Editor
Architect / Full Service Design Firm
608.698.3522
Leo@WWHNews.com

Ken Harwood - Publisher
Advocating for Wisconsin
608.334.2174
Ken@WWHnews.com

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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

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WHEDA Legislative Loan Program


La Crosse - 8.10.2026 - Each year WHEDA offers a series of loans for housing development in the State. The links in this article will take you to the “Spring Programs” which have concluded -- but fear not a Fall Program is pending and WWHNews.com will make the links to the new programs available in a future issue. This data will give you a headstart for the next round of funding. We will also publish the winners for this round soon and I encourage you to take a look at the winning applications to get ideas for your community moving forward. For assistance, please contact Rebecca Giroux, Community and Economic Development Officer for WHEDA....   ...Full Story Here

Ken Notes: More details at the link...

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New affordable housing law has something for 'everybody,' expert says


Wisconsin housing advocates and lawmakers are optimistic that a new federal law will help address the state’s shortage of affordable housing, but how agencies will fund and implement provisions in the law remains to be seen.

Known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the law is a sweeping package of measures that touch many corners of the housing industry and largely aims to increase the country’s stock of affordable housing.

The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, which oversees affordable housing in the state, has called the bipartisan law “the most significant update to affordable housing programs in the United States in decades.”...


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Leo's notes: The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act represents a meaningful shift toward treating housing supply as a national economic issue, with reforms touching permitting, manufactured housing, home repair, infill development and pre-approved housing designs. For Wisconsin, provisions protecting rural rental housing and incentivizing local zoning reform could be especially valuable, but authorization alone will not build homes—the real measure of this legislation will be whether Congress and federal agencies provide the funding and implementation needed to turn these new tools into actual housing production.

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Changes in Wisconsin tax credit program target workforce housing, childcare investments


Recent changes to a tax credit program add flexibility as state officials try to incentivize investments in workforce housing and childcare...


Wisconsin updated its Business Development Tax Credit Program via 2025 Wisconsin Act 78 to provide up to a 15% refundable tax credit for investments in workforce housing and childcare. The changes remove the rule that projects must only benefit a company's own workers and permit community-wide third-party investments.
Program Structure and Updates
  • Credit Amount: Up to 15% for qualifying capital investments and contributions.
  • Effective Date: Applies to taxable years starting on or after January 1, 2026.
  • Eligibility Expansion: Allows support for community third parties instead of being restricted to internal employee-only facilities. [Wisconsin Legislative Council ACT MEMO]
Qualifying Investment Types
  • Direct Capital: Direct capital expenditures made by the business for building or rehabilitating housing or establishing childcare.
  • Nonprofit Contributions: Contributions sent to related mission nonprofits (such as Habitat for Humanity).
  • For-Profit Collaboration: Contributions given to for-profit developers handling approved projects.
  • Revolving Funds: Investments placed into local revolving loan fund programs (without capital payback to the investing business). 
Details and program management guidelines are available directly through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. 


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Leo'a notes: Incentivizing businesses to invest in housing beyond their own employees could bring an important new source of private capital into community housing efforts. Solving the workforce housing shortage will require employers to become active partners, not simply beneficiaries of new supply.

Ken Notes: Link to WEDC Seminar video at the link.

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VIA CDC hopes new housing model will make homeownership more affordable


VIA CDC has begun the first phase of its Affordable Townhome Initiative. Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service has the story.

VIA Community Development Corp. has a new model the organization hopes will create attainable homeownership opportunities on Milwaukee’s South Side. 

VIA CDC, formerly known as Layton Boulevard West Neighbors, has served Layton Park, Burnham Park, Silver City and Clarke Square in the areas of economic development, housing and community building. 

As a certified Community Housing Development Organization, VIA CDC has produced more than 50 affordable homes and leveraged more than $52 million in neighborhood investment to create opportunities for Milwaukee neighbors. 

In early August the group launched the first phase of its latest project, the Affordable Townhome Initiative.

Affordable Townhome Initiative

The $2.95 million development will transform three vacant city-owned lots on Milwaukee’s near South Side into 10 owner-occupied townhomes designed for households at or below 80% of Area Median Income...
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Leo's notes: VIA CDC’s Affordable Townhome Initiative offers a compelling model for turning small, vacant urban parcels into attainable ownership opportunities, with homes projected around $125,000 for households earning up to 80% of area median income. The project is especially noteworthy for using compact townhome design to make efficient use of infill sites while creating equity-building opportunities for working families. If successfully replicated, this type of small-scale development could become an important complement to Wisconsin’s larger affordable rental projects and help restore a missing rung on the homeownership ladder.

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Making affordable housing more affordable to build


Communities across the country are working to address a growing shortage of affordable housing, yet bringing these developments to life continues to present challenges. Rising construction costs, labor shortages, higher interest rates and more complex financing structures make projects more challenging to deliver than in years past.

While owners and developers can’t control many of the market forces affecting affordable housing, they can influence how projects are planned and delivered. In our experience, the most successful developments become affordable because project teams make smarter decisions before construction ever begins...

...One of the biggest misconceptions about affordable housing is that cost savings come from bidding and value engineering in the later stages of the design process. In reality, the greatest savings often come from bringing the construction team to the table much earlier...


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Leo’s notes: As construction costs, labor shortages and financing pressures challenge workforce housing feasibility, this article brings forward the importance of decisions made before construction begins. Early collaboration, strategic procurement and thoughtful standardization can stretch limited housing dollars without sacrificing quality. Affordability should not mean building cheaper—it should mean designing and delivering housing more intelligently.

Ken notes: In my very first version of Wisconsin Workforce Housing News, now more than four years ago, I suggested that in order to build more affordable housing for working Wisconsin we would have to bring developers, contractors, planners, Architects, manufacturers, and elected officials all to the same table. Without this joint unified effort we will never be able to develop truly market rate affordable housing.

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The Blue Building To Become Housing


Partial conversion will add more than 200 apartments to Westown.

A $73.6 million plan to convert half of one of downtown Milwaukee’s largest office buildings into apartments is poised to receive a city subsidy.

The Department of City Development is proposing to create a new tax incremental financing (TIF) district to provide $6.44 million toward converting the east tower of 310W, 310 W. Wisconsin Ave., into 220 apartments.

The largely vacant office space would be replaced with a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. In exchange for the subsidy, 50 of the units would be set aside as workforce housing for households earning between 70% and 90% of the Milwaukee area median income...



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Leo's notes: Strategically repurposing obsolete commercial space can simultaneously add housing, strengthen the tax base, and bring residents closer to jobs and existing infrastructure. The inclusion of workforce units is particularly important—ensuring public investment produces not just more downtown housing, but housing accessible to a broader range of working households...

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Affordable Housing Project Underway in Sturgeon Bay


Construction has begun this summer on The Avenue, a new affordable housing development near the intersection of North 14th Avenue and Georgia Street.  

Developer Brian Spoerl of Spoerl Commercial has started work on the first phase, a three-story, 39-unit apartment building. The project received low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA), and the city approved a development agreement that provides tax-increment financing incentives through Tax Incremental District (TID) #6. 

Spoerl said he expects the first building to be ready for occupancy next June, with apartments available to households earning between 30-60% of the area median income. He anticipates the building will be fully occupied by the end of 2027...


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Leo's notes: The Avenue offers a particularly strong model by pairing 39 income-restricted apartments with a second 20-unit phase aimed at households earning 80–100% of area median income. That second tier matters: many working households earn too much for traditional affordable housing but still struggle in Door County’s constrained market. Combining LIHTC, local TIF and WHEDA’s Vacancy-to-Vitality program demonstrates how different financing tools can work together to serve a broader continuum of housing need.

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Sturgeon Bay - Approval of TID #12 Clears Path for West Side Housing Development


Sturgeon Bay’s Joint Review Board approved on Aug. 13 the creation of a new Tax Incremental District (TID) on the city’s west side, where a developer wants to build a residential subdivision as well as storage units.

The city’s TID #12 will be retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year. It places six parcels totalling about 77 acres along Division Road, South Ridgeway Avenue and South Ridgeway Drive into a mixed-use district with a maximum life of 20 years.

The new district includes 35.43 acres where a new development is planned along Division Road with 44 single-family residential lots, 11 duplex lots and 34 storage units with optional living spaces. Thirty of the single-family lots are being designated for “workforce housing,” where specific homes will be offered at set prices to Door County workers.

Community Development Director Rebecca Kerwin said the development would also include routing an extension of the Ahnapee Trail through the project site that would separate the housing subdivision from the storage units.

“Total project costs are estimated at $4.48 million, with projected incremental value of about $38.8 million by 2046,” she said...


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Leo's notes: The project is a strong example of how municipalities can use TIF strategically—not simply to subsidize development, but to overcome infrastructure costs and make modestly priced homeownership more feasible. For communities struggling to retain working families, creating attainable ownership opportunities is every bit as important as expanding rental supply.

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Wisconsin awards $50M for nearly 1,900 affordable housing units


Wisconsin is awarding $50 million to support 22 housing developments that are expected to create nearly 1,900 affordable housing units across the state.

Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority announced the awards Wednesday. The projects span 10 counties and will receive funding through the state’s Vacancy-to-Vitality, Infrastructure Access and Restore Main Street loan programs.

The programs were created through bipartisan legislation signed by Evers in 2023 and supported by $525 million included in the 2023-25 state budget for workforce housing.

“Expanding access to safe, stable, and affordable housing is a key part of our work to support kids and families, strengthen our communities, and grow our state’s workforce,” ...


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Leo's notes: Wisconsin’s latest $50 million investment shows the value of targeting the specific financing gaps that keep otherwise viable housing from moving forward. With nearly 1,900 units supported through adaptive reuse, infrastructure and Main Street redevelopment programs, the state is demonstrating that workforce housing requires more than a single funding tool. Flexible capital that responds to different development barriers is essential to turning housing demand into actual supply.

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Madison churches becoming housing, community spaces as religion shifts


The Rev. Staci Marrese-Wheeler can pinpoint the moment she heard a conversation that crystalized the need for Madison’s churches to rethink their model. Two young student teachers were talking on their way to a monthly gathering, hosted in the former Lakeview Moravian Church building.

“They’d always come past my office and say, ‘Hi,’” recalled Marrese-Wheeler, pastor of Common Grace and co-director of the nonprofit Eastmorland Community Center. “One day I hear (them) as they’re walking downstairs, and one of them says, ‘What does this building smell like? It kind of smells like my grandparents’ house to me.’ And the other one says, ‘Nostalgia. It smells like nostalgia.’”...
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Leo's notes: Madison’s churches are demonstrating how underused institutional land can become part of the solution to the housing shortage while preserving important community gathering spaces. Common Grace alone will pair a new community center with 26 workforce apartments, while several church-led projects could collectively add hundreds of income- or age-restricted homes. For communities searching for infill opportunities, faith-based properties represent an increasingly important resource—and partnerships that help congregations navigate development, financing and zoning could unlock considerably more housing.

Ken Notes: Imagine if every church in Wisconsin built just a few ADU's, small homes, multiplexes, or co-housing facilities and made their building available as community centers, day cares, kitchens, when not being used for worship. We would not have a housing problem in the state...

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Southeastern Wisconsin Housing Summit 2026 Recap


On May 7, Kenosha County Housing Task Force members attended the Southeastern Wisconsin (SEWI) Housing Summit, which Community Economic Development Extension Educator Savannah Meyers helped facilitate.

The SEWI Housing Summit gathered representatives from ten counties in Southeast Wisconsin at the Milwaukee County Zoo. The event gave attendees an opportunity to learn from a variety of keynote speakers and specialized presentations in breakout rooms. Presentations covered topics such as zoning, legislative developments, trends in housing and households over the last handful of decades, and programs that can promote the construction and funding of affordable and healthy communities in the coming years. 

Speakers relayed significant information about Kenosha County and Wisconsin in general, including the following:

Kenosha and Wisconsin Housing Statistics...


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Leo's notes: The Southeastern Wisconsin Housing Summit highlighted how closely zoning, financing, infrastructure and workforce housing production are intertwined. With new-home affordability increasingly out of reach for many households, the region’s focus on streamlined approvals, higher-density development and expanded WHEDA tools is well placed. The next test is whether these policy changes translate into a sustained increase in actual housing production. Also great article that names and briefly explains the seven bills recently signed into law. For more information, please look in our NEWSLETTER RESOURCES for a more in depth coverage of each bill.

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In Wisconsin, Sala Hars elevates middle-income housing with a gridded enfilade plan clad in brick


The methodology behind 301 Vanilla, a new mixed-used housing project in Madison, Wisconsin, was inspired by the words of Abraham Lincoln. “We use this quote: ‘If you give me eight hours to cut a tree, I would spend six hours sharpening the axe,’” said Juan Sala, cofounder of architecture firm Sala Hars. The firm used this in its prefabricated design approach, which allowed it to be prepared for the project before it was even really in commission.

Sala and cofounder Douglas Harsevoort designed a grid-based system for middle-income housing as an effort to help developer Neutral conceptualize a new component-centered identity. The mise en place approach relies on prefabricated cross-laminated timber (driven by Neutral’s sustainable focus), creating a detailed yet flexible modular plan.

The project is a proof of concept for housing that meets the economic constraints facing the middle-income sector, which the city lacks.

Taking into consideration factors such as budget, size, and sustainability, the system revolves around 12-foot-by-12-foot modules, which ultimately make up the 40,000-square-foot building. “We started off with: What is a comfortable grid that’s not too excessive and not too small?” Harsevoort told AN.

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Leo's notes: This Wisconsin project is a useful reminder that middle-income housing should not be treated as a lesser design exercise. SALA HARS demonstrates how thoughtful planning, durable materials and architectural character can be incorporated into housing intended for working households—an important counterpoint to the idea that affordability must come at the expense of quality. As Wisconsin expands workforce housing production, the goal should be not simply more units, but well-designed homes and neighborhoods that remain desirable for generations.

Ken Notes: READ THIS ARTICLE. We need an array of housing solutions and this one is unique.

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Council Advances TID #12 And Three TID Expansions


The Common Council on Aug. 4 took the next step toward reshaping the city’s west side, recommending creation of a new Tax Incremental District – TID #12 – and expansion of three existing ones, TID #7, TID #9 and TID #10.

TID #12 would place six parcels totaling about 77 acres along Division Road, South Ridgeway Avenue and South Ridgeway Drive into a mixed-use district, financing infrastructure for 44 single-family lots, 11 duplexes and 34 storage units with optional living spaces. Thirty of the single-family lots on the Division Road portion are designated workforce housing.

In a separate motion, the council approved the final plat for that subdivision, developed by Jim Conard and Portside Builders...



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Leo's notes: Sturgeon Bay’s proposed TID expansions would use infrastructure investment to unlock a diverse housing pipeline, including 30 workforce homes, duplexes and a 60-unit affordable development. The use of TIF can be particularly effective in helping to address the upfront infrastructure costs that often prevent attainable housing from penciling out.

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Wisconsin’s homeless population may be increasing due to rising housing prices and declining economy


The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development may shift their funding from 'Housing First' to treatment first programs

Wisconsin’s homeless population has been rising in recent years, but the state continues to outperform its Midwest neighbors in addressing homelessness.

According to a recent Wisconsin Policy Forum report, the state’s homeless population increased to 5,495 this year, a 4.8 percent increase over 2025. It was the fifth consecutive year of increases after years of decline.

The report said factors including rising housing costs, worsening economic conditions and the expiration of pandemic-era supports may be behind the rise...


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Ken Notes: We need to remember there is a very real cost to all Wisconsin citizens for both the homeless and the lack of workforce housing. If we want groceries, retail stores, meat and dairy, hotels, restaurants, not to mention our daily cup of coffee -- we need to provide quality housing near where the service is provided.

If we want safer neighborhoods we need to address other issues as well. Working with alcohol, drugs, and mental illness is a very real challenge and working together on these issues seems to be the key to success. The housing first approach has proven to be the most successful and cost effective. For the record I am a fiscal conservative and believe there should be a return on our investments.

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Beaver Dam looks at new strategies to meet housing needs


BEAVER DAM — Beaver Dam officials are exploring new ways to encourage housing development after hearing from a housing expert who said expanding housing choices is critical to supporting the city’s workforce and long-term growth.

Jolena Presti, a managing director with Baker Tilly’s development and community advisory practice, presented to the Beaver Dam Common Council Monday evening about trends communities are using to increase housing supply and remove barriers to development.

Presti said a recent market study identified four common housing challenges facing Beaver Dam. Rental housing remains limited, with many apartment properties nearly full, leaving few options for new residents. Employers report that the lack of available housing is making it harder to recruit and retain workers. The city also faces a shortage of workforce housing — homes affordable to middle-income households that are not subsidized — while much of its existing housing stock is older and will require continued reinvestment.


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Leo's notes: Beaver Dam’s housing discussion reinforces that communities have more influence over workforce housing production than they may realize. While cities cannot control interest rates or construction costs, they can provide ready sites, predictable approvals, infrastructure and strong developer partnerships. In a competitive market, becoming easier to build can be an effective economic development strategy.

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Wisconsin Workforce Housing Resources


ENABLING BETTER PLACES: A USER’S GUIDE TO WISCONSIN NEIGHBORHOOD AFFORDABILITY

Wisconsin REALTORS® Association

WISCAP Affordable Housing Network

Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources


Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corp

WEDA Legislative Tracker



Couleecap 


Wisconsin Housing Alliance

Office of Rural Prosperity
Wisconsin Economic Development 

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

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Copper Rocks development among projects awarded WHEDA loans


LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) -- Governor Tony Evers announced $50 million to support 22 new housing developments across 10 counties, including La Crosse County, according to a release on Wednesday.

The funding is provided by the Vacancy-to-Vitality, Infrastructure Access, and Restore Main Street loan programs from the Wisconsin housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA). It will help create nearly 1,900 workforce housing units for communities across Wisconsin.

“Expanding access to safe, stable, and affordable housing is a key part of our work to support kids and families, strengthen our communities, and grow our state’s workforce,” said Evers. “I’m proud of our efforts to build affordable housing statewide—to the tune of over 35,000 new units—that will help communities grow, and workers, families, and seniors thrive. Together, we are building the future we want to see for folks and communities across our state.” ...



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Leo's notes: WHEDA financing for Copper Rocks helps move La Crosse’s long-planned redevelopment of the former Kmart site closer to reality, turning an obsolete commercial property into a mixed-use neighborhood with new housing. Projects like this show why workforce housing programs must do more than support greenfield construction—they should also help communities overcome the cost barriers to reclaiming underused sites. Strategic financing can turn yesterday’s commercial spaces into tomorrow’s housing supply...

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Lotus Company proposes affordable housing redevelopment at Essen Haus and Come Back In site


MADISON, Wis. (WKOW) — Madison officials and the Lotus Company presented a proposed 200-unit affordable housing redevelopment at the Essen House and Come Back In site on South Blair and East Wilson streets.

The proposal outlined a multi-step approval process and drew neighborhood concerns about parking, density, design and historic preservation.

People who live in the area questioned the limited parking supply, traffic exiting to Blair Street, height and shadow impacts on adjacent condos and whether the design would overwhelm the historic neighborhood.

"Every single picture or rendering of the development is enormous compared to the neighborhood, and I just want to make a note of that because it's going to overwhelm the neighborhood," Madison resident Laura Heiple said.

Lotus Company development manager Christian Graf responded to the concerns raised during the meeting. "Our goal is therefore to do something that is respectful of everyone within those guidelines," the developer said. "And so your voice and everyone else's voice on this call is so important, and we will definitely proceed with the thought of all of this."...


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Leo's notes: The proposed 200-unit redevelopment presents Madison with the familiar challenge of balancing neighborhood concerns with the urgent need to add housing in well-connected, high-demand areas. Design, historic context and transportation impacts deserve thoughtful consideration, but density is also what makes it possible to meaningfully expand affordable housing on scarce urban land. The strongest outcome will be a project that responds to its surroundings without losing the housing production that makes the redevelopment worthwhile.

Ken Notes: Developers "maxed out" the site because it is a valuable piece of land...

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Pope Leo Village brings affordable housing to Milwaukee's Harambee neighborhood


Habitat for Humanity's Pope Leo Village project, part of a national housing initiative, is creating affordable homes in Milwaukee's Harambee neighborhood, inspired by Pope Leo's mission of community building.

MILWAUKEE —

Habitat for Humanity has launched the Pope Leo Village project in Milwaukee's Harambee neighborhood, part of a national initiative to create affordable housing in 21 cities and build 250 homes across the country.

The project began Friday near Sixth and Locust, with blessings written on the walls and a focus on hope and community.

"As we gather this morning to entrust to God the Pope Leo Village building project by Habitat for Humanity and its partners, our faith should be enlivened and our hearts filled with gratitude," Auxiliary Bishop Jeffrey Haines said.

Seven homes are either completed or under construction in Milwaukee as part of the initiative.

"The Pope Leo Village initiative is been motivated by an anonymous donor who is supporting all the projects across the country. And he reached out to us last year, after Pope Leo was elected with this idea," Kristi Sebald with Habitat for Humanity Milwaukee said...



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Leo's notes: Milwaukee’s Pope Leo Village significance is the focus on ownership: adding attainable starter homes gives working households an opportunity to build equity and establish long-term roots. Rental production remains essential, but healthy communities need pathways into ownership as well.

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Application process for new Riverside Drive apartment project to begin soon


BELOIT — Work officially started Wednesday on the first large-scale affordable housing development in Beloit in about 15 years, and the process of deciding who will be able to rent those units is going to start soon as well.

On Wednesday, officials from Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, the Alternative Continuum of Care of Madison, the City of Beloit, Rock County and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority gathered at the site of former Stateline Family YMCA to celebrate the beginning of the 55-unit Riverside Apartments.

The $14 million project at 1865 Riverside Drive will have 45 units set aside for families making 80% of the county median income...


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Leo’s notes: Beloit’s 55-unit Riverside Apartments marks the city’s first large-scale affordable housing development in roughly 15 years, backed by unusually strong local and regional investment. While a major win, Beloit has produced far fewer homes than its housing study says are needed. Sustained partnerships and a repeatable development pipeline will be essential to meeting workforce demand.

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“A Historic Day”: Ground Broken For New Apartments On Former Mirro Property


Governmental leaders celebrated the official groundbreaking of new apartments in Manitowoc.

A ceremony was held this morning for the soon-to-be-built Maritime Lofts on the former Mirro Property on Washington Street.

Leaders say the project will provide workforce housing for those who make 30 to 80% of the median income.

Public Housing Marketing President for Gorman and Company Ted Matkom called the project an amazing effort by the city to bring the site back to the community.

Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels called the day historic and thanked the many stakeholders who helped make the site’s future possible...


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Leo's notes: Maritime Lofts is a strong example of how housing policy, environmental remediation and downtown redevelopment can work together. The 59-unit project will transform Manitowoc’s long-vacant former Mirro industrial property into housing for households earning 30–80% of area median income, leveraging local leadership alongside WHEDA, state and federal resources. For older Wisconsin communities, difficult brownfield sites can become meaningful housing opportunities—but projects like this also demonstrate the patience, public investment and cross-agency coordination required to make redevelopment financially feasible.

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Beloit approves $1 land sale for affordable homes


BELOIT, Wis. — The Beloit City Council approved the sale of three city-owned lots to Habitat for Humanity Waukesha–Jefferson–Rock for $1, clearing the way for new affordable housing in the city’s Hackett neighborhood.

Habitat plans to build affordable single-family homes for local families on the following properties in Beloit’s Hackett neighborhood...

..City officials said the purchase builds on Habitat Waukesha–Jefferson–Rock’s momentum since it expanded into Rock County in 2025. They said it also reflects growing partnerships among local government, funders and businesses across the county.

“This project builds on the City's long-standing commitment to revitalizing the Hackett neighborhood through strategic partnerships and targeted investment,” said City Manager Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez. “Expanding quality, affordable housing is one of Beloit's greatest opportunities, and projects like this strengthen the Hackett neighborhood, attract additional investment, and improve quality of life throughout our community.”


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Leo's notes: Great to see another partnership developing more housing opportunities. The scale is modest, but the strategy is still significant: reducing land costs while investing in established neighborhoods can make workforce housing more feasible...

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HUD funding lags could hit rural Wisconsin hardest


The Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council warns that a disruption in federal funding for the Fair Housing Initiative Program could have an outsized effect on rural and small communities across Wisconsin.

The council provides services statewide and said rural areas face unique fair housing challenges but often have fewer resources to address them.

Erika Sanders, CEO of the council, said older housing stock in rural areas creates additional challenges for people with disabilities who need accessibility modifications.

"People have the perception that rural communities are all white, and therefore race discrimination doesn't happen in those communities but that's absolutely untrue, especially in areas where Hmong refugees have settled, especially where migrant workers have settled," Sanders pointed out...


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Leo's notes: Wisconsin’s housing shortage makes fair-housing enforcement more important, not less, particularly in rural communities where options and local resources are already limited. Workforce housing policy cannot focus solely on producing units; workers and families must also have equitable access to the homes that are available. Maintaining education and enforcement capacity should be viewed as part of the infrastructure supporting a functional statewide housing market.

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ENC (Everyone Needs a Community) moves forward on community housing vision


MARSHFIELD — After searching for a suitable location for six years, ENC Inc. (“Everyone Needs a Community”) is moving forward with plans to build an affordable housing development designed to serve seniors, autistic adults and others while fostering community engagement.

“We’ve been on this site search for six years, and we’ve had a few that fell through for various reasons,” said Kathleen Meyer, president of the nonprofit. “Once this one came up, we knew this would work well.”

The organization recently purchased approximately 20 acres of land beyond the Marshfield High School tennis courts on North Hume Avenue...


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Leo's notes: Marshfield’s proposed 40-unit development broadens the workforce housing conversation by addressing seniors, autistic adults and community connection within one project. As communities plan for an aging population, preserving attainable housing for older residents can also free up existing homes for younger workers and families. It’s inspiring to see ENC expand their offerings by providing options for every stage of life...

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Walworth County Habitat for Humanity volunteers working to build 'missing middle' housing as fast as they can


Organization is constructing four townhomes in Whitewater for middle-class families

WHITEWATER, Wis. — Housing availability and affordability is a constant concern in Walworth County. The county's Habitat for Humanity chapter is trying to fill the need for middle-class families by working with one city at a time.

"We're looking out for the missing middle," said Habitat for Humanity Walworth County executive director John Dawson. "They're teachers. They're first responders. They're factory workers with great jobs."...

"When a family comes to buy the house, they'll pay $200,000 for the house, but it will be worth $400,000," Dawson explained...

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Leo's notes: Walworth County Habitat for Humanity is taking an important step beyond the traditional single-family Habitat model, building four workforce townhomes near downtown Whitewater specifically aimed at teachers, first responders, factory workers and other middle-income households. The homes are expected to sell for about $200,000 despite an estimated market value of roughly $400,000, demonstrating how donated land, nonprofit development and volunteer labor can dramatically change the economics of attainable homeownership. What makes this worth watching is the partnership with Whitewater, which provided the land at nominal cost and sees homeownership as a community-development priority. With Habitat already planning a 20-home subdivision after this project, the larger opportunity is to determine whether this model can move from a handful of subsidized homes to a repeatable strategy for producing missing-middle ownership housing at meaningful scale.

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New food innovation center breaks ground in Green Bay


GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) — Southeast Green Bay is getting a brand-new food innovation center, with the team breaking ground today.

The project is a partnership between Oneida Nation and the state of Wisconsin and will serve multiple purposes: as an agricultural hub educating residents on where their food comes from, a center for housing, and a place for workforce training opportunities.

“It’s gonna be open to residents here, other community members,” said Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich.

“Obviously we’re really excited to have the Oneida Nation as a partner in this effort, as well. And so, I think they have some plans for their members and their organization. And so, I think we’re really interested in bringing the community here to the site in addition to the residents living here.”...


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Leo's notes: Green Bay’s new food innovation center brings workforce training, agricultural education and 90 workforce housing units together in one development. Integrating housing directly into workforce investments is the kind of coordinated approach communities should pursue.

Ken Notes: I love the community / village approach to housing!

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$11.2 Million In State Loans Fuel Six Milwaukee Housing Projects


WHEDA awards will help create about 300 apartments, from City Campus to Mitchell Street.

Six Milwaukee housing developments will receive more than $11.2 million in state  financing as part of a new $50 million funding round aimed at creating workforce and affordable housing across Wisconsin.

The funding will support approximately 300 apartments, including conversion of the former Milwaukee County City Campus, two Historic Mitchell Street redevelopments and the conversion of the former Marcia P. Coggs Human Services Center.

Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) announced the awards Wednesday. Statewide, 22 developments across 10 counties are expected to create 1,862 housing units.

The financing comes through three  loan programs (Vacancy-to-Vitality, Infrastructure Access and Restore Main Street) created in 2023 as part of a $525 million state investment in workforce housing.

“Affordable housing is challenging to fund and build,” said WHEDA Executive Director and CEO Elmer Moore Jr. in a statement. “These  loans make a difference in getting needed projects to the finish line.” ...
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Leo's notes: More than $11 million in housing tax credits flowing to Milwaukee County demonstrates both the scale of the region’s housing need and the number of projects positioned to respond. Importantly, the awards support everything from new construction to adaptive reuse and rehabilitation, reinforcing that solving the workforce housing shortage requires both adding new homes and preserving existing affordable supply. To be more spread throughout the state, rural communities must pair local development capacity with these varied and dependable financing tools...

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$150K grant awarded to NeighborWorks Green Bay to help homebuyers and homeowners


GREEN BAY (WLUK) --A new three-year grant worth $150,000 has been awarded to NeighborWorks Green Bay by Associated Bank.

"This support will help us make sure that families continue to make smart decisions with their money and smart decisions about their housing," said NeighborWorks Green Bay President & CEO, Noel Halvorsen.

NeighborWorks Green Bay applied for the grant through a grant portal offered by Associated Bank.

Halvorsen said the nonprofit and the bank have had a relationship for years. A press release says the grant "reinforces a long-standing partnership focused on helping more families prepare for and achieve stable homeownership."

NeighborWorks will receive $50,000 each year from 2026 through 2028. Halvorsen says as many as 1,000 families come to NeighborWorks Green Bay each year...


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Leo’s notes: NeighborWorks Green Bay’s new funding highlights an important complement to building more workforce housing: helping working households successfully access and sustain homeownership. With the share of Wisconsin homes priced below $350,000 falling sharply, counseling, down-payment assistance and homeowner education can help bridge an increasingly difficult affordability gap. Increasing supply remains essential, but communities also need strong pathways that allow today’s workforce to become tomorrow’s homeowners.

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Altoona shifts plans for affordable housing to industrial properties


ALTOONA, Wis., (WLAX, WEUX ) - The City of Altoona has shifted its plans to build affordable housing on an 80 acre plot of land near Highway 12. In 2022, the city adopted plans to develop a neighborhood on the East side of Altoona. Right here we have an image of the original plans. The plan was aimed at building homes at a cost of $300,000 for buyers.

After receiving zero proposals, the council estimated developing the land would cost an estimated $11 to $12 million. Now the council has shifted discussions toward building industrial property on the plot.


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Leo's notes: Altoona’s decision to reconsider an 80-acre housing site after receiving zero development proposals is a useful reminder that identifying land and setting an affordability goal are only the beginning. The city envisioned homes around $300,000, but an estimated $11–$12 million in development costs ultimately made the concept difficult for the private market to deliver. The potential pivot to industrial development may make economic sense for Altoona, but it also illustrates a challenge playing out across Wisconsin: communities need workforce housing, yet infrastructure and land-development costs can make even publicly supported sites financially infeasible. A great opportunity to explore WI Act 235!

Ken Notes: What they need is a planning and feasibility study and remember you can do both housing and industrial on a site using TIF and other tools. Altoona is 10K population so even 50 affordable workforce homes would have a positive impact!

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Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority Awards $344K To Couleecap, $11K To Habitat


The Brief

  • Wisconsin's Housing and Economic Development Authority awarded $355,000 total in grants to two La Crosse nonprofits working to expand affordable housing and homeownership.

  • Couleecap received $344,000 for homebuyer counseling through the Community First® Housing Counseling Resource Program.

  • Habitat for Humanity received $11,000 to support the Washburn Neighborhood development, which includes renovating one home and building another.



Video at the link!
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About Wisconsin Workforce Housing News (WWHNews.com)


Across Wisconsin many employees can simply not afford to live where they work.

This is true in big cities and small rural communities. Both the availability and price of housing is not in line with the needs of those working in jobs that are vital to the success of our communities. Imagine a firefighter, teacher, city employee, service, or retail worker not able to afford a home in the community they serve.

We aggregate news and highlight programs that are working to provide affordable workforce housing in Wisconsin. We advocate for state and local policies that improve the more affordable housing markets. We encourage developers to build new homes that are affordable for those working for Wisconsin while still making a fair profit on the work they do. We encourage communities and neighborhoods to become partners in meeting these needs. We highlight what others have done as a form of "Best Practices" in the State and Country. Finally, we provide direct links to resources and programs in the State.

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.

Safe, affordable housing makes a difference in the lives of children and families impacting both education and health. We are supporting affordable housing because it is good for business, good for families, good for communities, and good for Wisconsin.

Leonardo Silva - Editor
Architect / Full Service Design Firm
608.698.3522
Leo@WWHNews.com

Ken Harwood - Publisher
Advocating for Wisconsin
608.334.2174
Ken@WWHNews.com


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List of Housing Resources



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

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