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Ken Harwood

Advocating for Wisconsin

HarwoodKen [at] gmail.com

Cell 608.334.2174

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Leonardo Silva Architecture is a La Crosse based studio practice focused on timeless design solutions and sustainable practices; for homeowners, builders and contractors alike.

This Weeks Articles for 9/16/2025 ...

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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

We Need More Policy Entrepreneurs to Solve the Housing Crisis

There is no shortage of ideas to address the housing crisis in America. The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs recently advanced The ROAD to Housing Act, which would advance regulatory and financial reforms to make building and financing housing easier, and is the first bipartisan housing bill to receive a markup in that committee in over a decade. States and cities across the nation are implementing a range of new policies and programs meant to increase supply, preserve existing housing stock, and provide stability for low-income households in the housing market. New companies aim to change how we finance and build housing...

...Take offsite construction, which can bring down construction costs through design standardization and faster timelines. While offsite and modular construction represent the vast majority of new single-family houses in Sweden and a substantial minority in Japan and the Netherlands, they represent a tiny fraction of the new units built in the United States despite numerous attempts to jumpstart the industry. Among the major obstacles is an incredibly fragmented regulatory framework: There are approximately 39,000 municipalities in the United States, most of which have their own zoning regulations. Building permits are overseen by more than 10,000 “authorities having jurisdiction,” which are either municipalities or counties, that determine if proposed buildings comply with building codes. Because of regulatory fragmentation across jurisdictions, modular companies often need to create bespoke solutions to comply with local building codes, eliminating many of the time- and cost-saving advantages of modular construction...

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Notes: Leo’s notes: This piece makes a sharp point: America’s housing crisis isn’t a lack of ideas, it’s a lack of policy entrepreneurs who can cut through regulatory fragmentation and push workable models across jurisdictions. Modular construction stalls because every city has its own rules, while housing production funds spread quickly thanks to consistent frameworks and advocacy. If Wisconsin wants real progress, we need leaders willing to champion reforms that harmonize codes, replicate proven financing models, and connect innovative solutions to the communities that need them most.

Ken Notes: Every session I attend is quick to identify the problem, offer great solutions, identifies key players... and stalls when it comes to implementation. We need smaller, denser, modular, affordable, stand alone stater homes. We supply this need with apartments which are small, dense, modular, and affordable. They unfortunately create wealth for the developer and owner but not for the tenant who will eventually try to enter the next levels of the housing market without the necessary equity to take that step.

Northwood Tech And Impact Seven Advance $46 Million Homes Initiative In Northwest Wisconsin

Ribbon-cutting and groundbreaking in St. Croix Falls, Hayward, and Hurley bring affordable housing and workforce training to strengthen Wisconsin families and communities.

RICE LAKE, Wis. - Northwood Technical College, in partnership with Impact Seven, joined state, local and private partners on Sept. 11 to celebrate two Housing Opportunity and Mobile Education Solutions (HOMES) Initiative projects with a groundbreaking for Trailview Cottages in Hayward and ribbon cutting for Maple Wood Cottages in St. Croix Falls. On Sept. 12, a third HOMES project will be celebrated with a groundbreaking for Forest Grove Cottages in Hurley.

The three projects, supported by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Department of Workforce Development (DWD), Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA), Cinnaire, and Red Stone Equity Partners, combine affordable housing with access to mobile workforce training labs operated by Northwood Tech...

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Leo’s notes: Rural innovation at its best—tying affordable housing to workforce training in Hayward, St. Croix Falls, and Hurley. By pairing safe homes with mobile education labs, Northwood Tech and Impact Seven are addressing two of the most urgent challenges facing small communities: housing shortages and skilled worker gaps. This $46 million investment isn’t just about bricks and mortar—it’s about keeping families rooted, local economies resilient, and the rural Midwest competitive.

Vernon County aims to increase housing options

VERNON COUNTY, Wis. — Weeks after Milwaukee rolled out a new initiative to spur more affordable housing and Madison unveiled new plans for more residential housing solutions, smaller, more rural communities statewide are coming up with housing solutions. They all face the same statewide issue: How to develop more affordable homes for more Wisconsinites in the future.

"Vernon County is poised for growth over the next decade," said Amy Oliver, the community development director for Vernon County. "We`re projected to grow by about 1,400 people over the next 10 years."

To that end, Oliver said Vernon County is aiming to start adding up to 60 new residential options each year as soon as possible.

"Really an immediate step is to share this report with our municipal government officials, with key stake holders and with the public to help build awareness around these housing challenges," Oliver said....

Vernon County Housing Report
Vernon County Housing Report Summary

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Rock County Board OKs funds for homeless veterans housing

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...

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Leo’s notes: Rock County’s decision to allocate $300,000 toward housing for homeless veterans in Edgerton is both a corrective step and a statement of values. While the funding gap stemmed from bureaucratic missteps, the board’s action ensures the project can move forward, addressing a critical need for stable housing and services. In a tight housing market, this kind of local accountability and investment underscores how communities can turn setbacks into meaningful progress for their most vulnerable residents.

Ken Notes: While we need to provide entry level workforce housing for everyone, veterans offer a smaller market to test ideas and programs.

Wisconsin Workforce Housing Resources

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

See dozens more here:

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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...

Habitat for Humanity working to meet need for affordable housing

MADISON, Wis. — Dane County is the fastest-growing county in Wisconsin, in large part due to the popularity of Madison. With that growth has come a rising cost of living and a need for more housing county-wide.

What You Need To Know

Habitat for Humanity of Dane County is involved in the effort to create more affordable housing options

American Family Insurance employees worked together Thursday to construct the walls of a brand-new home in the middle of the parking lot at the company’s headquarters in Madison

Families in need of safe, affordable housing partner with Habitat for Humanity to pay an affordable mortgage. That’s key in Dane County, where the median price of a home was $468,000 in July, according to online real estate firm Redfin. That’s up 3.8% compared to July 2024

In contrast, Habitat for Humanity can offer newly built homes for about $280,000 thanks to the help of corporate partnerships, volunteer builders and community donations
Habitat for Humanity of Dane County is involved in the effort to create more affordable housing options.

American Family Insurance employees worked together Thursday to construct the walls of a brand-new home in the middle of the parking lot at the company’s headquarters in Madison.

Nyra Jordan, associate vice president of community and social impact, said American Family Insurance has been working with Habitat for Humanity for almost a decade. She’s noticed employees really value the partnership.

“They know that their efforts are actually going to support a real family, a real individual,” Jordan said....

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Leo’s notes: Dane County’s housing crisis is pushing more working families out of reach of homeownership, but Habitat for Humanity is proving what’s possible with collaboration. By leveraging corporate partnerships like American Family Insurance and volunteer power, Habitat is delivering homes for nearly $200,000 less than the market average—real pathways to stability for low- and moderate-income families. This model shows that with creativity and community buy-in, we can scale solutions to match community needs while keeping homeownership within reach.

Stoughton, developer enter agreement ahead of $76 million affordable housing project

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.

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Leo’s notes: Stoughton’s Riverhavn project is a textbook example of how public-private partnerships can expand housing options while revitalizing community assets like the Yahara Riverfront. With more than 100 affordable units in the first phase and a mix of market-rate homes, it strikes the balance between inclusivity and long-term investment. Projects like this underscore the importance of leveraging tax credits and TIF to deliver both affordability and quality design.

Ken Notes: The math places these units at north of 300K which is high for entry level workforce and again they are rentals.

Wisconsin churches offered new path to transform land into affordable housing and community spaces

RootedGood launches $1.1 million Good Next Step Grant Program to turn vision into action

Churches across Wisconsin are being invited to reimagine their property as a tool for community good through the new Good Next Step Grant Program. The $1.1 million initiative offers grants of up to $40,000, along with expert guidance, to help congregations create affordable housing, sustainability projects, and community gathering spaces. The grant supports critical early-stage pre-development work—site analysis, zoning review, massing studies, pro forma modeling—while allowing congregations to retain control of their property as they move forward.

The program’s “pay-it-forward” model ensures that when a church project succeeds, funds are recycled to support the next congregation—creating a ripple effect of positive change across the state. The pilot will support up to 30 church churches, catalyzing an estimated $450 million in community-oriented development over the next decade, while creating a replicable model for churches nationwide...

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Q&A: Housing challenges abound in St. Croix County

Like other communities on the Minnesota side of the river, Wisconsin’s St. Croix County is struggling to meet the demand for new housing, even as it deals with rising construction costs and affordability challenges.

A new study, conducted by the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (WCWRPC), finds that St. Croix County needs to add up to 4,600 new housing units by 2050 to accommodate growth.

The Blueprint

Study shows St. Croix County needs 4,300 to 4,600 new housing units by 2050.
Rental vacancy fell to 1.4% and homeowner vacancy rate hit zero in 2023.
Over 36% of renters and 23% of homeowners are cost burdened.
Rising construction costs and labor shortages hinder affordable housing.

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Leo’s notes: St. Croix County’s housing study makes one thing clear: the gap between housing demand and supply is widening fast. As with many of our communities, the challenge is ensuring that new development prioritizes workforce and attainable housing—so teachers, healthcare staff, and service workers can live in the same communities they support. Another blatant example of the need for solutions in creating workforce housing solutions.

‘Much-needed relief’: Gurnee board approves 40-unit workforce housing plan

Opportunities for low- to moderate-income renters seeking a place in Gurnee will be expanding with approval this week of a 40-unit “workforce housing” apartment development.

The village board Monday unanimously approved zoning and density variations to allow for Liberty Point Residences to be built on 2.2 acres east of Route 21 near the Tri-State Tollway.

Financed largely through housing tax credits through the Illinois Housing Development Authority, the project is a partnership of Northpointe Development Corporation of Oshkosh and Dream Lane Real Estate Group of Madison, Wisconsin...

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Leo’s notes: Gurnee’s approval of Liberty Point Residences is a win for working families and a model for other communities. By securing long-term affordability through tax-credit financing and deed restrictions, this project directly addresses the gap for households earning 30–80% of area median income. It’s encouraging to see local leaders embrace housing that blends seamlessly into neighborhoods while expanding access for those who fuel the local economy.

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.

Ken Harwood

Editor / Publisher

Advocating for Wisconsin

WisconsinDevelopment.com

608.334.2174

harwoodken[at]gmail.com

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