Special Note: Leo and Ken are focused on bringing economic development, regional growth, and workforce housing expertise together at the community level. We hope to help turn new state policy into actual projects - and ultimately into homes for the workers these communities need to sustain their businesses and economy. We are excited to be a part of this conversation. 

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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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Leo's notes: Households unable to buy remain renters, moderate-income workers compete for limited apartments, and newly constructed ‘starter homes’ can now cost $400,000 or more - a pattern all too familiar throughout the state. Green Bay and Appleton are pursuing zoning and development reforms, but the scale of projected demand shows that Wisconsin also needs tools that directly address construction costs and financing gaps. Workforce housing policy ultimately has to make substantially more homes financially feasible to build.

Ken Notes: We run this story way to often with very few solutions. The new Housing TIF may make a difference see state info and our take below. Leo and I are available to talk with your board on this topic...

Access to safe, stable and affordable housing plays a critical role in overall health and well-being. That's why SSM Health recently joined Madison Development Corporation (MDC) and community partners to celebrate the opening of The Bankston Apartments, a new workforce housing development in downtown Madison, Wisconsin.

Located at 429 W. Mifflin St., The Bankston Apartments brings 40 new housing units to Madison's downtown area, including 30 apartments reserved for households earning at or below 80% of Dane County's Area Median Income. The development was made possible through a partnership among MDC, SSM Health, Lake Ridge Bank and the Dane Workforce Housing Fund II...

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Leo's notes: SSM Health’s investment in Madison’s Bankston Apartments demonstrates the important evolution of moving beyond advocacy and into direct capital investment. The 40-unit downtown development includes 30 apartments reserved for households at or below 80% of Dane County AMI and has particularly relevancy for Wisconsin’s major employers. Housing shortages affect recruitment, retention and community health, and impact investing gives employers another tool to help close financing gaps without becoming housing developers themselves.

North 14th Avenue south of Georgia Street was lined up with vehicles late in the morning of Sept. 9 when a formal groundbreaking ceremony took place for The Avenue, a new affordable housing development being built southwest of the intersection.  

Developer Brian Spoerl of Spoerl Commercial has started excavation 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, who was able to purchase a city-owned lot for $100 as part of the building site, thanked Sturgeon Bay officials for their efforts in making the project possible...

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Leo's notes: In a market shaped by tourism, seasonal demand and high housing costs, adding year-round rental options is critical to ensuring that the people who sustain local businesses and services can also live in the communities where they work. Next step is to create affordable homes for purchasing.

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	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...

Good morning Ken,

The Tax Incremental Financing documents on the DOR TIF webpage are now updated with information about the new Residential TID category. You had asked to be notified when this occurred.

• TIF Manual
• Common questions-Residential TIDs
• Residential Creation

Thank you.

Tod Ericson
State and Local Finance Division
Wisconsin Department of Revenue
(608) 266-7750 x 3
tif@wisconsin.gov


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ABSTRACT

Act 235 created an entirely new kind of tax incremental district — one built for houses instead of factories. It takes effect October 1, 2026. This guide explains the rules in plain language, shows what a complying neighborhood actually looks like, and walks through the numbers so a village board can decide whether the tool fits.

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A former West Allis school to be converted to affordable apartments, and a controversial Shorewood housing project, would get federal grants through a plan pending before Milwaukee County officials.

The $5 million in funds are to help finance four developments that would construct or renovate 132 affordable apartments, including two Milwaukee projects...

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Leo's notes: The conversion of the former Longfellow Elementary School in West Allis would transform an existing public asset into 55 apartments—22 within the historic school and 33 in a new addition. Projects such as this one are a prime example of why communities should inventory obsolete schools, institutional buildings and other public properties alongside vacant land. Reusing existing sites can preserve neighborhood character and infrastructure while creating housing in established communities.

WATERTOWN — A potential 24-unit multifamily residential development is being proposed next to Piggly Wiggly. 

4th Dimension Real Estate Developers LLC is requesting to rezone approximately 2.5 acres located at 1310 Memorial Drive to multifamily residential. The proposed development consists of three two-story buildings, each containing eight units. 

"The proposed concept plan incorporates three two-story residential buildings arranged around shared parking and open space areas," reads the developer's rezoning justification statement. "The development includes pedestrian walkways, landscaped areas, and a central parking configuration designed to provide safe circulation for residents and visitors." ...

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Leo's notes: A 24-unit development may not transform a regional housing shortage on its own, but replicating appropriately scaled multifamily projects throughout communities can steadily expand supply, make better use of existing infrastructure and provide workers with more choices close to jobs and everyday services. Projects at this scale are an important part of Wisconsin’s missing-middle conversation.

Ken Notes: Just a reminder, while we continue to see more and more affordable rental workforce housing, WE NEED more affordable home OWNERSHIP options!

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council approved a development agreement on Sept. 15 for a housing and storage-unit project on 35.43 acres of city-owned property at 1259 Division Road in the newly created Tax Incremental District (TID) #12.

The agreement with Green Bay-area developer, Jim Conard, who is partnering with Paul Shefchik of PortSide Builders, includes approximately 30 workforce-housing lots, about 36 market-rate housing units consisting of single-family homes and duplexes, and 34 storage units with living spaces. 

The council approved a revised agreement that increases the maximum amount the city will repay the developer $2,753,393, an increase of $186,690. The repayment will be based on 90% of the tax increment generated from the project, beginning with the 2029 tax year...

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Leo's notes: Sturgeon Bay’s revised TID 12 agreement demonstrates how tax increment financing can be used not simply to support development, but to intentionally shape the housing that gets built. The planned mix of single-family and duplex lots—including homes designated for workforce housing—creates an opportunity to expand attainable ownership while using public investment to overcome the infrastructure costs that often make new subdivisions difficult to finance. Great example of utilizing newly drafted residential TIF law for neighborhood development.

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...