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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

FOX CROSSING (WLUK) -- A Fox Crossing family of three was given the keys to their own home Thursday.

The hard work of Habitat for Humanity, community partners and dedicated volunteers made it possible.

According to the most recent count from Habitat for Humanity, the Fox Valley needs more than 18,000 homes to keep up with housing demands.

“As housing prices continue to go up, availability is low," said Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity President John Weyenberg. "The wages in our community just aren’t keeping pace with the increase in costs.”...

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Leo`s notes: What stands out is not just a single set of keys for a family in need, but the model behind it: community land acquisition, volunteer labor, and business partnerships focused on people, not speculation. As housing markets tighten statewide, this moment reinforces a core truth for workforce housing advocates—local, community-based solutions remain one of the most effective tools we have to keep homeownership within reach.

Ken Notes: I like Habitat, but we need a model for our workforce in service and retail. Why must a full time employee at Menard`s making $20+ / hour live in a 600 sq ft $1,250 apartment rather that a nice new 1,200 sq foot home across from a park near a school. Habitat has shown us what can be done, now communities need to partner with developers and builders to get it done.

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Leo`s notes: Madison’s 2025 housing numbers offer a cautiously optimistic signal in a tight market: more than 2,300 new homes delivered, over 5,300 under construction, and tangible results from recent zoning reforms designed to make building easier and faster. While production dipped slightly from last year, the broader trend matters more—policy changes are beginning to translate into real units, including a meaningful share priced below market. For a city aiming to add 15,000 homes by 2030, the lesson is clear: sustained regulatory reform paired with steady production is not a silver bullet, but it is how housing goals move from aspiration to reality...

“Preserving the affordable housing we already have is one of the smartest and most cost-effective ways to address our housing crisis,” said Dane County Executive Melissa Agard. “These investments will keep dozens of families and individuals stably housed, protect long-term affordability in communities across Dane County, and ensure that existing homes remain safe, livable, and within reach for people at a range of incomes. This first round of awards reflects our commitment to using every tool available to meet urgent housing needs while building a stronger, more equitable county.”...

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Leo`s notes: Dane County’s new preservation fund underscores a critical but often overlooked truth in the housing crisis: protecting the affordable homes we already have is just as important—and far more cost-effective—than building new ones. By investing nearly $4 million to rehabilitate and preserve 65 existing units while adding modest new supply, the county is stabilizing families, preventing displacement, and extending affordability for decades. As leaders like Melissa Agard have emphasized, preservation is not a stopgap—it’s a core housing strategy that keeps communities whole while new construction catches up.

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...

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Some help could be on the way for prospective homebuyers in Wisconsin and across the U.S.

President Trump said he plans to ban large investors from buying up more single-family homes.

In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump stated he is taking steps to ban institutions from buying up single-family properties, and he’s calling on Congress to codify it...

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Leo`s notes: As housing affordability continues to slip out of reach for many Wisconsin families, the renewed focus on curbing institutional ownership of single-family homes highlights a growing consensus: homes should primarily serve as places to live, not just financial assets. Even as proposals from the current administration spark debate, the underlying issue remains clear: without more owner-occupied housing and increased supply, Wisconsin’s “C”-grade affordability will continue to erode the American dream of home ownership.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Green Bay is making changes to its zoning rules, opening the door to more housing options in neighborhoods that previously didn’t allow those options.

City leaders say the goal is to address housing needs while preserving the character of existing neighborhoods.

The zoning changes come after a comprehensive plan update where residents and stakeholders asked the city to take a closer look at how land can be used and what can be built.

“Trying to address affordable housing, which is an issue in Green Bay, throughout the state, throughout the country,” John Leroy, zoning administrator for the city of Green Bay, said...

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Leo`s notes: Green Bay’s decision to modernize its zoning code is a clear signal that cities can no longer afford to let outdated land-use rules stand in the way of housing opportunity. The reforms won’t solve the housing shortage overnight, but they represent a pragmatic shift toward flexibility—recognizing that affordability is as much about where and what we allow to be built as it is about subsidies or incentives.

An Indiana-based development firm is considering an approximately 200-unit apartment complex near the former Northridge Mall site on Milwaukee’s far northwest side. The Annex Group presented conceptual plans Wednesday morning to the Granville-Havenwoods Advisory Council for a 13-acre, undeveloped site at 9251 N. 70th St., just east of the now-demolished Northridge Mall...   ...Full Story Here

Ken Notes: Paywall, but bottom line developers can make good money and long term returns building apartments and the income, tax credits, profits, and equity stay with the developer. Time to rethink low cost condos we can avoid 2008 by creating

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...