State Affairs Wisconsin Feature: Evers proposal aims to help boost affordable housing through zoning changes

UW–Madison Urban Planning Professor Kurt Paulsen said Gov. Tony Evers’ budget proposal to provide incentives to local governments for zoning changes would be an effective tool to bring more affordable housing to the state.

But the chair of the Assembly Local Government Committee, Todd Novak, argued zoning incentives would not make a difference in supporting affordable housing.

“I firmly believe zoning isn’t the issue,” the former Dodgeville mayor said.

However, another Republican working on housing, Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate Chair Rob Brooks, R-Saukville, said “everybody thinks we need to address’’ zoning but said he would like some changes to the governor’s current proposal.

The governor’s proposal would provide $20 million for a pilot program that would provide grants to local municipalities if they enact zoning changes to build more affordable housing.

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Leo`s notes: Governor Evers’ proposal is a smart, much-needed step toward making housing more affordable for Wisconsin families. Modernizing zoning laws to allow for greater flexibility will help create more attainable homes, strengthen communities, and support our local economies. Affordability and access must be at the center of our growth — and this plan moves us in the right direction

Ken Notes: I promise zoning is an important PART of the problem but it is only a part. We need to work with developers and builders to address the rest of the issues. We need to build neighborhoods with homes for all income levels.