St. Croix EDC to share results of new county-wide housing study

HUDSON - St. Croix Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC) has announced plans to hold a series of events to share results and discuss a new study of housing issues across the county.  The first ever St. Croix County comprehensive survey is nearing completion and was designed to review the current housing supply, analyze the county’s future housing demand, define potential gaps between the supply and demand, and highlight key hurdles and challenges that may need to be resolved to help ?ll these gaps. The study will also have a series of specific ?ndings and some recommended actions.

“How we deal with the challenges and opportunities related to housing is an important conversation for the entire county,” said Melissa Meschke, Executive Director of St. Croix EDC. “We conducted the study to make sure this conversation is as informed as possible. The data is comprehensive to help us better understand what’s happening today, what data suggests will happen in the future, and to look at ideas and recommendations to help everyone make better decisions. We are excited to be ready to share the information and are looking forward to the conversations with all our stakeholders.”

SCEDC hired the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, a multi-county planning agency, to conduct the survey. The commission works on planning for physical, social and economic development in Barron, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Polk, and St. Croix counties.

The study was designed to create a housing needs assessment, an affordable housing solutions toolbox, a county-wide housing snapshot, and housing snapshots for speci?c municipalities. It will document all the study ?ndings and recommended actions. The snapshots will summarize demographic and housing data within the community, along with the county’s housing needs and goals, as documented in the county-wide housing study.

The State of Wisconsin has projected St. Croix County’s population will increase by approximately 10% from 2020 to 2050, yet household sizes are expected to decrease. This will likely lead to an increased number of households and a greater need for additional housing units.

“With so much change happening here, from population changes and an evolving regional economy, we think having updated baseline facts about housing is incredibly important,” Meschke said. “We also realized that a comprehensive, county-wide housing study has never been conducted until now.”...

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Leo`s notes:  St. Croix County’s proactive approach to understanding its housing needs is a model for regional planning. With population growth and shrinking household sizes ahead, this data-driven study is a crucial step toward smart, inclusive housing solutions. Transparent conversations like these help ensure every community—urban or rural—can plan for a future where people can afford to live where they work.