Rethinking building codes: How Wisconsin could build more by regulating smarter

RACINE, WI — As Wisconsin confronts a shortfall of more than 227,000 housing units by 2030, state and local officials, developers, and housing advocates gathered at the new Arabella Apartments in Racine on Monday, May 12, to discuss one of the most pressing issues facing the state: how to build more affordable housing amid rising costs, outdated building regulations, and federal funding uncertainty.

The Arabella Apartments, part of the larger Belle City Square redevelopment of the former Horlick Malted Milk complex, features 60 rent-restricted units. The site served as a backdrop for a panel discussion on the intersection of policy, building codes, and affordability...

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Leo’s notes: The Racine panel made it clear: we can’t build our way out of a 227,000-unit shortfall with outdated regulations, rising costs, and fractured funding streams. Innovations like mass timber and performance-based codes are promising, but only if local and state systems evolve to support them. This moment calls for more than discussion—it calls for coordinated, bold action that balances affordability, accessibility, and long-term sustainability.