NHS is bringing a new home to the community

RICHLAND CENTER, Wis (WRCO / WRCE) – NHS is bringing a new home to the community.

Neighborhood Housing Services of Southwest Wisconsin (NHS of SW WI) has been focused on its mission of affordable housing for over 40 years. Over those years, NHS of SW WI has locally built over 50 affordable homes for moderate income families in Richland County. NHS of SW WI is currently breaking ground on a new project to help address the current housing situation and continue the agency’s efforts to provide affordable, workforce housing.

The current project is a new home on an in-fill lot on Kinder Street in Richland Center. The lot has been vacant for over 10 years when the previous house was torn down. The city of Richland Center has long sighted the lack of housing as a major concern. Addressing that concern has been difficult with lack of available land for building new homes with access to city utilities. The project is a win-win for adding to the housing stock and tax rolls while in-filling an unused vacant lot.

The planning of this project started over a year ago with a proposal to the State of Wisconsin’s Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources (DEHCR) to re-establish NHS of SW WI standing as a designated Community Housing Development Organization or CHDO.    ...more

Leo’s notes: The groundbreaking on Kinder Street is more than just a new home—it’s a statement about what community-rooted organizations can achieve when given the tools to act. By leveraging CHDO status and creative partnerships, NHS of SW WI is turning a long-vacant lot into workforce housing for a first-time homebuyer. At a time when affordability is slipping out of reach for many families, projects like this show how infill development and nonprofit leadership can keep housing within reach while strengthening the fabric of our small towns.