Five bills to boost housing sail through Assembly committee, while others meet opposition

A dozen bills, some aimed at addressing the need for affordable workforce housing according to their Republican authors, passed the Assembly’s Housing and Real Estate Committee Thursday, with all but three gaining bipartisan support.

Several of the measures have already been put on the tentative calendar for the Assembly floor session scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 7.

AB 182, would modify Wisconsin’s low-income housing tax credit and require the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) to ensure that 35% of the tax credits it allocates are for projects in rural areas of Wisconsin.

AB 449 would require local municipalities with zoning to permit accessory dwelling units on the property of existing single family homes.

AB 451 would create residential tax incremental districts, to encourage residential developments with the resulting increases in property tax collection used to fund infrastructure investment. That measure passed the panel 12-2.

AB 454 would establish a workforce home loan fund through WHEDA to provide gap financing for new construction or significant rehabilitation of a single family home for the borrower.

AB 455 would establish a grant program at WHEDA for the owners of apartment buildings to offset converting their properties to condominiums. In an unanimous vote, the committee approved an amendment from state Rep. Lori Palmeri (D-Oshkosh) requiring grant recipients to give current occupants in a building being converted an opportunity to purchase their unit....

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Leo’s notes: A dozen housing bills advanced this week, signaling rare bipartisan momentum on Wisconsin’s workforce housing crisis. Proposals range from expanding WHEDA tax credits in rural areas to authorizing ADUs and creating workforce home loan funds. Advocates note these measures show progress, but real impact will hinge on consistent implementation and local zoning alignment. For further explanation of each bill introduced, please click article link.

Ken Notes: Save and share this article. Please note housing is one of the only issues in Wisconsin receiving bipartisan support on several fronts. Many of these issues Leo and I have been advocating for some time now...