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Community Updates, News Stories, Best Practices, Resources, and other data supporting the development of affordable housing for the citizens of Wisconsin in every city and region in the State. Please consider partnering with us and sharing your story

PROPOSALS DUE: All Proposals must be received at DOA no later than 2:00 pm, CT on Friday, April 17, 2026

The State of Wisconsin, on behalf of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison), is seeking proposals to design and construct student housing within the UW-Madison campus boundary. Two potential state-owned sites are to be explored to maximize student housing and achieve a goal of 1,500-2,000 beds. An acceptable alternative approach would be to propose privately-owned sites within the campus boundary to meet the student housing goals state previously. Proposers should offer terms to lease as well as an option to purchase the facility(ies). To submit a Proposal, please follow the instructions provided in the link below.

View RFP

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Progress is being made, but Door County Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Michelle Lawrie wants residents to see more housing options in the future.

The DCEDC plans to conduct a second housing study in the coming months, seven years after completing its first in 2019.

The study will assess current housing inventory and development activity, examine factors influencing supply and demand — including employer needs, pricing levels and short-term rentals — and project demand for workforce, affordable, seasonal workforce, senior and market-rate housing in the coming years.

The 2019 study showed Door County was short hundreds of housing units, particularly those considered affordable or workforce housing...

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Leo`s notes: The fact that DCEDC is reopening this conversation seven years later shows that housing strategy must evolve alongside economic conditions.The county ought to use this study not just as a report but as a policy catalyst — zoning reform, land banking, public-private partnerships, and seasonal workforce housing models — in order to meaningfully reshape the region’s trajectory.

Ken Notes: Door County has both a housing and an employee problem, mix this with the NIMBY attitude of most regarding affordable (and don`t even mention subsidized) housing and you have the state`s housing crisis magnified tenfold. Not only do residents not want their baristas living among them they want their baristas flown in for the day and then exported home to Europe every night. Also note Door has a lot of baristas, service workers, retailers, and so many others that are necessary to staff the tourism destination the County is famous for

The county could be a model for workforce housing nationwide. Imagine housing villages that are modeled after European communities -- attractive, dense, with great amenities, affordable, and functional. These could be a part of the attraction not a part of the problem.

The City of Manitowoc is getting ready for building on the former Mirro Property.

Community Development Director Adam Tegan told the Community Development Authority (CDA) that the new Maritime Lofts would have 59 apartments, including 21 one-bedroom apartments, 20 two-bedroom apartments, and 18 three-bedroom apartments.

On-site amenities would also include a community room, a fitness center, an onsite leasing office, and on-site residential storage.

Tegan said that this would also be a workforce housing project.

“It has obtained low-income tax credits through the state already,” he explained. “And they are working on assembling all their other pieces of the capital stack, which I believe includes some money from the Department of Administration, potentially federal home funds.”...

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Leo`s notes: Manitowoc’s Maritime Lofts project is another example of how former industrial land can become the foundation for workforce housing. This broader and complex project pairs brownfield redevelopment with layered public financing to create housing for working families. If construction begins later this year as planned, Maritime Lofts will mark a visible step forward in turning underutilized land into long-term community stability.

Residents and city leaders came together at the Community Development Alliance, 3800 W. Lisbon Ave., on Wednesday, Feb. 18 to unveil a mural celebrating more than 3,000 new homeowners since 2023.

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Leo`s notes: Milwaukee’s milestone of 3,000 new homeowners since 2023 highlights the impact of a coordinated, equity-focused housing strategy. By pairing targeted programs with community partnerships, the city is advancing Black and Latino homeownership while preserving affordability for working families. Sustaining 1,000 new homeowners annually signals housing as both wealth-building and workforce strategy—a model to watch.

Ken Notes: Thumbs up MKE. Wisconsin need 150,000 to 250,000 new housing units over the next decade. We must get creative and work together as a state to get this done. Leo and I would be happy to come and lead a discussion on creative solutions.

For companies considering expansion or relocation, smaller metros — often called secondary cities — are increasingly landing on the shortlist.

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Leo`s notes: READ THIS! As corporate expansion shifts toward secondary metros like Madison, Boise, and Greenville, housing affordability is emerging as a decisive competitive factor. Even within our state, smaller Wisconsin communities will attack companies not just just based on tax climate and infrastructure, but whether employees can afford to live near work...

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Leo’s notes: By focusing on “missing middle” homes that teachers, nurses, first responders, and young families can actually afford, the city is addressing the quiet crisis facing many rural communities: without attainable housing, employers can’t recruit, families can’t stay, and towns slowly hollow out. While the financing will require creativity and public-private partnership, the payoff is bigger than rooftops—it’s about sustaining Peshtigo’s workforce, strengthening its tax base, and ensuring the city remains a place where the next generation can live, work, and belong.

St. John’s Lutheran Church has sat on a downtown corner of Madison, Wisconsin — just three blocks from the state Capitol — for nearly 170 years.

But its leaders are now working to demolish it.

“St. John’s has always been a place focused on refuge, serving the poor, and meeting people where they are,” the church’s pastor, Rev. Peter Beeson, said in a fundraising video.

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Leo’s notes: By choosing to replace underused space with 110 affordable homes, the congregation is responding directly to today’s most urgent need: safe, stable housing for working families and neighbors priced out of their own communities. As housing costs continue to outpace wages, projects like this show how mission-driven institutions can unlock land, align values with action, and help turn compassion into concrete solutions.

A Wisconsin-based nonprofit hospice, Agrace, is launching a new memory care initiative that includes a village for residents inspired by the Hogeweyk model in The Netherlands.

The hospice and palliative care provider recently announced the project, which will be dubbed as the Ellen & Peter Johnson Dementia Village at Agrace. Fueled with the Johnsons’ donation of $7 million, construction of the new dementia village will begin in spring 2026 and is slated to complete by fall 2027.

The village will be the first of its kind to launch in the United States. The initiative has been several years in the making as Agrace worked to identify demand, as well as gaps in memory care needs and resources. They also had to develop a care model that would address these issues, said President and CEO Lynne Sexten. The new dementia village’s aim is two-fold: to improve both quality and caregiver support, Sexten indicated...

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Leo’s notes: As Wisconsin grapples with aging demographics and health care staffing shortages, this initiative shows how innovative housing models can simultaneously improve quality of life, reduce caregiver burnout, and strengthen the long-term care workforce—an approach worth watching well beyond the memory care world.

Ken Notes: Read this article. What a great design for any housing project! Wisconsin has looked for ideas from in this case the Netherlands, wouldn`t it be refreshing if we explored the world for housing solutions that actually work elsewhere! We applaud this project...

KENOSHA, Wis. — February in Wisconsin is anything but hot, except when you are talking about the housing market.

According to data from Realtor.com, several Wisconsin cities rank among the top 20 hottest housing markets in the country, including Wausau, Appleton, Milwaukee, Janesville and Oshkosh.

Kenosha takes the top spot, ranked as Realtor.com’s Hottest Metro in the United States.
What You Need To Know

• According to data from Realtor.com, several Wisconsin cities rank among the top 20 hottest housing markets in the country
  
  
• Kenosha takes the top spot, ranked as Realtor.com’s Hottest Metro in the United States
  
  
• The list is filled with midwestern cities, where demand for housing remains high, but the overall number of new builds is low compared to other regions of the country
  
  
• In Kenosha County, population growth is stagnant (hovering around 170,000 residents since 2010)

The hotness metric looks at market demand as well as how quickly homes sell. The list is filled with Midwestern cities where demand for housing remains high, but the overall number of new builds is low compared to other regions of the country...   ...Full Story Here

Leo`s notes: The message is clear: demand is strong, but supply isn’t keeping up. Without accelerating housing production across price points—especially workforce and attainable homes—Wisconsin risks constraining the very growth these “hot” rankings reflect.

The first residents have moved into Aurora Place, Washburn’s 40-unit affordable housing development that drew interest from more than 200 households desperate for quality rental options in the region.

Twenty units are complete at the 803 Superior Avenue development, with 15 already occupied as of late December and the remaining five filling by month’s end, according to Nicole Solheim, Senior Vice President of Development for Cinnaire Solutions, a nonprofit community development financial organization that partnered on the project.

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Leo’s notes: Drawing interest from more than 200 households for just 40 homes, Aurora Place shows that workforce and senior housing isn’t a niche need—it’s foundational infrastructure. When communities invest in housing that allows seniors to age in place and working families to stay local, they strengthen health, stabilize the workforce, and free up existing homes for the next generation. Projects like this don’t just add units; they add resilience to the entire region.

Madison, WI — Senator Jeff Smith (D–Brunswick) and Representative Jodi Emerson (D–Eau Claire) introduced comprehensive legislation to strengthen protections for residents of manufactured home communities and preserve one of Wisconsin’s last remaining sources of truly affordable housing.

“For many residents, especially seniors and retirees on fixed incomes, manufactured home communities are their only affordable housing option,” said Senator Smith. “Without protections, these individuals are forced to choose between unaffordable rent hikes or losing their homes entirely.”

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Leo’s notes: Manufactured home communities are one of Wisconsin’s last truly affordable housing options, especially for seniors and residents on fixed incomes—and new legislation aims to protect them before it’s too late. The proposal would curb predatory practices by large investors, limit excessive rent hikes, strengthen oversight, and give residents a real chance to purchase their communities when they come up for sale. This bill recognizes a hard truth: preserving affordability isn’t just about building new housing, it’s about protecting the housing we already have and the people who depend on it.

Ken Notes: I see an uphill battle here. I wish that communities could do more to control the new ownership of these facilities. The properties are being sold as cash cows to investors and looking at the numbers they are...

NEENAH (WLUK) -- Neenah is pursuing a 50-unit workforce housing development, located at 1311 S. Commercial Street and spanning two acres.

It would also include 2,100 square feet of commercial space.

A plan is in place with the Madison-based Eminent Development Corporation, but the deal isn`t done yet. It hinges on the development company`s ability to get state tax credits, which will be awarded in May.

Details on the proposal:

• Plan calls for 32 apartment units, 16 stacked flats and four townhomes
• Construction would begin in spring 2027 with completion in summer 2028, if all goes to plan
• $18 million project, all privately financed with the help of state tax credits
• Part of Neenah`s South Commercial Street plan...

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Leo`s notes: As communities across Wisconsin compete for state tax credits to make these projects viable, Neenah’s approach underscores an important lesson: strategic public land use, corridor planning, and workforce-focused housing are critical tools for sustaining economic growth and keeping local workers rooted in the communities they serve. Looking forward to tracking this multi-faceted development!

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity announced Thursday that it is joining the Pope Leo Village initiative, a multi-city project sponsored and inspired by an anonymous donor committed to Pope Leo’s vision and lifelong call to serve others.

Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity is one of 16 Habitat for Humanity affiliates nationwide participating in the initiative.

According to Habitat for Humanity, Milwaukee’s Pope Leo Village initiative will help sponsor the construction of seven affordable homes in the Bronzeville and Harambee neighborhoods in 2026 and 2027, with construction beginning in summer 2026...

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Leo’s notes: Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity’s participation in the Pope Leo Village initiative is a reminder that expanding homeownership isn’t just about bricks and budgets—it’s about community commitment. At a moment when too many working families are priced out, collaborative efforts like these show how shared responsibility and hands-on service can turn affordability from an abstract goal into real keys in real hands.

KENOSHA, Wis. — February in Wisconsin is anything but hot, except when you are talking about the housing market.

According to data from Realtor.com, several Wisconsin cities rank among the top 20 hottest housing markets in the country, including Wausau, Appleton, Milwaukee, Janesville and Oshkosh.

Kenosha takes the top spot, ranked as Realtor.com’s Hottest Metro in the United States.

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ENABLING BETTER PLACES: A USER’S GUIDE TO WISCONSIN NEIGHBORHOOD AFFORDABILITY	WHEDA’s Rural Affordable Workforce Housing Initiative	Wisconsin REALTORS® Association
WISCAP Affordable Housing Network	Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources	Housing Authority City of Milwaukee (HACM)
Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corp	WEDA Legislative Tracker	NRA Housing Needs By State / Wisconsin
Wisconsin Housing Alliance	Office of Rural Prosperity Wisconsin Economic Development

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Nate Notes: to be included as a Workforce Housing resource email us a link and a brief note to: wwhnews.com@gmail.com...

Within the federal funding package that nearly derailed in the U.S. Senate is $12.5 million to fund projects mostly related to transportation, housing and urban development across northeastern Wisconsin for the 2026 fiscal year.

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Leo’s notes: Tucked inside the latest federal funding package is a reminder that housing and infrastructure aren’t abstract policy debates—they’re local, tangible investments. While Washington drama nearly sidelined the package, the underlying need is clear: strategic federal dollars, paired with local leadership, remain a critical tool for addressing housing shortages, supporting workforce growth, and keeping small and mid-sized communities competitive and thriving.

`Essential costs are increasing way faster than median household income and way faster than inflation overall,` says researcher

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Leo`s notes: A new Forward Analytics report confirms what many households already feel: while wages have kept pace with inflation, essential costs—especially housing—have far outstripped income growth. With rents up 136% and homeownership costs up 115% since 2000, housing remains a primary pressure point in family budgets. Addressing workforce housing supply is central to restoring real affordability.

JEFFERSON, Wis. — Leaders in Jefferson County are celebrating what they call a major investment in affordable housing after Wisconsin`s Housing and Economic Development Authority awarded $65,000 in foundation grants to Goodwill of South Central Wisconsin.

The two grants will fund critical safety and accessibility improvements to existing affordable housing units, including paying for a new sprinkler system at the Orchard Hollow Apartments in Jefferson and support the rebuilding of a flood-damaged unit in Dane County that serves people with disabilities.

Brad Paul, director of mission at Goodwill South Central Wisconsin, emphasized the broader impact of the funding beyond the physical improvements...

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Leo`s notes: While the funding won’t add new units, it preserves critical affordable housing and protects vulnerable residents. The investment underscores that maintaining safe, dignified homes is as essential as building new ones.

New county program focuses on rehabilitation, preservation

Dane County will award $3,926,399 in funding through a unique new program focused on preserving existing units of affordable housing across Dane County, Dane County Executive Melissa Agard announced in a news release.

It’s the fund’s first-ever round of awards, anticipated to preserve and/or rehabilitate 65 units of housing in the communities of Fitchburg, Stoughton, and Madison, and create four new units of affordable housing in the Village of Waunakee.

“Preserving the affordable housing we already have is one of the smartest and most cost-effective ways to address our housing crisis,” said Dane County Executive Melissa Agard. “These investments will keep dozens of families and individuals stably housed, protect long-term affordability in communities across Dane County, and ensure that existing homes remain safe, livable, and within reach for people at a range of incomes. This first round of awards reflects our commitment to using every tool available to meet urgent housing needs while building a stronger, more equitable county.”...

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Leo`s notes: Dane County’s first round of Preservation Fund awards marks an important shift in housing strategy: protecting the affordable homes currently there. By investing nearly $4 million to rehabilitate 65 existing units and add new ones in Fitchburg, Stoughton, Madison and Waunakee, the county is recognizing that preservation is often faster and more cost-effective than new construction. In a tight housing market, safeguarding existing units is not just prudent policy, but also essential to maintaining long-term community stability and housing choices.

Baldwin Secures Over $32 Million in Direct Support for 26 Projects in Southeast Wisconsin in Government Funding Bill

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Leo’s notes: The investments highlighted here go beyond bricks and mortar, pairing housing with job training, health care, and community services that help families put down roots. For communities grappling with rising costs and tight supply, this approach reflects a pragmatic path forward—one that treats workforce housing not as a niche program, but as essential economic infrastructure.

Seventeen apartment projects in southeast Wisconsin totaling 1,205 affordable apartment units are one step closer to receiving crucial affordable housing tax credits after receiving preliminary approvals. The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) granted preliminary conceptual approval to 53 housing projects statewide, which allows developers to pursue federal and state affordable housing tax credits that...   ...Full Story Here

Leo`s notes: Across our state, developers that pursue and receive federal and state tax credits often make the difference between a project moving forward or stalling. Although not the only solution, WHEDA’s pipeline signals both the scale of need and the importance of tax credit equity as the primary engine driving affordable housing production across the region.

The City of Madison celebrates two new affordable homes in the Owl Creek neighborhood, aimed at expanding affordable housing options for first-time homeowners.

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Leo`s notes: Madison’s celebration of two new permanently affordable twin homes in Owl Creek underscores the growing role of “missing middle” housing in closing the ownership gap. By combining modest-scale duplex design with a 99-year ground lease that caps resale appreciation, Madison is preserving affordability for future generations while allowing first-time buyers to build equity. At a time when homeownership feels increasingly out of reach for working families, this model demonstrates how land policy, zoning reform and targeted subsidy can work together to create lasting, community-centered housing solutions.

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Leo’s notes: By expanding TIF district assistance beyond deeply affordable housing to include workforce units, the city is signaling a pragmatic shift: growing Milwaukee means not only building more housing, but building the right kinds of homes in the right places to keep the city livable, inclusive, and economically resilient.

Preservation effort extends long term affordability and delivers critical upgrades for residents

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Leo`s notes: CPP’s $38 million acquisition and rehabilitation of Highland Park Apartments underscores the importance of preserving existing affordable housing. With occupancy above 98% and deep Section 8 affordability, the project protects 150 workforce homes while upgrading long-term quality and efficiency. In today’s market, preservation IS production...

WASHINGTON — Republicans, Democrats and the White House are methodically, calmly inching toward a common goal: agreeing on a thick package of laws that would do something quickly about slowing housing costs and boosting supply.

There’s no talk of gridlock here. No partisan sniping. Just an under the radar effort to show constituents in an election year that their lawmakers realize there’s a big problem when it comes to buying homes.

That’s why the House earlier this month passed its version of housing reform with only nine dissenting votes. The Senate committee writing similar legislation approved it unanimously last year.

While there are still some obstacles ahead before anything reaches President Donald Trump’s desk, what’s happening is almost a throwback to the days when getting 80% of one’s plan was a big victory, a policy prize to tout back home as midterm elections near...

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Leo`s notes: Rare bipartisan alignment in Washington is advancing a sweeping housing package aimed at boosting supply and easing regulatory barriers. With provisions supporting manufactured housing, local production incentives, and streamlined financing, the effort signals broad recognition that housing affordability is an economic imperative. Federal action on supply-side reform is gaining traction—we’lll continue to monitor its progress closely...

The Brief:

• A Middleton architect is converting a vacant Lodi school into 50 senior living units and 62 additional housing units
  
  
• The former school has been empty since 2017 due to structural issues and hazardous materials
  
  
• The project addresses a critical housing shortage in southern Wisconsin, particularly for seniors

LODI, Wis. — A Middleton architect with a passion for small-town Wisconsin is breathing new life into a historic Lodi property that has sat vacant for nearly a decade.

Steve Shulfer, a partner at Sketchworks Architecture in Middleton, is transforming the former Lodi school into "Primary Terrace," a mixed-use development that will provide much-needed housing for the community. The project includes 50 units of independent senior living, 13 townhome condominiums, and 49 apartment units.

The school has been empty since 2017 due to structural issues and hazardous materials, leaving the historic property in desperate need of renovation. Shulfer`s connection to Lodi runs deep, spanning 25 years of recreational visits to the area...

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DeForest Community Development Authority Awarded $150,000 State Grant to Advance Redevelopment Project

DeForest, WI — The Community Development Authority (CDA) of the Village of DeForest has been awarded a $150,000 Site Assessment Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to support environmental assessment and site clearance activities for a redevelopment project in downtown DeForest.

The grant, awarded through WEDC’s Site Assessment Grant (SAG) Program, will fund environmental site investigations, demolition, asbestos abatement, and related assessment work at property located at the corner of Highway V and Main Street. These activities are a critical early step in preparing the site for construction of Yahara Crossing, a CDA-led mixed-use affordable housing development. 

Yahara Crossing is planned as a three-story, mixed-use development featuring 62 apartments and approximately 4,500 square feet of first-floor commercial space, along with underground parking, community space for residents, and rooftop solar infrastructure.    ...Full Story Here

Leo’s notes: Strategic investments like this—focused on reuse of underutilized land, mixed-use development, and long-term affordability—show how local leadership and state partnership can turn planning goals into real housing opportunities that strengthen both downtowns and communities.

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WEAU) - Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region ranked top 5 nationally in Habitat for Humanity and Novelis’ annual can aluminum recycling program.

The achievement comes after the organization surpassed its 2024 collections by collecting 8,900 pounds of aluminum last year, nearly seven times the 1,300 pounds collected in 2024.

“We had 8,900 pounds of aluminum that we collected, using can recycling at our different can cages,” says Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region sustainability coordinator Stefanie Kline.

Almost half of the aluminum came from Habitat’s ReClaim Program, which collects and removes materials from buildings undergoing renovation....

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After years on hold, two long-approved Walker’s Point apartment projects could finally move forward this spring — if a key piece of city financing falls into place...

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Leo’s notes: If city support comes together this spring, these projects could finally turn years of paper progress into real housing, adding momentum to one of Milwaukee’s most supply-constrained neighborhoods. It’s a reminder that closing funding gaps, especially for urban infill, is often the difference between a housing plan that sits on a shelf and one that actually delivers homes where people want—and need—to live.

“The vacancy for apartments is still under 1%, which is not a healthy rate,” said Drew Pennington, the economic development director for the City of Beloit. “So there’s a lot of demand there.”

That’s why city leaders made sure an affordable housing project that was once in jeopardy will move forward. The four-story, 55-unit building is set to take over the former site of the YMCA on Riverside Drive. Construction is expected to start in the spring.

The project was initially chosen by the city to receive $3 million in funding back in 2024. It also received some additional funding from Rock County and tax credits from the state of Wisconsin. 

What You Need To Know

• A four-story, 55-unit affordable apartment building is set to take over the former site of the YMCA on Riverside Drive


• Construction is expected to start in the spring


• The project was initially chosen by the city to receive $3 million in funding back in 2024; But with rising costs, developers were still short on funding to complete the project


• Beloit City Council members voted to approve $1.6 million in additional funding

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Leo’s notes: Beloit’s decision to step in with additional local funding to keep a 55-unit affordable apartment project alive is a clear signal of how urgent the housing shortage has become. This project, aimed at households earning 30–80% of the county median income and paired with on-site supportive services, reflects a growing recognition that affordable housing is core infrastructure: essential to workforce stability, family well-being, and the long-term economic health of the community.

Across Wisconsin many employees can simply not afford to live where they work.

This is true in big cities and small rural communities. Both the availability and price of housing is not in line with the needs of those working in jobs that are vital to the success of our communities. Imagine a firefighter, teacher, city employee, service, or retail worker not able to afford a home in the community they serve.

We believe Wisconsin employers will support these efforts so they can successfully recruit workers to fill the thousands of job openings now hampered by a shortage of affordable housing.


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WWHNEWS Notes: To add a resource or correct above send data and link to wwhnews.com[at]gmail.com...