This Weeks Articles for 6/8/2026 ...

1. New report explores latest WI housing projections, policy implications...
2. Builders, industry group share what encourages new home building ...
3. Northeast Wisconsin projects awarded WHEDA tax credits for 227 affordable housing units...
4. When private equity firms buy mobile home parks, rent increases leave residents with few affordable options in rural areas...
5. WHEDA announces $47.5 million in housing tax credits...
6. Project Redevelops Housing Downtown at Cherry Lanes ...
7. Winnebago County names Oshkosh GOEDC for housing fund...
8. Almost 100 Affordable Housing Units are Coming to La Crosse...
9. WHEDA Foundation 2026 Housing Grant Program now open ...

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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

While Wisconsin will need less new housing than previously projected to maintain the status quo, a new Forward Analytics report argues the state should set its sights higher than “building for a low-end estimate.” 

The research arm of the Wisconsin Counties Association yesterday released “Not Enough: Wisconsin’s Housing Outlook.” 

The report shows the state will need around 84,000 new housing units by 2030 to match its working-age population trend. That’s a substantial decline from earlier estimates, which put the number around 140,000 in 2023 based on less dramatic forecasts of Wisconsin’s working-age population decline. 

But yesterday’s report says building just enough housing for a declining workforce “is not positioning itself to grow, attract talent, or remain economically competitive” through the next decade and even further...

See the release and report. 

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Leo's notes: A new Forward Analytics report finds Wisconsin will need approximately 84,000 new housing units by 2030 to keep pace with current workforce and population trends—significantly lower than earlier estimates of 140,000 units due to a steeper-than-expected decline in the state's working-age population. This report reframes Wisconsin’s housing challenge from one of scarcity alone to one of economic competitiveness. The question now ought to be whether enough units can be build to attract the workers, families, and talent needed to grow. Communities that view housing as an economic development strategy—not simply a response to demand—will likely be best positioned to compete for future workforce growth and investment. Contact us for a deeper response to the full report.

MILWAUKEE - The Brewers Community Foundation joined local leaders on Tuesday, May 26, to kick off construction on a new Habitat for Humanity home in Milwaukee. 

Joining the kick-off event were Mayor Johnson, County Executive Crowley, and Alderman Stamper.

What we know:

According to a news release, the home is one of 40 new houses Milwaukee Habitat will build this year, each sold to first-time home buyers at an affordable rate. 

"We're focused on housing quality, housing access, and housing affordability – and there's no better partner to work to make sure that folks in Milwaukee have access to quality, affordable housing than our partners at Habitat for Humanity," said Mayor Johnson...

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Leo's notes: While much of Wisconsin's housing conversation focuses on large-scale multifamily developments, Habitat's work underscores the continued importance of attainable homeownership. Creating pathways for first-time buyers not only addresses housing affordability but also helps families build wealth, stabilize neighborhoods and strengthen long-term community investment. Solving the housing shortage will require both new rental housing and expanded opportunities for ownership across a range of income levels.

Ken Notes: And the Brewers are four and a half games up in the NL Central, so building lower cost homes statistically improves your chances of a championship season, spread the word!

As rural housing becomes harder to find, one Wisconsin dairy is building more than a workforce by providing homes for nearly all of its employees and helping families put down roots in the community.

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Leo's notes: The Breys’ approach highlights how workforce housing increasingly overlaps with immigration, economic development and community sustainability. Perhaps most notably, the farm’s strategy reframes housing not simply as compensation, but as part of organizational culture and employee investment. In regions where housing supply remains constrained, employers willing to directly participate in housing delivery may gain a significant competitive advantage in attracting and retaining workers.

Ken Notes: This is a double edged sword, it is a great idea for creating quality housing for employees but needs some regulations or legal representation to prevent the 2026 version of indentured servitude. I know some larger city hospitals and doing something similar for nursing and support staff.

Also note the photo is from a development in Darlington WI - not the Brey farm...

A new affordable housing project built in vacant space above a Sturgeon Bay arcade and bowling alley opens with a ribbon cutting and tours of its eight apartments May 29.

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Leo's notes: By converting long-vacant upper-story space above an active downtown business into attainable apartments, the project shows how adaptive reuse can deliver housing without greenfield expansion or costly new infrastructure in Sturgeon Bay. Its rapid lease-up reinforces a broader market reality: small-scale, well-located infill housing remains one of the most effective tools for supporting permanent residents in high-pressure tourism economies.

Ken Notes: Rehabbing older properties and adaptively reusing abandoned properties are another tool in the development belt for workforce housing.

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Kolbe Windows & Doors has completed its new multifamily, workforce-housing development, Evergreen Landing Apartments on 8th. The four-building, three-story, 44,000-square-foot residential complex brings 102 new units to Wausau, Wisconsin.

Kolbe hosted a grand opening event that included a ribbon-cutting with members of the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce, city officials, local business leaders, and project team members from across the state.

The Evergreen Landing Apartments on 8th are near Kolbe’s main manufacturing facility and are close to childcare, public parks, transit, and community amenities. “We’re proud the development provides an affordable, high-quality living option for individuals and families within our community, including for current and future team members at Kolbe,” said Mike Tomsyck, Kolbe Windows & Doors’ vice president of transportation and risk management, who oversaw the project’s development...

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Leo's notes: Built steps from its own factory, Kolbe Windows & Doors has completed a 102-unit workforce-housing development in Wausau. This is the kind of leadership our communities need—an employer who treats housing not as someone else's problem, but as a direct investment in its people. When businesses build homes for the workforce that sustains them, families find stability, hiring gets easier, and Wisconsin grows stronger for it...

PESHTIGO, Wis. — The City of Peshtigo’s motto, “Reborn from the Ashes,” is a testament to the resilience of its citizens and leaders. Since the Peshtigo Fire of 1871, the city has turned its historical roots into a draw for tourists.

Mayor Katie Berman joined Spectrum News 1’s “Your Local Leaders” segment to share how the city is creating sustainable growth.

“We are in a bit of a unique situation for a small community in Wisconsin,” Berman said. “We are three square miles. We are kind of land landlocked. We don’t have a lot of urban sprawl, so housing is top of mind for us.”

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Leo's notes: Peshtigo is a great example of how smaller Wisconsin communities are increasingly tying housing policy directly to economic development and long-term population stability. Facing geographic constraints and limited room for outward expansion, their approach focuses on ownership-oriented housing scaled to the realities of a small, land-constrained city. Their blended solution of heritage preservation, walkability, local events and modest workforce housing investment reflects a strategy worth following for smaller regional communities trying to grow without losing their character...

Across the country, more people are experiencing loneliness and social isolation – trends that affect not only emotional well-being, but overall health and quality of life. Yet the solution may be simpler than many expect: a conversation, an invitation, a shared moment.

What if something as small as inviting someone to coffee could help strengthen connection – not just for two people, but across an entire community?

During La Crosse Housing Week, coordinated by Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region, AARP Wisconsin sponsored a community lunch discussion at the Pump House Regional Arts Center to explore exactly that.

Centered on the concept of “third places,” the May 7 conversation highlighted the everyday spaces – and everyday actions – that help people build relationships, find belonging, and stay engaged...

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Leo's notes: This particular session from last week’s La Crosse Housing Week reflects an important evolution in housing conversations. Creating healthy communities is not only about building units, but also about designing places that encourage interaction, accessibility, and long-term social connection. As communities address workforce and affordable housing shortages, there is growing recognition that public spaces, walkability, community programming, and opportunities for belonging are equally important components of livable neighborhoods.

(WLUK) -- Five affordable housing projects in Northeast Wisconsin are getting tax credits from the state.

The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) announced Wednesday multifamily housing developers statewide will receive $47.8 million in competitive Housing Tax Credits (HTC), projected to create housing for approximately 5,000 Wisconsinites.

In total, 35 developments in 15 counties will provide or preserve 2,128 new affordable housing units in 26 communities statewide that are struggling to provide housing for working families.

"Ensuring all our neighbors have access to reliable, affordable housing is essential for the health of our families, communities and our economy,” said Gov. Tony Evers in a news release...

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Leo's notes: The latest WHEDA awards highlight how housing tax credits remain one of Wisconsin’s most effective tools for producing affordable housing at scale. The geographic diversity of this year’s NE Wisconsin projects also reflects a growing reality: housing shortages are no longer limited to major metropolitan areas. Communities of all sizes are increasingly competing for workforce talent, making affordable housing production an economic development strategy as much as a housing policy initiative.

Attracting and retaining residents — especially young people and professionals — is key for the future of rural communities

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Leo’s notes: While eight units alone won't solve Door County's housing shortage, converting underutilized downtown spaces into housing creates new opportunities without requiring additional land or major infrastructure investments. As communities across Wisconsin search for attainable housing solutions, adaptive reuse projects like this offer a practical model for adding housing while strengthening downtown business districts and preserving community character.

Bear Development wants to build a seven-story, 222-unit complex

The “W,” “M” and “C” have disappeared from the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce office building on East Washington Avenue, and soon all the letters could come tumbling down. The building is slated to be demolished, and under a plan submitted to the city, seven stories of affordable housing would be built.

The Madison city council signed off on financing to help fund the project Tuesday, authorizing a tax incremental finance loan of $1.66 million. The funding would help close about a third of the total financing gap of roughly $5 million; the total project is projected to cost roughly $81 million...

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Leo's notes: The conversion of a long-standing office property on East Washington Avenue into 222 income-restricted apartments reflects a broader market transition: underutilized commercial sites are increasingly becoming prime candidates for high-density workforce housing in strong-growth cities like Madison. Just as important, the layered financing structure — combining TIF, WHEDA tax credits, and private development capital — underscores the reality that affordable housing production at scale still depends on substantial public-private partnership.

Ken Notes: The problem is it is expensive and the end result is either heavily subsidized or prohibitively expensive.

Construction costs, lack of capital are a drag on Wisconsin’s housing market. But Milwaukee's nearly 600-unit Corliss housing development offers a blueprint for breaking the logjam.

Kenosha-based Bear Development has done something unprecedented by building the largest private affordable housing development in the state. 

When it is completed later this year, The Corliss in Milwaukee will provide 576 affordable housing units spanning eight buildings, including 144 units for seniors. The $197 million project involved a complex funding scenario that included National Housing Trust funds, tax incremental financing and a Brownfield Cleanup Revolving Loan from the city.

The complex funding arrangement reflects the reality of building affordable housing, said Elmer Moore Jr., the CEO of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority...

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Leo's notes: The Corliss demonstrates that addressing Wisconsin’s housing deficit will require projects at a scale rarely seen in the state. While smaller infill developments remain important, large mixed-income and affordable housing communities can deliver hundreds of units at once and create the density needed to support neighborhood amenities, transit, and economic growth. The project also underscores a key reality facing communities statewide: solving the housing shortage increasingly depends on strong public-private partnerships, flexible local policies, and creative financing structures that help bridge the gap between development costs and housing affordability.

Ken Notes: Now we need equity building ownership options like small homes and condos.

The note represents the biggest multifamily HUD financing ever closed in the state.

Klein Development and MOS R.E. have obtained $114 million in financing for the transformation of the 100 East Wisconsin, a historic office building in Milwaukee, into a 373-unit luxury community.

Dwight Capital originated the HUD 221(d)(4) substantial rehabilitation loan on behalf of the developers. Additionally, The City of Milwaukee provided a tax increment financing package of up to $16.6 million through a newly established tax increment district.

The credit will be used for both construction and permanent financing for the project.

The loan is the largest multifamily HUD loan ever closed in Wisconsin and the largest such credit approved by HUD’s Midwest Region Office. Moreover, it is the biggest HUD 221(d)(4) construction loan in Dwight Capital’s history...

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Leo's notes: The 100 East Wisconsin conversion signals how deeply capital markets and public finance are now intertwined in large-scale downtown adaptive reuse. With more than $114 million in total financing, the deal reflects how office-to-residential projects increasingly depend on complex, stacked capital structures to pencil in. While branded as a luxury transformation led by Klein Development and MOS R.E., the inclusion of roughly 20% affordable units shows the continuing policy expectation that even high-end redevelopments must carry measurable public benefit...

The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) awarded $47.5 million in housing tax credits across 35 developments in 15 counties, including 10 projects planned in Milwaukee County.

The HTC’s, which are meant to incentivize private investment in affordable housing, will provide or preserve more than 2,100 new affordable housing units across various community types, the announcement said...

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Leo's notes: WHEDA awarded $47.5 million in housing tax credits to 35 developments across Wisconsin that will create or preserve more than 2,100 affordable housing units. The awards combine both competitive 9% tax credits and 4% federal and state credits, helping developers bridge financing gaps and attract private investment into affordable housing developments.These latests awards continues to highlight that affordable housing production at scale depends on layered financing and public-private partnerships. While tax credits are often invisible to the public, they remain one of the most effective tools available for creating workforce and affordable housing, particularly as rising construction and financing costs continue to challenge project feasibility. It is also worth highlighting how affordable housing is increasingly being integrated into downtown redevelopment, neighborhood revitalization, and transit-oriented growth strategies rather than being treated as a standalone housing issue.

Roughly 20 million Americans live in manufactured houses, which are homes made in factories.

Although they’re often called mobile homes or trailers, that’s really a misnomer because their owners can’t easily relocate them. Typically, the people who own them rent the land underneath the houses from the owners of manufactured home parks. Sometimes, an owner will rent their home to someone else while paying to rent the land as well.

Manufactured homes tend to be far more affordable than other single-family homes because they have lower upfront and monthly expenses. A typical one costs around US$120,000; smaller ones, known as single-wides, cost around $87,000...

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Leo's notes: Manufactured housing is one of the few naturally occurring affordable homeownership opportunities available in rural America, yet it remains largely overlooked in housing policy discussions. As communities search for solutions to housing shortages, preserving existing affordable housing stock—including manufactured home communities—may be just as important as building new units. The challenge highlights a broader reality: housing affordability depends not only on the cost of the home itself, but also on the long-term stability of the land and infrastructure that support it.

Ken Notes: We need new rules for manufactured housing, neighborhoods, and development. While smaller lots are good we need to remove the profiteering owners from calling the shots. We need communities to buy and develop sites for manufactured housing, install the infrastructure, create security, develop amenities, approve architecture, create neighborhoods and integrate these into the larger community. Leo and I can show you dozens of examples where this is working but it does take planning, education, and the ability to work together.

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...

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Leo's notes: By placing two supportive units on a long-vacant lot in Oshkosh, the project aligns housing delivery with specific populations—those transitioning from homelessness, domestic violence, or refugee resettlement—rather than relying solely on broad-market affordability metrics. It also reinforces a pragmatic development pattern emerging across Wisconsin: modest, grant-supported projects that rely on local foundations and revolving public funds to produce immediate, place-based housing outcomes.

GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- Green Bay high school students are constructing homes and building their resumes in one fell swoop.

It's all part of the Bridges Construction & Renovation program -- a collaboration between the Green Bay Area Public School District, NeighborWorks Green Bay and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.

Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, juniors and seniors from all four Green Bay high schools (East, West, Southwest and Preble) worked together to build a two-story home from the ground up. It's located at 158 N. Maple Avenue.

"This is my second year doing the program. I think we're doing pretty good. A little bit more difficult of a home -- two stories this year, a little bit larger square footage -- but we were able to get most of it done. There's still some tweaks that we've got to get done inside yet," said Bridges instructor Chris Ziegler...

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Leo's notes: Through the Bridges Construction & Renovation program in Green Bay, students are not only helping address local affordable housing needs, but also gaining direct pathways into skilled trades careers. The program reflects a broader trend emerging statewide: solving the housing shortage will require more than financing and zoning reform alone. Expanding the construction workforce, creating early career pipelines, and connecting education directly to community development are becoming essential components of long-term housing strategy.

One of the Milwaukee area's largest apartment developments, this one converting a downtown office tower, will begin construction after Memorial Day.

The vacant 100 East building is being redeveloped into 373 apartments, including 75 "workforce housing" units...

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Leo's notes: (content behind pay wall) The redevelopment of the 100 East tower reflects a broader shift in urban housing policy: converting obsolete office space into mixed-income residential use. With 373 apartments, including 75 workforce units, the project signals growing recognition that downtown recovery and housing affordability are increasingly tied together in the Milwaukee market. Large-scale adaptive reuse projects like this also demonstrate how existing commercial buildings can absorb new housing demand faster and more efficiently than ground-up development alone.

A new affordable housing project built in vacant space above a Sturgeon Bay arcade and bowling alley opens with a ribbon cutting and tours of its eight apartments May 29.

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Leo’s notes: While eight units alone won't solve Door County's housing shortage, converting underutilized downtown spaces into housing creates new opportunities without requiring additional land or major infrastructure investments. As communities across Wisconsin search for attainable housing solutions, adaptive reuse projects like this offer a practical model for adding housing while strengthening downtown business districts and preserving community character.

Developer Brian Spoerl during a ribbon cutting ceremony at The Hampton community housing called Milwaukee County‘s $3 million investment a “game changer” for housing projects.

The founder and managing director of Spoerl Commercial made the comments shortly before announcing the opening of the 17-unit property in Whitefish Bay on the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Hampton Road, which got its occupancy permit the same morning on May 28, Spoerl said. Milwaukee County pitched in $3.09 million to help cover building costs, roughly half the entire project cost, he added. Spoerl praised County Executive David Crowley for his agency’s help.

“Executive Crowley’s economic mobility to the suburbs funding has been a game changer,” he said. “And not only for this project, but for many projects throughout Milwaukee County.”

The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority also pitched in $1.16 million...

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Leo's notes: The Hampton illustrates how suburban communities are increasingly becoming part of the affordable housing solution. Milwaukee County’s willingness to support housing development beyond the urban core recognizes that housing affordability is a regional issue, and that expanding housing choices in high-opportunity communities can improve economic mobility, workforce access, and long-term community health. A model worth replicating outside of other major WI cities.

Over the last 30 years, housing costs have increased substantially, making it difficult for young professionals to purchase a first home.  Creating community driven neighborhoods with high quality homes built on low cost lots, will diversify the housing market within Washington County. The Next Generation Housing Initiative will fill the market void in our suburban/exurban communities, providing attainable quality housing opportunities throughout Washington County for our next generation workforce. One of the main goals for Next Generation Housing is to support investments in the housing stock and advance the quality of the neighborhoods in the County.

See Dashboard Here!

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But one alderman offers fierce dissent and questions concept of aldermanic privilege.

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Leo's notes: The debate at the Milwaukee Common Council highlights a growing tension in affordable housing policy: the difference between increasing the number of income-restricted units and preserving neighborhood control over housing decisions. As a whole, this discussion and decision reflect a larger challenge of balancing the urgent need for affordable and workforce housing against concerns over neighborhood change, local autonomy and trust in outside developers. As construction costs remain high, preservation and acquisition strategies like this are likely to become more common — and more politically contested.

Eight new affordable housing units are now part of the Sturgeon Bay rental market thanks to the rehabilitation of the upstairs portion of the Cherry Lanes Arcade Bar building. The family of owners Moira and Justin Callan cut the ribbon to mark the completion of the apartments May 29. 

The project includes five one-bedroom units, ranging from 584 to 652 square feet, and three efficiency apartments, ranging from 519 square feet to 623 square feet. The units had been reserved for Sturgeon Bay residents whose income is at or below 80% of the Area Median Income. 

Mayor David Ward thanked the Callans for rehabilitating the building’s second floor and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) for financing the project with a low-interest loan...

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Leo's notes: the completion of The Lofts at Cherry Lanes in downtown Sturgeon Bay transformed a long-vacant second floor above the historic arcade and bowling alley into eight affordable apartments. Supported by WHEDA’s Restore Main Street program and local workforce housing financing, the project received immediate response- roughly 90 applications received and all units leased before opening. The rapid lease-up demonstrates the depth of unmet workforce housing demand in Door County, particularly for smaller, attainable units serving single workers and couples. Just as importantly, the project showcases how adaptive reuse of underutilized downtown buildings can add housing supply without consuming new land—an approach that many Wisconsin communities may increasingly look to as they balance housing needs, historic preservation, and downtown revitalization goals.

A Dane County program is working with rental property owners to make multifamily homes more energy efficient through renovations that make the buildings more environmentally sustainable while lowering energy bills, all at no cost to renters.

The Efficiency Navigator has helped small- and medium-sized apartment buildings in Madison, Middleton and Fitchburg for about five years, said Claire Schaefer Oleksiak, the executive director of Sustain Dane, a sustainability group that offers the Efficiency Navigator program.

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Leo's notes: While this may not be focused on new housing stock, it still directly impacts our workforce households. Many owners of older “naturally affordable” apartments face difficult tradeoffs between maintaining buildings and keeping rents attainable. Programs covering efficiency improvements can help bridge that gap by preserving affordability while improving housing quality. As Wisconsin communities continue grappling with rising housing and utility costs, programs like Efficiency Navigator suggest that housing policy may increasingly extend beyond construction incentives into energy systems, sustainability upgrades and long-term operating costs.

The $4.5 million fund combines Spirit Fund and Industrial Development Board money to support low-interest financing and partnerships.

Key Points

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Leo's notes: This is a notable shift from planning for housing to actively financing it. Revolving loan funds can be particularly effective because they target the often-overlooked financing gaps that prevent otherwise viable housing projects from moving forward. As more Wisconsin communities recognize housing as critical economic infrastructure, locally controlled capital tools like this may become an increasingly important part of the workforce housing toolbox. A model worth following!

What does housing have to do with your daily life?

If you had been in the room during Madison Housing Week’s “Six Minutes, One Idea: Everyday Perspectives on Madison,” you might have come expecting a conversation about zoning, development, or policy. Instead, what unfolded was something more personal – and more universal.

This Pecha Kucha–style event, developed by AARP Wisconsin, invited presenters to share short, visual, fast-paced stories drawn from lived experience. For many in the audience, it was a new format. The curiosity in the room was palpable. What could possibly be said in six minutes?

As it turns out—quite a lot...

See Also:

Low supply is pushing Madison’s home values higher and higher

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Ken Notes: Send us your Pecha Kucha presentation on any Workforce Housing image and we will publish it...

LA CROSSE, WI — The City of La Crosse has been awarded a total of $2.4 million in 2026 Housing Tax Credits from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) for the 7^th St. Residences and Heritage Lofts at Lincoln projects.

"As our city continues to grow, increasing our housing supply is important for social and economic development,” Director of Planning and Development Andrea Trane said. “This is a huge win for increasing access to affordable housing for all residents and for the City’s workforce housing needs.”

WHEDA awarded $47.8 million for multifamily housing tax credit developments throughout the state, with La Crosse receiving $1,110,800 in federal credits for 7^th St. Residences. Heritage Lofts at Lincoln received $721,713 from the federal government and $521,401 from the state...

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Leo's notes: La Crosse has secured $2.4 million in WHEDA Housing Tax Credits to support two affordable housing developments that will create 96 new affordable units by 2028! While 96 units alone will not close La Crosse’s housing gap, the developments demonstrate how communities can leverage historic structures, public-private partnerships, and housing tax credits to create attainable housing while preserving neighborhood assets.

New analysis shows Milwaukee metro area had the highest housing price-to-income ratio in the region.

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Leo's notes: In the Milwaukee region, the median home price has climbed to 5.2 times the median household income, while Madison now sits at 5.0 times income—both among the highest ratios in the Midwest. Historically, a healthy housing market hovered closer to a 3:1 ratio. This data reinforces a reality increasingly visible across Wisconsin: the housing challenge is no longer confined to low-income households. When home prices consistently outpace wage growth, communities risk losing teachers, healthcare workers, tradespeople, and young families who form the backbone of local economies. Expanding housing supply across all price points—including starter homes, workforce housing, and attainable ownership opportunities—will be essential if Wisconsin hopes to remain competitive and economically resilient in the decades ahead.

Ken Notes: We have many neighborhoods in the region that are very exclusive and are not focused on more affordable housing for the workforce that provides the lifestyle these homeowners want to enjoy (i.e restaurants, hotels, recreation, retails services, not to mention the very workers in the businesses that created the wealth in the first place. We must start building neighborhoods for these service and retail and service workers or we will fail our children and grandchildren.

The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2026 Housing Grant Program. Up to $2 million is available for physical improvements to emergency shelters and transitional residences statewide, including rehabilitation, accessibility upgrades, and new construction. Applications are available on wheda.com and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, July 31.

Established in 1985 in response to reduced federal housing funding, the WHEDA Foundation Housing Grant Program is funded entirely by WHEDA operations without state tax dollars. The program serves low-income and disadvantaged populations statewide, helping to maintain essential housing resources. Since its inception, the WHEDA Foundation has granted almost $35 million for housing facility improvements...

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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...