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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...

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.

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.

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.

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...