Southwestern Wisconsin Housing Summit 

Registration & Light Breakfast

Welcome

Dr. Jeremy Pickard – President, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College 

The State of Housing in Southwest Wisconsin: Insights to Reimagine Our Region

Southwest Wisconsin is a unique region facing unique opportunities and challenges as it looks toward its future. This opening panel will set the tone for the day by exploring three perspectives on housing in the region. Panelists will discuss the lived experience of addressing housing in a community, examine what local data tell us about housing in Southwest Wisconsin, and offer a systems-level perspective on the housing life cycle.

• Kurt Paulson – Professor, Dept of Planning & Landscape Architecture, UW Madison
• Amber Wichowsky – Associate Professor of Public Affairs, La Follette School of Public Affairs & Leadership Wisconsin Endowed Chair for the Division of Extension, UW Madison
• Natalie Strait – Regional Planner, SW Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission

Break

Breakout Sessions

Building Resilient Housing Stock

Energy costs represent a major share of housing expenses, yet energy affordability is frequently overlooked when addressing housing affordability. This session introduces practical tools and resources for integrating energy efficient systems into housing planning, design and construction. Drawing on successful regional developments, participants will explore how energy efficiency creates safer, healthier, and more affordable homes, leaving with actionable strategies to drive sustainable and resilient housing.

• Hetti Brown – Executive Director, Couleecap
• Paul Gerrard – Vice President, Gerrard Corporation
• Jake Robertson – Technical and Energy Program Development Manager, Couleecap

Funding Small Scale Projects

Small-scale housing projects can play an important role in meeting local housing needs, but finding the right financing can be a challenge. This breakout session will explore how community-driven housing projects can access capital, from local lenders and state and federal programs to other financing tools. Panelists will also share strategies for navigating the financing process and getting small projects off the ground, including approaches for first-time developers.

• Tyler Hughes – Senior Vice President, Bank CMG
• Jeff Towne – Community and Economic Development Officer, Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) 
• Ela Kakde – Regional Economic Development Director, WEDC

Manufactured & Modular Homes in Your Community (ADUs Included!)

As construction costs continue to rise, manufactured and modular housing is increasingly looked at as a strategy to lower construction costs and increase the supply of affordable homes. Attendees will explore the full spectrum of offsite construction—including manufactured, modular, and panelized systems—while weighing key benefits, cost comparisons, financing options, and regulatory standards. Additionally, the session highlights strategies for integrating Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) into local communities and practical ways local governments can support their development.

Amy Bliss – Executive Director, Wisconsin Housing Alliance

Lunch

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Housing Initiatives

Join us for a virtual tour of Southwest WI Technical College’s student-built housing programs, where construction students construct a new home on campus each year. Attendees will learn how hands-on trade education supports local housing development, and discover practical ways to partner with regional training institutions to integrate student labor into future projects.

Dan Imhoff – Director of Facilities, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College

Innovative Community Driven Housing Solutions

Our region is home to fiercely dedicated public servants and community leaders working to create housing that responds to the needs of their communities. This session offers a crash course in the innovative and diverse housing work happening across Southwest Wisconsin, highlighting the entrepreneurial and communal spirit that drives rural development and energizing practitioners to expand their view of what’s possible for small places.

• Green County Youth Build Construction Coop – Olivia Otte, Executive Director, Green County Economic Development Corporation
• Affordable Housing Solutions from the St. Croix Valley – Kristie Smith, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity St. Croix Valley
• Cooperative Housing Community & Senior Housing – Kelly Maynard, Cooperative Development Specialist, UW Madison Extension, Center for Cooperatives
• Community Based Supports for Unhoused Families and Families in Transition – Kimberly Jacobson, Executive Director – Family Promise of Grant County 
• Youth & Student Engagement for Housing Projects – Jessica Meulbroek Fick, Assistant Dean College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science, UW Platteville
• Residential Tax Incremental District Updates – Evan Miller, Wisconsin League of Municipalities, Government Affairs Director

Break

Preparing for Development: Modular Housing & Infill Opportunities

Infill and modular housing strategies are often touted as key tools in addressing growth challenges for rural and small communities. This panel will discuss the Southwest Infill Solutions to Housing (SWISH) project, a collaboration between SWWRPC, Neighborhood Housing Services, and Southwest CAP. Panelists will share benefits, pitfalls, and lessons learned from the construction of two homes in Lancaster, WI. The panel will be followed by a demonstration of development feasibility tools created by SWWRPC.

• Natalie Strait, Regional Planner, SWWRPC
• Michael Kuchta, City Administrator City of Lancaster, WI
• Elijah Adams, Owner, Whispering Pines Custom Builders
• Craig Woodhouse, Director, Neighborhood Housing Services of SW WI
• Everett Black, Emerging Rural Development Fellow, Prosperity Southwest

Networking & Adjourn