Housing
Housing
We work with local community leaders to identify housing needs and create local housing solutions.
Housing impacts nearly all aspects of community life. It is essential for economic development, job creation, population attraction and retention, public health and safety, as well as social diversity and equity. We work with communities to develop an understanding of their unique housing situation as well as strategies they might consider to meet their housing needs.
Housing Summits
Join community leaders, housing professionals, local officials, and regional partners for a full‑day gathering focused on understanding and addressing the region’s most pressing housing challenges.
Central Wisconsin Housing Summit
From the Foundation Up: Repair, Revive, Reimagine
April 15, 2026
Dreyfus University Center
1015 Reserve Street North
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Southeastern Wisconsin Housing Summit
The House Blend: Mixing Policy, Partnerships, and Possibilities
May 7, 2026
Zoofari Conference Center
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Resources
Housing Preparedness Index
The Housing Preparedness Index (HPI) is a facilitated discussion designed to help local officials and concerned citizens think through the strengths and weaknesses of their local housing market and identify policies and strategies to strengthen it. Upon completion of the HPI local officials and members of the community are encouraged to think about the next steps in improving the housing market for residents of the community.
Community-Led Housing
Our community-led housing study program is designed to increase the availability of workforce and affordable housing. The program accomplishes this by involving local residents and elected officials in a community-centered housing study using a combination of public data and original research. Over a six-to-eight-month period, we work with a local task force to review community-specific data.
Our Work
Latest News & Updates
The Elusive American Dream: Homeownership Trends in Wisconsin
Unlike many other countries, owning one’s home is part of the American Dream. Between 1965 and 2023 the average rate of homeownership was 65.3% with a low of 62.9% in 1965 to a peak of 69.2% in the latter half of 2004.
Wisconsin’s Housing Dilemma
Many Wisconsin communities came concerned over housing through discussions of the lack of adequate labor supplies. For example, communities ask why people are not moving into their communities to take advantage of employment opportunities and the lack of quality affordable housing came to the forefront. The shortage of housing is not unique to Wisconsin and is indeed a national concern.
Housing Affordability A Challenge for Wisconsin Homeowners and Renters
Authored by: Matt Kures, May 2022 Just Over 22 Percent of Homeowners, 43 Percent of Renters in the State are Cost-Burdened May 2022 – The Community Development Institute at UW-Madison’s Division of Extension recently hosted a housing symposium that considered the role of housing in community and household economic well-being. Not surprisingly, housing affordability was […]
Contact Us
For more information, please contact Kristin Runge: