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With statewide housing inventory levels at historic lows and median home prices continuing to rise, Wisconsin has a major workforce housing shortage problem. Employers in the state are having a hard time recruiting workers to fill thousands of job openings due to an historic shortage of affordable housing options for workers.
Two of the biggest barriers to new home building in communities are the opposition from existing residents, or NIMBYs (Not in My Backyard), and the lack of financing tools for new development.
You can help remove barriers to create more housing by using the form at the link below to send a pre-written message, encouraging state lawmakers to pass legislation and fund loan programs to help fix Wisconsin’s housing shortage.
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May 18, 2023 was a huge day for housing in the state legislature. Both the Assembly and Senate Housing Committees heard all WRA legislative priorities relating to fixing the housing crisis. Special thank you to Wisconsin REALTORS®, Tina Bunker and Tim Roehl who joined WRA's Executive Vice President, Tom Larson in testifying before the committees to speak on the merits of the bills.

  • SB 296/AB 266, authored by Senator Stroebel and Representative Krug - relating to judicial review of local government decisions. This bill affectionately known as the NIMBY bill, increases certainty and predictability in the development-approval process.
  • SB 297/AB 267, authored by Senator Stroebel and Representative Penterman - relating to the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) program to fund low-interest loans for the rehabilitation of certain residential properties created under 2021 Wis. Act 221.
  • SB 293/AB 264, authored by Senator Quinn and Representative Armstrong - relating to residential infrastructure revolving loans to provide funding for streets, sewer, water, sidewalks, etc. to service new residential development.
  • SB 294/AB 265, authored by Senator Jagler and Representative Hurd - relating to main street rehabilitation revolving loans to help repair and rehabilitate residential rental housing above an existing building with a commercial use on the main floor.
  • SB 295/AB 268, authored by Senator Feyen and Representative Summerfield - relating to vacant commercial-to-housing conversion revolving loans to fund the redevelopment of vacant commercial buildings into new residential workforce housing.

Congratulations on a job well done to REALTOR® Senator Romaine Quinn who was featured on WisconsinEye Newsmakers: Make More Workforce Housing. Senator Quinn, along with fellow REALTOR® Representative Rob Brooks, have been instrumental in the bills being drafted and brought forward to the Wisconsin legislature. Watch the two-minute promo HERE.

Learn more about WRA's legislative priority to address the housing shortage HERE.

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The City of Appleton would like to invite you to join us in a Summit on Homelessness in Appleton on Wednesday, May 31st from 12:30-4:30pm at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center.

Please RSVP to breanna.mekuly@appleton.org by May 15.

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Thank you all who voted in the April 4, 2023 Spring Election! To see results of contested races, click HERE.