Housing
Low inventory and high costs have left the dream of homeownership out of reach for many Wisconsinites. Here we present data, stories, and solutions from the frontlines of Wisconsin’s housing crisis. Download the full report.
Research & Journalism
The dire need for more houses in America has even regulation heavy cities like Los Angeles, New York City, Minneapolis and St. Paul streamlining rules — and providing a playbook for Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Assembly voted largely along party lines this week in support of a crucial housing bill, AB453, that will rein in NIMBYism — the “not in my back yard” outcry that greets developers trying to increase housing supply in communities where elected officials want the same thing.
“The ideal situation is to have an alignment of the comprehensive plan and the zoning code to provide as many certainties as possible.”
How big a factor are regulatory costs? According to one study, the cost of regulation would be $95,000 on a $400,000 home.
Rent control policies result in a lower stock of available housing, a lower quality of available housing, increased rents for properties that are not controlled, and spillover effects that harm those in the surrounding community.
According to one housing developer, cooperation with the city is a way for both parties to leave Manitowoc a better place.
By the Numbers
Most property taxpayers in larger Wisconsin counties paid somewhat more in 2024 than in 2023, although some — those in Washington, Jefferson, Rock, Kenosha and Dodge — saw decreases.
The rental vacancy rate in Wisconsin reached its lowest level in over 30 years last year, dropping by one full percentage point between 2023 and 2024, figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show.
The number of building permits issued for new single-family homes in Wisconsin remains well below pre-Great Recession levels, data from the Wisconsin Builders Association show.
