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 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.
Cities could ease the squeeze of low housing supply by allowing more market-driven urban infill, say scholars at the American Enterprise Institute.
By the Numbers
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.
The creation of new real estate lots in Wisconsin is down 74% from its high 20 years ago.
Despite a slight recent uptick, Wisconsin’s housing inventory in October of 2024 was 64% lower than its value during the same month in 2016.
