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Housing Affordability Analysis

Background

In 2018, the Wisconsin State Legislature approved new legislation which requires villages and cities of 10,000 population or more to provide two separate annual reports related to housing affordability and housing fees in an effort to shed light and foster change on affordable housing issues across the state. Specifically, Wis. Stats. 66.10013 (Housing affordability report) and Wis. Stats. 66.10014 (Housing fee report).

In early 2019, several communities – through a focused conversation of APA NE-WI members expressed interest in having the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (ECWRPC) conduct some or all of this work on their behalf through a coordinated and cost-shared contract. The group also felt that by having the ECWRPC conduct and prepare these studies, additional informational and value can be added to the reports in the following ways:

  • Consistent collection, display, and analysis of required data and information so as to conduct more accurate comparisons amongst affected municipalities.
  • The addition of a ‘regional’ narrative which could better explain patterns, correlations and (perhaps) inconsistencies amongst the data should they exist.
  • By providing a forum for collaboration and an opportunity to contribute towards a larger effort which will provide a more accurate picture of affordable housing within the region’s metropolitan areas.

Based on these discussions, 12 communities within the East Central Region elected to contract with the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to prepare these reports. As such, a Housing Report Advisory Team was created so that input and feedback from all communities could be considered as the reports were prepared. Communities electing to participate in the regional effort included: the cities of Appleton, Fond du Lac, Menasha, Oshkosh and Waupun, the villages of Fox Crossing, Harrison and Little Chute, and the towns of Clayton, Fond du Lac, Greenville and Neenah. This report outlines a cooperative effort to not only ensure compliance with the state’s requirements, but shed additional light on a pressing regional issue.

Individual Housing Affordability for the 12 communities and a regional summary are below:

ECWRPC website