Madison – Representative Nate Gustafson (R-Fox Crossing) yesterday voted in favor of a bipartisan workforce housing package (Assembly Bills 39, 96, 264-268) to address the state’s housing shortage and build Wisconsin’s future.
Wisconsin is in the middle of a severe housing shortage. Statewide housing inventory levels are at a historic low, and median home prices continue to rise. Since 2011, Wisconsin has produced 10,000 fewer single-family homes every year than we did during the previous decade. Construction costs for a single-family home have increased by more than 35% since 2020. In addition, government regulations continue to add excessive costs and delays to the housing development process.
“It is impossible for employers to attract new workers to Wisconsin if there is nowhere for them to live while they are here,” Rep. Gustafson said. “The package of bills we passed yesterday are a vital first step to increasing the supply of workforce housing.”
The package includes legislation to create next-generation workforce housing, rehabilitate main street housing, upgrade aging housing, and convert vacant commercial developments to residential. It also includes legislation to increase the low-income housing tax credit from $42 million to $100 million.
“There is, of course, still more work to be done to improve housing affordability,” said Rep. Gustafson, “and I look forward to more bipartisan bills to do so.”
The legislative package now heads to the state senate for consideration.
