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Local municipal and business leaders connect to discuss solving housing issues in Green Co.
Green County Housing Action Forum creates actionable items
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More than 50 local leaders from across Green County met on Dec. 7 at SSM Health Monroe for a Housing Action Forum, hosted by Green County Development Corp. The main issue at hand was the lack of available housing throughout the county, and the need for new development to take place. The Housing Action Forum followed the Housing Summit from last spring which was a conduit to connect community leaders to address the housing issues and implications for Green County. This is a collaborative effort of the Green County Healthy Community Coalition, SWWRPC, and Green County Development Corporation (GCDC).

MONROE — More than 50 municipal leaders, lenders and developers connected on Thursday, Dec. 7 at SSM Health Monroe for the Housing Action Forum, an event to create actionable items for solving the housing issues in Green County.

Troy Maggied, Executive Director and Alyssa Schaeffer, both from the Southwest Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SWWRPC), presented demographic and housing trends to lay the foundation for considerations in housing planning. Common challenges throughout the county include declining population and school enrollment, and an aging demographic, all of which affect community viability. 

Long term community viability includes a growth in workforce, population, tax base, school enrollment and the volunteer base. Statistics throughout the county showed that the current availability of homes is not a near-term solution, and that new home construction is required to achieve growth.  

To achieve new home growth, three key points were emphasized to lay the groundwork for action. Implementation tools such as asset mapping to identify buildable land and identify available funding, investment in land, and control or influence of development to achieve goals, along with zoning recommendations were presented. Regional case studies identified successes within other communities that have invested in themselves with TIF funding, bonds, or undesignated fund balance.  

Following the presentation, each municipality worked together to identify community goals or confirm existing goals, to create three to five actionable steps and development opportunities and to identify potential barriers to development.

The Housing Action Forum followed the Housing Summit from last spring which was a conduit to connect community leaders to address the housing issues and implications for Green County. This is a collaborative effort of the Green County Healthy Community Coalition, SWWRPC, and Green County Development Corporation (GCDC).  

Feedback from the event will provide next steps for building and implementing solutions to the housing issues in Green County. For further information or to be added to the mailing list, contact GCDC at gcdc@greencountydevelopment.com or call 608-328-9452.