Addressing Our Housing Challenges is an Economic Imperative

Posted on May 23, 2024, by Jenny Krikava, Community Engagement Manager

In the Fox Cities and Northeast Wisconsin, there’s an opportunity for growth in the housing sector. While recent studies reveal that only a quarter of the required housing is currently being built, this presents a chance for innovative solutions and expansion. By actively engaging with this issue, we not only cultivate a more dynamic community and offer enhanced support for local businesses in their pursuit of top talent but also underscore the vital importance of ensuring equitable access to housing. This commitment ensures that every member of our community has the chance to secure safe and affordable housing options.

In 2022, Outagamie County convened a task force including municipal planners, developers, builders, realtors, nonprofits and funders to develop a Regional Housing Strategy. The needs identified include:

More housing supply
Affordable housing for households at all income levels
Affordable housing in high-opportunity areas
Greater housing choice
Housing preservation

One of the more urgent needs to address is the “missing middle,” or additional options for housing in the current market affordable to middle-income workers such as nurses, firefighters and teachers.

I was invited to represent the Community Foundation on the task force, and through that experience, I continue to be engaged in housing access initiatives on behalf of the Community Foundation. It is my goal to share the learnings and opportunities coming out of the housing strategy work in alignment with the Community Foundation’s strategic direction priorities: understand community needs; diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism; knowledge exchange; and convene and collaborate.

To learn more about housing needs in the Fox Valley region and how your charitable giving can positively address those needs, please reach out to me or your Donor Services representative.

For more information on the work being done in Outagamie County, check out: