WED AM News: New report explores latest WI housing projections, policy implications; JFC approves $7M for job training for people with disabilities

June 3, 2026

— While Wisconsin will need less new housing than previously projected to maintain the status quo, a new Forward Analytics report argues the state should set its sights higher than “building for a low-end estimate.”

The research arm of the Wisconsin Counties Association yesterday released “Not Enough: Wisconsin’s Housing Outlook.”

The report shows the state will need around 84,000 new housing units by 2030 to match its working-age population trend. That’s a substantial decline from earlier estimates, which put the number around 140,000 in 2023 based on less dramatic forecasts of Wisconsin’s working-age population decline.

But yesterday’s report says building just enough housing for a declining workforce “is not positioning itself to grow, attract talent, or remain economically competitive” through the next decade and even further.

While building 84,000 new units by 2030 is the minimum needed to match slowing workforce growth, authors say setting a high-end goal of 228,000 units would “allow for the full reversal of working-age population loss” through in-migration. It would also help address demand among younger would-be buyers who’ve been unable to purchase housing.

“This is the level of ambition Wisconsin’s housing policy should reflect,” authors wrote.

The group’s call to action comes as Wisconsin’s working-age population is now projected to fall by 6.6% or nearly 200,000 people between 2020 and 2030, a larger drop than previously expected. The majority of that decline will be among those aged 55-64, the report shows.

Despite the demographic challenge ahead, permitting trends show some promise for meeting housing targets, according to the report. From 2020-2025, the state issued 138,424 permits for housing units, “far outpacing” the low-end estimate of about 84,000 units by 2023.

“If the state maintains this average permit issuance through 2030, even the highest-level estimate is within reach,” authors wrote.

But other factors are also constraining housing growth, as lot creation acts as a bottleneck for further development. From 2020-2025, the state had an average of 5,600 lots created per year, up from 4,600 per year over the prior five years.

But authors note that’s far below the pre-Great Recession era when that figure exceeded 14,000 per year on average, even as the latest figure reached its highest level since 2007 just last year.

And while Wisconsin is generally keeping up with housing demand, authors say, they argue doing that alone “is not the same” as making progress.

“The next few years of lot creation and permit data will signal which path Wisconsin is on … Permitting has increased in recent years as well, but these incremental increases may not be enough to make up for years of lower construction and underdevelopment,” authors wrote.

See the release and report.

— The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee unanimously approved $7 million to provide job training to those with disabilities as Dems griped that their GOP counterparts delayed acting on the request and then used that to justify releasing $4 million less than DWD requested.

Republicans countered there wasn’t any money available in January when the Department of Workforce Development first sought the funding to provide services to those on a waitlist.

That’s because the committee’s supplemental appropriation includes earmarks to fund various agency requests, and none of it had been set aside for DWD’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

The committee will instead tap some unused funds that had been intended for a revolving loan program to help small dairy farms after a bill to spend the money died in the Assembly this session.

“It just stuns me that this committee wouldn’t take every opportunity to make sure that we have a zero waitlist opportunity so people with disabilities can enter the workforce, pay taxes and contribute to our economy,” said Rep. Deb Andraca, D-Whitefish Bay.

DWD originally sought $4.6 million for 2025-26 and $6.4 million in 2026-27. The committee yesterday instead approved $600,000 in the fiscal year that ends June 30 and the full $6.4 million DWD requested for the second year of the budget.

That money can now be used to qualify for matching federal funds. Some of that includes money other states return to the federal government after not using it for the services, and the state won’t be guaranteed to qualify for all of the funding it requests, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has seen the number of people served grow 10.6% annually. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau noted in background prepared ahead of yesterday’s hearing that other factors have driven cost increases.

That includes the state’s low unemployment rate, which has staff working with more people who have significant disabilities. That often increases the time they receive services as well as how extensive the training is.

As of May 4, 6,756 people were on the waitlist to receive services. That includes 3,883 in Category 1 for those who have the most significant disabilities. In 2025, the waitlist was just 30 people, with none of them in Category 1.

Dem Rep. Tip McGuire, of Kenosha, knocked the committee for “sitting on” the agency’s request for nearly five months, resulting in less money going to DWD.

But Co-chair Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, pointed out the committee didn’t know in January when DWD made the request that the bill to release the dairy innovation grants would fail.

The legislation, which called for no-interest loans for eligible milk producers, cleared the Senate Jan. 21. The Assembly version received a public hearing in the Agriculture Committee the week before, but wasn’t exec’d and didn’t make it to the chamber floor.

DWD said yesterday there are now 7,610 people on the waitlist with about 1,000 added each month. The agency said its goal is to eliminate the waitlist by June 30, 2027.

— State officials have awarded $2.4 million in training grants to 17 employers, funding efforts to boost the skills of at least 1,000 workers.

The state Department of Workforce Development yesterday rolled out the Wisconsin Fast Forward grant funding, which offsets the cost of occupational training programs for unemployed, underemployed and other workers.

To qualify for the grant funding, employers must have at least 85% of participants complete the worker training, while 65% must either get hired or promoted, 75% of incumbent trainees need to get pay raises and another 75% must receive certifications when relevant.

Individual grant amounts vary widely, with manufacturer Linamar in Kenosha County getting the most at about $390,000 to train 110 current workers. The effort is meant to improve employee retention and productivity as well as compliance, while creating new career pathways for its workers. These trainees could get a wage boost of 45 cents or more per hour, according to the agency.

Meanwhile, Ama Inc. in Brown County is getting the smallest grant with about $5,400, to train three existing workers on a building modeling application. This effort aims to support HVAC design and coordination, reduce outsourcing costs and keep more employees. Trainees could get an hourly wage increase of $5 or more, DWD says.

See the release.

— The Joint Finance Committee has signed off on the Evers administration’s plans to sell the state government’s first office building outside of the Wisconsin Capitol.

Along with approving the sale of the former Department of Health Services headquarters, the committee backed the sale of a 3,216 square-foot parcel near the Department of Revenue’s building that Dane County wants to use for a road improvement project.

The committee’s approval was the final step needed before the sales could go through, and the Department of Administration expects to close the deals within 90 days.

Madison-based Landmark Development plans to turn the former DHS headquarters into an Amtrak station as part of an effort to bring passenger rail services to Madison by 2030. The 1930s-era art deco building was approached for $16.4 million, but Landmark proposed buying it for $10 million.

According to materials the Legislative Fiscal Bureau prepared for yesterday’s meeting, the Department of Administration estimates it would cost $4.2 million annually if the state continues to own and maintain the vacant building.

— Appleton-area economic development officials have launched a new recruitment effort targeting out-of-state creative professionals.

Appleton Downtown Inc., along with the Trout Museum of Art and the Madison-based startup accelerator gener8tor, yesterday announced the Creative Professionals Talent Recruitment Initiative. Sponsored by a WEDC grant program, the effort aims to recruit and relocate 20 creative professionals from outside the state to live in the Fox Cities.

The program is offering grants up to $12,500, along with professional development support, mentorship and more, with a focus on artists, musicians and other performers, along with designers, filmmakers and “creative entrepreneurs,” according to the announcement.

Other elements of the effort include relocation stipends and other moving help, support with housing such as downpayment assistance, subsidized creative workspaces and inclusion in a professional development accelerator program organized by gener8tor.

Maureen Ragalie, managing director of gener8tor Art, says the initiative aims to directly support the people contributing to the area’s success while “helping position Appleton as one of Wisconsin’s leading creative communities.”

See the release.

— The marketing agency NEWaukee has launched a new AI “trust agent” to assess how customers view its clients’ brands.

The company yesterday announced the Brand Trust Quotient platform along with an expansion of its brand engagement and customer experience work powered by new AI-based tools. The platform provides an in-depth assessment of clients’ strengths and weaknesses, comparison with competitors and the broader industry, as well as a “BTQ score” to rate brand trust levels.

Its evaluation includes factors like the consistency of a brand across various public channels, responsiveness and engagement over social media and other public forums, signals coming from employees, the customer experience and more.

Angela Damiani, CEO and co-founder of the marketing firm, says most brand metrics “tell you what people say” while the BTQ platform goes further.

“We didn’t see a tool in the market that measured trust the way we believe it’s actually formed, through real experiences,” she said in a statement. “So we built it ourselves.”

The group’s website says the platform is currently being used by cheesemaker Sargento Foods in Plymouth, Discover Wauwatosa, Catalyst Construction in Milwaukee and PS Seasoning in Iron Ridge.

See the release.

Dane County takes another look at license plate cameras after canceling Flock contract

Potawatomi Sportsbook strikes sponsorship deal with the Green Bay Packers

TOPICS

AGRIBUSINESS

– Wisconsin Dairy Month brings farm tours and breakfast events

– USDA reports strong crop conditions across Wisconsin

BANKING

– Huntington National Bank to close Southeast Wisconsin branch

CONSTRUCTION

– How Whitewater is trying to build more housing for university grads

– Stalled Bay View apartment proposal to have third neighborhood meeting