ONLINE: Low-Income Housing: Where Do We Go Next?

press release: A League of Women Voters of Dane County Virtual Public Issues Forum

Tuesday, April 12, 2022, 7-8:15 p.m. via Zoom

Dane County is facing an affordable housing crisis. Many low-wage earners are being left behind. Around 25% of Dane County residents are considered “extremely rent-burdened,” meaning they spend more than 50% of their income on rent and utilities. The increased demand for housing is leaving many low-wage earners behind.

Research shows that stable housing reduces stress on children and parents, decreases childhood poverty, improves achievement in school, and frees up funds to pay for health care and food. Stable housing also improves the economic vitality of our entire community.

How did housing get so segregated? The decades-old practice of “redlining” played a major part. The government created maps outlining areas where Black residents lived and deemed them risky investments, creating entire neighborhoods that excluded those families. Restrictive covenants in housing deeds excluded African Americans from buying homes in certain areas. And zoning laws restricted the construction of single-family homes from multi-family homes, also contributing to racial and economic disparities in neighborhoods.

What creative solutions are nonprofit organizations and government agencies working on to meet our critical housing shortages? How can a mix of low-income and middle-income housing be encouraged? A panel of speakers will outline the history of low-income housing in our area and discuss the public/private development partnerships helping to expand housing opportunities for lower income residents.

The League of Women Voters believes that all people need food, shelter, and access to health care and transportation. Please join us for this virtual forum as we explore how the critical shortage of low-income housing is being addressed in Dane County.

OUR SPEAKERS

Justice Castañeda is the executive director of Common Wealth Development, which supports and preserves the vitality of neighborhoods in the Madison Metropolitan area and operates affordable housing and financial literacy programs as well as youth employment programs. Castaneda will address the historical impact of redlining and zoning as well as the current needs of our community and the factors that lead to healthy housing communities.

Olivia Parry is senior planner at the Dane County Planning & Development Department and coordinator of the Dane County Housing Initiative (DCHI). DCHI is a public-private partnership of residents, elected officials, financial institutions, housing developers, school districts, private sector employers, local government staff, non-profit housing agencies and interested stakeholders. DCHI works to develop a network of information and resources, facilitate communication and learning, and help build strategies and decision-making capacity to expand housing options in Dane County.

Matt Wachter is the city of Madison director of planning and community and economic development (PCED). In this position, Wachter is responsible for advancing the city’s efforts in affordable housing, land use planning, and economic development, as well as leading the department’s management team.

Our moderator:

Sue Jennik is a member of the League of Women Voters of Dane County and director of the program advocacy committee. She also serves on the LWVWI legislative committee, focusing on labor and employment. Ms. Jennik is a retired attorney who represented labor unions, employee benefit funds, and workers in the New York City area for 38 years.

Audience questions and thoughts will be welcome throughout this Zoom webinar.

This event is free and open to the public but registration is necessary. More information about forums can be found on our website. Specific questions can be directed to League of Women Voters of Dane County at program@lwvdanecounty.org.

The League of Women Voters is a non-profit, non-partisan, national organization whose purpose is to promote informed and active participation in government at all levels. Like government, the League functions on several levels—local, state, regional and national. LWV of Dane County is an affiliate of the state and national Leagues.