GREEN BAY (NBC26) - Green Bay city leaders say it's a problem that's not going to go away: finding enough places for people to live. Many housing developments are underway, but will it be enough?
“We need 100 units under construction at all times, and it seems like that is happening,” said Jeff Mirkes, the executive director of Downtown Green Bay Inc. “Just over the past few weeks, knowing a number of developments have been announced, we could really be on that pace for more than a couple of years.”
As construction is underway for more than 300 new units in Green Bay, to keep up with demand, we might need more. A local market study found in total, we need about 400-500 new units to meet that demand.
“In addition to slowness in delivery some of the supply, it’s also about the location,” said Kevin Vonck, the development director with the city. “I think for a long time we weren’t providing housing units in some of the places people want to live, like downtown.”
Another problem is, even if we did have enough housing, the majority of people in our area wouldn't be able to afford it. A study done by the Wisconsin Realtors Association found that while a majority of people pay about one-third of their income for housing, nearly 20 percent of renters and almost 30 percent of home-owners are paying between 30 and 50 percent to keep a roof over their heads. Vonck adds salaries have not been increasing alongside property values, lending to more people struggling to afford housing.
With the new construction, it is part of the city's goal is to keep housing affordable, which could mean in the future, maximizing our area to build up instead of out.
“The past couple of developments that are on the radar show a fair amount of density, 3 or 4 story projects. The day could come where maybe a condo tower could be considered offering 10-plus stories.”
The city adds it's almost a 50-50 split between the amount of people renting in the city compared to those who own their home; but looking toward the future, its leaning toward a renter's world.
If you’re interested in more information about the housing shortage and affordability in Brown County as a whole, click here.
