Study confirms Wittenberg needs housing

Wittenberg Area Development Corp. working with S.C. Swiderski for housing
By: 
Luke Reimer
Reporter

A Shawano County housing study concludes that the Wittenberg community needs more housing.

Peter Thillman, Shawano County Economic Progress Inc. chief economic development officer, said that the Wittenberg community does not have enough market-rate housing during a report the Wittenberg Village Board meeting on June 20.

“Our issue statewide has been a workforce affordable housing issue,” said Thillman. “Our affordable housing has been consumed by people who could live in market-rate housing.”

According to Thillman, market rate is $320,000 for starter homes and $850 to $1,400 for rent in apartments.

“Right now, we are at record high levels,” said Thillman. “The reason that the sales have soared, is because there is no inventory.”

He noted that especially on the western and eastern edges of the county, people who work in those communities are not living in those communities.

“There is no housing for these entry-level employees to live in the county, so they live in Weston, or Howard or Pulaski,” said Thillman. “In three to five years, they are working in Weston, or Howard or Pulaski. The point is that we need to start treating that housing in these communities to retain the employees.”

Wittenberg Area Development Corp. member Jerry Aanonsen said the organization is working with S.C. Swiderski to look at housing in the area.

“We were told that they were looking at starting in the spring of 2024,” said Aanonsen. “They are talking about two 15-unit apartments. We are looking at the industrial park for them.”

Wittenberg Town Board President and WADC member Dick Beversdorf explained that S.C. Swiderski wants 6.8 acres to put up buildings.

“They are going to do a study of their own,” said Beversdorf. “If we do this, we have to take the land out of the industrial park.”

Village board member Dave Timm added that the village should consider taking out 14 acres in case they want more housing later.

Beversdorf added that the village board may want to think about adding another TIF district.

“When they come to meet with us, they are going to ask us if we have anything that we can offer them,” said Beversdorf. “As of right now, the only thing that we have to offer is that seven acres of land. If we have a TIF, we could offer them some other incentives. When they come here and we start talking about 15 units or more, we are talking millions of dollars. When the TIF is payed off, that’s a lot of extra tax dollars that are going to roll through. It is something that we need to think about if we want to make another TIF.”

Beversdorf added that WADC has been in communication with Ehlers Inc. out of Madison to take land out of the business park that could be used for housing.

Village Board President Bill Switalla showed his support for bringing for housing to Wittenberg.

“I think that this is very necessary,” said Switalla.

Beversdorf echoed what Thillman said, saying that in order to keep the workforce in Wittenberg, there needs to be more housing.

“If we want Wittenberg to grow and do things, we need to have housing available,” said Beversdorf.

The village board unanimously voted in favor of contacting Ehlers Inc. about taking out 14 acres of land in the business park to get housing started.


lreimer@newmedia-wi.com