Milwaukee, Wisconsin, September 28, 2025
News Summary
Milwaukee is seeing a multi-pronged push to expand affordable housing: a developer is nearing a deal to convert the vacant former human services building at 1220 W. Vliet St. into 66 affordable apartments with ground-floor commercial space and a county behavioral health clinic; an Indiana-based developer has broken ground on Union at Rose Park, a 75-unit mixed-income project with family townhomes, rooftop solar and resident services; and state lawmakers have advanced a package of bills offering homebuyer assistance, ADU rules, funding tools and permitting reforms to spur more housing production statewide.
Major affordable-housing moves in Milwaukee area: conversion of former human services building, a new mixed-income project breaks ground, and a package of state bills advances
Key developments: A developer is nearing a deal to transform a long-vacant county building into 66 affordable apartments. Nearby, a private developer has broken ground on a 75-unit mixed-income project on a major north-side corridor. At the state level, lawmakers have introduced a set of bills aimed at boosting affordable housing, including homebuyer assistance, local tools for building, and rules for accessory units.
What’s happening with the former Marcia P. Coggs Human Services Center
A developer is close to finalizing a sale and redevelopment agreement with Milwaukee County for the building at 1220 W. Vliet St., formerly a county human services center. The plan converts the early-20th-century structure into 66 affordable apartments with ground-floor commercial space and a county-run behavioral health clinic on the first floor.
The project is budgeted at about $32.3 million. Financing includes support from the state housing authority, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County. The deal depends on a mix of tax credits: roughly $13.9 million in low-income housing tax credits and about $7.2 million in historic preservation tax credits. The developer has filled out most of the financing stack but still needs to find a buyer for the low-income housing tax credits, a common step that turns tax credits into upfront equity.
If the county sale closes in December, construction would run about 18 months, with the target opening in mid-2027. Apartment sizes in released plans range from roughly 740 to 1,740 square feet, with rents set between about $823 and $1,576 to meet federal affordable-housing limits based on household incomes.
Union at Rose Park groundbreaking
An Indiana-based developer held a ceremonial groundbreaking this fall for Union at Rose Park, a 75-unit project at 3040 N. King Drive in the Harambee neighborhood. The four- to five-story development sits on about 1.39 acres and includes one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Most units will be affordable under an allocation program, with a small number kept at market rate.
Key features include 12 three-bedroom townhome-style units for larger families, rooftop solar, and amenities such as a community room, fitness center and business center. The project is designed to meet green building standards and will host an onsite partner organization to provide resident services like financial coaching, nutrition and job-readiness support.
Funding for the project combines state tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, federal equity and private lending. Public supports include bond allocations and loans intended to spur development on the corridor. The developer has said the project is part of a broader wave of investment on the corridor, driven in part by recent streetscape and traffic improvements. Completion is expected in the winter of 2026.
State lawmakers move on a package of housing bills
State legislators have unveiled a package of bills aimed at expanding affordable housing options across Wisconsin. The measures include a proposed Workforce Home Loan Program that would offer first-time homebuyers second mortgage assistance up to $60,000 at 0% interest, a grant program to support converting rental units to condos, and a proposal to allow residential tax increment districts to fund subdivision infrastructure.
Other bills would create a statewide framework for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), require clearer local planning and permitting processes for subdivisions, and delay implementation of new commercial and multifamily building code requirements to give communities and builders more time to adapt.
Supporters describe the package as a mix of tools to increase supply, help first-time buyers, and make local development more predictable. Industry groups note housing supply and price pressures statewide and say the measures could help address affordability gaps if enacted.
Local context and community concerns
Both projects sit in neighborhoods seeing renewed interest from developers and city investment. City policies in some projects provide preference for existing residents to limit displacement. Community members have voiced mixed reactions, welcoming new housing but also calling for more commercial services and spaces that replace lost neighborhood resources.
Altogether, the two development efforts and the statewide proposals highlight multiple approaches: renovating an older landmark into affordable apartments, building new mixed-income housing with resident services, and creating policy tools for broader housing production and affordability support.
Frequently asked questions
How many apartments will the Coggs building include and when could it open?
The conversion plan calls for 66 affordable apartments. If the sale closes in December and construction proceeds on the estimated 18-month schedule, the building could open by July 2027.
What rents and apartment sizes are planned for the Coggs project?
Planned unit sizes run from about 740 to 1,740 square feet. Rents are expected to range roughly from $823 to $1,576, set to meet federal affordable-housing limits tied to household income.
Who is financing the projects?
Funding sources for the Coggs conversion include state housing authority programs, a Federal Home Loan Bank, city and county support, and a mix of tax credits for low-income housing and historic preservation. The new Union at Rose Park project uses state tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, federal equity, and private construction and permanent loans.
What kinds of income levels are targeted at Union at Rose Park?
Most units are reserved under an affordable housing allocation. Units are targeted to a range of incomes, including very low-income households at 30% of area median income and others at 50% and 60% of area median income. A small number of units will be market-rate.
How do the state bills aim to increase housing?
The legislative package includes programs to help first-time buyers, funding shifts to support housing conversions, local financing tools for infrastructure, a statewide ADU framework, and measures to streamline local planning and permitting to reduce delays.
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Quick reference: key features
| Topic | Location | Units | Estimated cost / funding | Target | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Former Coggs Human Services Center conversion | 1220 W. Vliet St. | 66 affordable apartments | About $32.3 million; LIHTC ~ $13.9M; historic credits ~ $7.2M; other public & private sources | Affordable rents per federal HUD limits | Construction ~18 months; potential opening mid-2027 if sale closes in December |
| Union at Rose Park | 3040 N. King Drive | 75 mixed-income units (70 under affordable allocation) | $25M–$25.8M; state tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, federal equity, private loans | Range of AMI targets including 30%, 50%, 60%; 5 market-rate | Broke ground in September; expected completion winter 2026 |
| State housing bills | Statewide | Not applicable | Proposed use of state funds and program allocations (e.g., WHEDA programs) | First-time buyers, housing conversions, ADUs, subdivision infrastructure | Bills on a fast track with hearings planned |
This article summarizes development plans and legislative proposals affecting housing supply and affordability. Timelines, funding and unit counts are subject to change as deals close and projects proceed through permitting and construction.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee affordable housing development would add life to North King Drive lot
- Wikipedia: Marcia P. Coggs Human Services Center
- Urban Milwaukee: Assembly Republicans announce bills to support affordable housing
- Google Search: Assembly Republicans affordable housing Wisconsin 2025
- REBusiness Online: Annex Group breaks ground on $25.8M affordable housing community in Milwaukee
- Google Scholar: Union at Rose Park Milwaukee affordable housing
- Spectrum News1: Milwaukee affordable housing investment — King Park
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Affordable housing
- WISN-TV: Milwaukee apartments open as city seeks to address affordable housing shortage
- Google News: Milwaukee affordable housing Coggs Union at Rose Park 2025
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