Housing Policy
Everyone has a right to affordable housing with a high standard of living. Here’s how we’ll make it possible across all of Madison:
Develop More Multi-Family Housing
Our top priority needs to be the creation of affordable, sustainable, multi-family housing. Housing prices in Madison are skyrocketing and preemptive laws from Robin Vos and Scott Walker limit the options we have to bring them back under control. The strongest tool we have available is our ability to increase the supply of available units by approving the development of more dense, multi-family housing across the city. As supply increases and our vacancy rate returns to normal levels, prices will fall for everyone in Madison. We also have to make sure this housing is built across Madison, to make sure that the entire city experiences equitable economic development.
Combat Homelessness
The council reached a major milestone in our fight against homelessness by greenlighting the construction of a new shelter for unhoused men. But there is still so much we need to do. I will fight to allocate more resources to social workers and services that can address the root causes of the problem, as well as continuing to build more shelters in other parts of the city to better serve those experiencing housing insecurity.
Expand Housing Options For Seniors
Our rising housing prices have forced Madison’s seniors to make tough decisions. As home values go up, so do property taxes, straining the finances of those on fixed incomes. And yet, many seniors are understandably scared to sell their home - one they might have lived in for decades as they built a family and community - because they are unsure if they will be able to find a suitable place to live that keeps them close to their family and friends. Developing more Senior Apartments and Communities can alleviate these problems can alleviate these problems by allowing our seniors to age well with the support they need, while still staying close to their community.
Strengthen Tenant Resources
Due to overreaches of the Republican Assembly, the city is incredibly limited in what it can do to prevent bad landlords from raising rents, removing tenants, or failing to provide repairs or services. So the city must find every opportunity in the law to hand power back to tenants, including increasing penalties on landlords who violate our rules, funding tenant legal services and education, and encouraging the formation of a renters’ union.