UOSF Joins Williamson Marquette Neighborhood Associations to Sponsor Affordable Housing Workshop

Five nonprofit neighborhood organizations -- Common Wealth Development, Inc., Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, Marquette Neighborhood Association, La Samaritaine, and Urban Open Space Foundation -- have joined forces to sponsor a free affordable housing workshop on Saturday August 10, 2002.

The daylong workshop will be held at the Immanuel Lutheran Church at 1021 Spaight Street from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.  It will discuss issues and challenges involved in preserving and developing affordable housing in the Williamson-Marquette neighborhood and serve as a springboard for community action.

“This workshop is an opportunity for neighbors and the broader community to address topics of importance to all of us.  The day’s events will involve sharing information and technical expertise in order to develop a neighborhood response to the need to preserve and create affordable housing,” said neighborhood alder Judy Olson.  “Neighbors have been asking how they can get involved in efforts to ensure that our neighborhood stays affordable,” said Marianne Morton of Common Wealth Development. “This workshop will be an excellent catalyst for local involvement in ongoing efforts such as the BUILD planning process for Williamson Street, as well as the planning process for the development of the East Rail Corridor.”

Expressing Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center’s reason for participating, Center Director Gary Kallas said: “Wil-Mar is committed to maintaining an economically diverse community and with signs of gentrification afoot we have concerns that low to moderate income people are being priced out of our neighborhood.”  Earlier this year Wil-Mar conducted a Community Needs Assessment survey in the Marquette and Tenney-Lapham neighborhoods.  The result: 9 out of 10 respondents listed affordable housing as the number one issue facing their community.

The keynote speaker will be Bill Perkins, Founder and Executive Director of the Wisconsin Partnership for Housing Development.  He has almost 35 years of experience in affordable housing development and finance and housing policy development.  Bill’s work in housing started by helping neighborhood residents challenge urban renewal projects that threatened their displacement.  Over time, his housing work has broadened to include design and management of larger-scale programs that increase resources to expand housing opportunities and revitalize neighborhoods, including more effective use of public funds and creation of public-private partnerships. 

Attendees will choose two of four workshops: (1) Affordable Housing 101: Case Examples of Affordability in Our Neighborhood or (2) Policy Initiatives Expanding Affordable Housing Options, and (3) Linking Preservation Tools to Affordability or (4) Alternative Models Providing Long-Term Affordability.  The day will end with an interactive wrap-up designed to link neighbors with ongoing efforts to increase affordable housing options in the Williamson-Marquette neighborhood.

Those interested in attending should RSVP to 256-3527, ext. 16 by Thursday August 8, 2002.  This workshop is free and lunch will be provided.  The Donut Station, Einstein Bros Bagels, Mother Fool’s Coffee House, Ground Zero, and Willy Street Co-op have generously donated food and drink.  Financial support for the workshop was also provided, in part, by the City of Madison Community Development Block Grant office.