The Housing Element is the result of a citywide planning initiative to support Milwaukee’s evolving housing needs. The Housing Element is part of the City of Milwaukee's Comprehensive Plan and replaces the Citywide Policy Plan’s Housing & Neighborhoods Chapter.

The goals, policies, and strategies in the Housing Element set a collective vision for housing and neighborhoods in Milwaukee and provide a road map for the future.

The Housing Element touches upon issues of citywide importance like housing choice and affordability and complements the City’s Area Plans. While Area Plans contain neighborhood and site-specific recommendations that impact housing development, the Housing Element sets policies that are citywide.

The Plan includes policies and recommendations for housing and neighborhoods, including recommendations for updates to Milwaukee’s Zoning Code.

• The Citywide Policy Plan is part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Milwaukee’s comprehensive plan includes a Citywide Policy Plan and 14 Area Plans.
• The Citywide Policy Plan is a comprehensive plan that guides future development by setting a collective vision and roadmap for the future.
• Comprehensive plans are updated and amended based on changing needs in a community. For the Housing Element amendment, we have been looking at how to support evolving housing needs.

Click on the links below to access links to the Citywide Policy Plan and Area Plans.

• Citywide Policy Plans
• Area Plans

Milwaukee’s Zoning Code was re-written in 2002 and the Citywide Policy Plan was adopted in 2010. Since that time, Milwaukee has undergone significant changes. The housing needs, challenges, and goals of the city have evolved. The Housing Element takes into account recent planning efforts, housing trends and needs, public feedback, and citywide goals to set a framework for updates to Milwaukee’s zoning code and housing-related policies to support opportunity and prosperity for all Milwaukeeans.

The policies in the Housing Element include new commitments and updates to previous policies to reflect the housing choice Milwaukeeans desire.

The Housing Element explores how changes to the zoning code...

• Can impact housing choice for all Milwaukeeans.

• Make it more feasible to build many desirable and potentially lower-cost housing types such as townhomes and in-law cottages.

• Set clearer expectations for development and to allow for greater support of smaller neighborhood-based developers.

• Make more housing types feasible within neighborhoods so that people can age in place (in both community and home) and not be displaced due to economic and zoning barriers.

• Allow for additional housing development on transit corridors.

• Help us meet our climate goals.

We didn’t start from scratch... The vision and policies in our Comprehensive Plan are still relevant today and several recent planning efforts were incorporated. The Housing Element incorporates goals and recommendations from a number of recent housing-related planning efforts across the city to support implementation of policies and recommendations found in the Anti-Displacement Plan, the Collective Affordable Housing Strategic Plan (developed with the cross sector Community Development Alliance, and endorsed by the Common Council), and the City’s 14 Area Plans.

The Housing Element update to the Citywide Policy Plan includes new commitments and updates previous statements that reflect the housing choice Milwaukeeans desire. You can view the proposed Housing Element here.

Citywide City of Milwaukee plans like the Equitable Growth Through Transit-Oriented Development, the Climate & Equity Plan, and the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan have developed recommendations and proposed policies for these topics, in addition to other agency local and regional plans. We have been engaging in discussions about transit-oriented development, green spaces, and bike paths and their impact on housing, but direct changes to these policies are not part of this project. The Housing Element aims to align the City's housing policies with other plans.

As we face climate change, opportunities to make it easier for people to walk, use transit, and bike are critical to reduce the amount and impact of driving. Milwaukee’s Comprehensive Plan recognizes that land use and transportation planning are directly linked to climate resilience. There is increasing consensus that compact urban neighborhoods with a mix of uses and housing choices are the most effective at reducing carbon emissions.

Milwaukee is home to many highly walkable and vibrant neighborhoods and the Housing Element recommendations intend to provide more options for residents to live in neighborhoods that are well-served by transit and near walkable business corridors. Our environmental impact can also be reduced through housing materials, building design, and encouraging housing where there is existing infrastructure.

Existing residents – both renters and homeowners – could see multiple benefits as the recommendations of the Housing Element are implemented:

• Aging in place/in neighborhoods: The plan's policies will make it easier for more people to age in place in their homes and neighborhoods. Allowing housing types like accessory dwelling units creates opportunities for intergenerational living or added rental income. Around 60% of 50+year old adults surveyed in AARP’s 2021 Home and Community Preferences survey would consider living in or building housing options like accessory dwelling units (ADUs) or “in-law cottages” to be able to live near someone like a family member, but be able maintain their own space, save money, or get help with daily activities. More than half of those surveyed place “high importance on having a variety of housing types that can fit people’s needs as they age such as smaller single-family homes, multi-family homes, and apartments.” The Housing Element recommendations will reduce barriers to housing development that will allow seniors to age in place in their neighborhoods.

• Walkable neighborhood business districts and amenities: Housing growth and development lets more people live in neighborhoods with access to jobs, neighborhood shopping, and other amenities. Businesses thrive when they have access to employees and customers, and having more housing in neighborhoods can bring in those employees and customers. Encouraging more housing development near commercial districts and transit corridors creates vibrant walkable environments - increasing quality of life. Transit-oriented development has been shown to help lower household transportation costs, increase access to jobs, and allow neighborhood residents to meet more of their day-to-day needs such as shopping, worship, and recreation, without relying on an automobile.

• Increased tax base from new development will spread the costs of paying for city services across a larger group of taxpayers, helping stem future property tax increases or service cuts, and supporting investments in new neighborhood gathering spaces, safer streets, and other core services such as libraries.

The Housing Element policies will help encourage an increased supply of housing. If zoning rules do not allow for the construction of new homes in neighborhoods that are already seeing increased demand and population growth, existing residents are more likely to be displaced due to rapidly rising housing costs.

Residents should have access to affordable housing options that meet the diverse lifestyle needs of every household.

The Housing Element recommends adjusting zoning regulations to permit additional housing opportunities throughout Milwaukee neighborhoods including:

• Accessory-Dwelling Units - sometimes called “in-law suites” or “rear/back/alley cottages,” and “carriage houses.” A small, 1-unit house or apartment attached or detached to single-family residence on same property.
• Cottage Court – detached or attached houses that are typically 1 to 1.5 stores tall and are around a shared courtyard.
• Attached Single-family homes (Townhouses on separate lots) – 1-unit house connected to other 1-unit homes by shared wall(s) – a side-by-side configuration.

The Housing Element also recommends:

• Encouraging multi-unit housing along transit corridors and in areas that already permit multi-family housing.
• Continuing to allow duplex, triplex, and fourplex homes where they are currently permitted.

The zoning code update recommendations specific to single-family neighborhoods, include: continuing to allow for the development of single-family homes, and also allowing for accessory dwelling units, cottage courts, and attached single-family homes.

The Housing Element supports diverse housing options in all city neighborhoods. National surveys and local public engagement demonstrate continued demand for other styles of housing in addition to detached single-family homes and larger multi-family developments. Styles of homes such as accessory dwelling units, townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and small multi-family buildings are already common in Milwaukee neighborhoods.

Similar to development in the recent past and based on current trends and market factors, it is anticipated the majority of new housing created in the coming years will continue to be in larger multi-family developments on commercial corridors and multi-family zoning districts. The Housing Element recommendations support this type of mixed-use and transit-oriented development.

Yes. The Housing Element recommendations are to allow a wider mix of housing styles including accessory dwelling units, single-family attached homes, and cottage courts to be permitted in zoning districts that are currently limited to single-family homes. Detached single-family homes remain permitted in all residential zoning districts.

The majority of vacant lots within the city are owned by the City of Milwaukee, and the City has a variety of programs and initiatives to support new construction for homeownership on City-owned lots. The Housing Element supports these continued initiatives for the development of new homeownership opportunities on City-owned lots.

The Housing Element recommendations also recommend permitting existing homeowners to construct new detached “accessory dwelling units” (also known as rear/back/alley cottages, coach homes, or in-law suites) in areas where they are not currently permitted.

The Housing Element recommends allowing single-family, accessory dwelling units, cottage courts, and single-family attached homes (townhomes on separate lots) in all residentially zoned neighborhoods. Other types of middle housing such as duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes would continue to be permitted where they are currently permitted today.

For districts where a middle housing style is not permitted, but is desired, the property owner could seek a zoning change (public hearing at City Plan Commission) or variance before the Board of Zoning Appeals (BOZA). Standards limiting height and setbacks in residential neighborhoods would remain in place and so that new middle housing would align with existing housing.

Things like construction costs, market demand, population trends, and building codes will also impact how much new housing is developed. In other cities such as Minneapolis that have expanded where middle housing has been permitted, new construction has been limited. Middle housing is already permitted in many Milwaukee residential neighborhoods, and construction of homes with 2-4 units has also been limited.

Yes, the Housing Element recommends updates to the Zoning Code to adjust the rules to make it more feasible for:

• Home-based Business – a business workspace or office located directly within the business owner’s living space/home.
• Live-Work – a building with a commercial or office space and residential unit for the business owner. These styles of buildings with first-floor restaurants, convenience stores, and other neighborhood-serving commercial uses are common on corners in many Milwaukee neighborhoods already.

• Currently, most short-term rental operators in Milwaukee are required to apply for a Tourist Rooming House License in order to comply with State of Wisconsin requirements, though there is not a local penalty for non-compliance.

• The Housing Element recommends adopting new regulations to ensure that short-term rentals are following applicable health and safety standards. The plan also recommends continuing to monitor the impact of short-term rentals on local neighborhoods and housing markets.

• The Housing Element does not propose any changes to the existing code compliance and enforcement process. All property owners, including landlords, would remain accountable for compliance with all building maintenance, safety, and upkeep standards that are enforced by the City of Milwaukee’s Department of Neighborhood Services.

• The Housing Element supports the expansion of resources available for tenants such as eviction prevention services, referral services, and improved rental housing rights. The City of Milwaukee is a partner in the Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center. More information about available services can be found on their website: www.renthelpmke.org

• Wisconsin statutes prohibit local municipalities from prohibiting investor/landlord ownership of residential property or implementing owner occupancy requirements on residential housing units.

Yes, promoting new housing development that advances housing choice must also honor the historic fabric of the neighborhoods with the homes and buildings that help form Milwaukee’s unique charm.

Maintaining existing housing stock is a part of the solution for addressing housing affordability and availability. There are several policies supporting rehabilitation of existing housing stock, for example, policy II.B on page 41 of the Plan states “encourage the rehabilitation of existing housing stock and adaptive reuse.”

Limited housing inventory contributes to rising housing costs, especially in markets with growing demand. Milwaukee is currently experiencing some of the most rapid increases in rental housing costs in the country. Vacancy rates are low and new construction has not kept up with growing demand for homes. For example, over the past decade, the City of Milwaukee added around 9,300 1-person households versus about 2,200 new studio or 1-bedroom housing units (source: John Johnson, Marquette Law School).

Rigorous recent studies demonstrate that:

• Increases in housing supply slow the growth in rents in the region;
• In some circumstances, new construction also reduces rents or rent growth in the surrounding area;
• The series of household moves sparked by new construction opens up available housing that are then rented (or retained) by households across the income spectrum;
• Additional housing supply (new housing units) has not been shown to cause significant increases in housing costs and displacement of lower-income households; and
• Easing land use restrictions, generally leads to more new housing over time, but only a fraction of the new capacity created because many other factors constrain the pace of new development.

(Source: Vicki Been, Ingrid Gould Ellen, Katherine O’Regan, NYU Law and Economics)

Milwaukee’s Collective Affordable Housing Strategic Plan sets out a series of goals and strategies to achieve the overall goal of “providing a quality affordable home for every Milwaukeean.” (www.housingplan.org)

• The Plan includes recommendations to increase low-income homeownership and to preserve and create affordable housing for families and making <$15 per hour. The City of Milwaukee is working with a variety of partners to implement the recommendations of the Collective Affordable Housing Strategic Plan.

• One of the recommendations of the Collective Affordable Housing Strategic Plan is to pursue changes to local zoning codes that allow additional types of housing options and choices in a wider range of neighborhoods, as is being proposed by the Housing Element.

• While changes to the zoning code are an important part of increasing the variety of housing and affordability, zoning code updates on their own will not create deeply affordable housing. Updating the zoning code is just one piece of the puzzle. Changes to zoning rules should be viewed as complementary to the many collective efforts to promote housing affordability for all Milwaukeeans.

Wisconsin State Statutes prohibit local municipalities in Wisconsin from adopting rent control ordinances or zoning ordinances that require developers/property owners to provide a certain number or percentage of units as affordable within new or existing developments (also known as “inclusionary zoning” ordinances).

• The City and partners continue to implement the recommendations of Milwaukee’s Anti-Displacement Plan including utilizing City-owned land and financial resources to support the creation of affordable and mixed-income housing in neighborhoods at risk of displacement, the Anti-Displacement Neighborhood Preference Policy, the MKE United Anti-Displacement Fund, creation of the Milwaukee Community Land Trust, the Milwaukee Home Downpayment Assistance Program to help renters become homeowners, and multiple programs (including the STRONG Homes Loan Program and Code Compliance Loan Program) to assist existing homeowners make needed repairs to stay in their homes.

• Milwaukee continues to see some of the most rapid increases in rents of all cities in the country. Limited supply of new homes is one contributor to rising housing costs. If new homes are not constructed in areas of increasing demand, that can increase competition for homes in those areas, increase prices, and add to the risk that existing residents will be priced out of their neighborhoods and displaced.

• The Housing Element recommendations complement the other strategies in the Anti-Displacement Plan by allowing for a more diverse mix of housing options to be created in neighborhoods across the city and by reducing barriers in the Zoning Code that may be preventing the creation of new housing needed to meet demand.

• The Housing Element is an amendment to the Citywide Policy Plan. Adoption of the plan will not result in immediate changes to the Zoning Code. The Housing Element will be presented to the City Plan Commission for review in Summer 2025. After City Plan Commission recommends approval, the Plan will be reviewed by the Common Council for potential adoption.

• The Housing Element outlines strategies and recommendations for updates the Zoning Code. Once the Housing Element is adopted by the Milwaukee Common Council, City staff will begin to draft proposed updates to the Zoning Code. This is anticipated to start in 2025.

• Any proposed Zoning Code updates will need to be reviewed and adopted by the City of Milwaukee’s Common Council (including public review and a public hearing) before going into effect. No updates to the zoning map or the zoning of individual properties are being proposed at this time. Zoning Code updates to implement the Housing Element recommendations may also occur in phases depending on priority and staff capacity.

• Milwaukeeans are not likely to see significant immediate change after completion of the updates to Zoning Code. Gradually, over the next few years and decades, these changes should support development of wider variety of housing types throughout the city.

The purpose of the Benefit & Harm Analysis is to analyze the near-term strategies recommended in the Housing Element and evaluate the potential benefits and potential unintended consequences of the proposed recommendations for future updates to the Zoning Code.

The Benefit & Harm Analysis includes a focus on (1) concerns that have been raised by community members during the public engagement process to develop the Housing Element, and (2) the Plan’s alignment with the City’s goals for housing affordability, choice, and anti-displacement, ensuring vulnerable communities are not harmed by proposed Plan recommendations. The Benefit & Harm Analysis also includes steps that the City is proposing to track and mitigate potential unintended consequences of Plan recommendations.

• Property taxes for an individual homeowner are impacted both by the market value of that home, as well as the total size of the City budget (tax levy).

• The primary mechanism available for local government to generate local revenue in order to pay for needed public investments is by increasing our overall tax base through the new construction and new development that the Plan’s recommendations support. New development provides one of the only sustainable paths for Milwaukee to be able to make new investments in our roads, parks, libraries, and other critical city services.

• Housing development helps grow the tax base which provides needed resources to support public services, parks, transit, and schools. And, there is room to grow – Milwaukee used to have 150,000 more people than it does today. This means that the costs of maintaining the city’s existing infrastructure and paying for city services are being spread across a smaller number of residents.

• New growth and development will allow the City of Milwaukee to invest in new neighborhood gathering spaces, safer streets, and other core services such as libraries. If costs of government services continue to increase and new development does not occur, service cuts and/or higher taxes remain more likely.

Updating the Zoning Code is just one piece of the puzzle as it relates to housing. Opportunities for homeownership are a priority for many Milwaukee households and for the City of Milwaukee.

• Many partners and efforts are focused on systems to increase and preserve homeownership, as outlined in the Community Development Alliance’s Collective Affordable Housing Strategic Plan.

• Additionally, increasing housing options and choices in Milwaukee neighborhoods may open up more options for all, including homeownership opportunities.

• The styles of housing recommended to be permitted by the Housing Element including townhouses and small cottages, may also provide additional opportunities for homeownership for Milwaukee residents and are of significant interest to many Milwaukee residents.

• The gap between local household income and median housing costs has grown significantly in recent years. This gap is largely due to the lack of available homes for sale and significant growth in the number of households and investors seeking to buy housing in the Milwaukee community. Given that are fewer homes available for sale and a lot of households looking to buy, this competition raises home prices quickly. The Housing Element recommendations will make it easier for new homes to be constructed to meet this growing demand.

• Outside investment groups are often very willing to purchase existing housing in established neighborhoods when supply is limited. This is because these markets can be safer investment opportunities if there are local limits on building new housing (including zoning restrictions) paired with high demand and limited supply.

The number of new housing units developed due to the Zoning Code updates proposed by the Housing Element will be determined on a number of factors including housing construction prices, land and home values, market demand in individual neighborhoods, area job growth and population trends.

• All existing requirements and protections that apply to locally designated Historic Properties and Districts and zoning overlays will still apply. Any alterations to properties covered by historic designations and new construction in historic districts will still need to comply with all applicable historic guidelines administered by the City’s Historic Preservation Commission and the State Historic Preservation Office.

• For properties subject to deed restrictions imposed by homeowner's associations, the recommended zoning code updates will not impact those private agreements or requirements.

• There are no current proposed changes to parking requirements.

• The Housing Element recommends that the City continue to evaluate parking requirements to align with development goals and discourage excess parking. This is consistent with existing City policy adopted as part of the Climate & Equity Plan.

• Milwaukee’s Zoning Code currently requires parking for multi-family housing developments outside of Downtown. Requirements are among the lowest in the nation and include a reduction for locations near transit and providing shared parking. Developers generally provide more parking than is required by the Zoning Code, based on resident preferences.

• The Housing Element does not propose specific adjustments to the required amount of parking, but encourages continued review of existing requirements to determine if adjustments should be made to advance goals for housing development, transit-oriented development, community health, and climate resilience.

A number of cities and states have recently made changes to zoning codes to allow for a wider mix of housing types on all parcels. Minneapolis adopted city-wide zoning changes to eliminate single-family only neighborhoods in 2018. Charlotte (NC), St. Paul (MN), Grand Rapids (MI), Portland (OR and ME), and Austin (TX) are among other cities that have taken similar measures. California, Oregon, and Montana have each passed state-wide legislation requiring permitting accessory dwelling units and/or other 2-4 unit styles of homes on all residentially zoned parcels.

• Minneapolis’ changes include allowing homes with up to 3 units on all parcels, but also permitting additional density on transit and commercial corridors similar to what the Housing Element proposes. Studies demonstrated that Minneapolis was the only growing housing market in the State of Minnesota that did not experience significant rent growth over the subsequent five years. These studies also found that changes to detached single-family zoning were only responsible for a small share of the new housing that was created and that there was not widespread demolition of single-family homes. There have been approximately 10-20 new 2-4-unit homes constructed per year on average since Minneapolis’ zoning code updates.

• Locally, many Milwaukee neighborhoods with strong housing demand already allow the construction of 2-4-unit homes, and demolition of single-family homes to construct new 2-4-unit homes has not been common.

• DCD staff wish to credit the St. Paul 1-4 Unit Housing Study, Cincinnati Connected Communities initiative, and Grand Rapids zoning update project for preparing analyses that were reviewed by DCD as part of a peer city review.

• Development enabled by recommended Zoning Code updates is anticipated to be experienced over a period of years – not necessarily weeks or months.

• Measures that will be tracked by the City of Milwaukee’s Department of City Development to measure the success and impact of Zoning Code updates will include:
  • Number of new housing units developed permitted by Zoning Code updates
  • Percentage of new homes accessible to transit
  • Tax base impact of new developments
  • Reducing the number and % of households that are rent-burdened by income level.
• Additional details on tracking are included in the Benefit & Harm Analysis

• No, the Housing Element is not proposing specific changes to building codes. In Wisconsin, building codes are adopted and set by the State, and local municipalities cannot make changes to building codes.

• The Housing Element is proposing to make changes to the City’s Zoning Code to permit additional styles of housing. Separate from the Zoning Code, building codes also establish minimum health and safety requirements related to required fire access and egress, light and ventilation, construction techniques, etc.

• Changes made to the building code in approximately 2018 require any building with more than two units to comply with the commercial code standards. Single-family detached homes and duplexes follow the residential building code.

Yes, the plan suggests minor tweaks, such as improving the process for making minor modifications to detailed planned developments and looking into ways to streamline the permitting process. Feedback from small developers has informed these recommendations.

The policies in the Housing Element have been developed through a comprehensive planning process.

• The policies are based on the citywide goals to: increase housing choice and access, support fiscal sustainability and economic development, foster walkable neighborhoods and connectivity, support a healthy and thriving community, and make Milwaukee and more sustainable and resilient city.
• Each policy was developed through a review of recently completed planning efforts, adopted City of Milwaukee Comprehensive and Area Plans, extensive engagement, and research of best practices in land use and zoning policies in cities throughout the country.

Public engagement for the Housing Element has included:

• 9 Community Open House public meetings
• 5 webinars with Q&A + a Virtual Kick-off with Q & A
• 33 “office hour” events at Milwaukee Public Libraries
• 20 focus groups & community meetings with neighborhood groups & local developers
• 20 pop-up engagement events at senior centers, farmers’ markets, and other community events
• 4 Technical Advisory Committee meetings
• 4 Community Advisory Committee meetings
• 2 community-wide surveys
• Displays at each library with new information for each round of engagement.
• 2,250+ people directly engaged through in-person and online meetings and events
• 1000+ views of meeting recordings
• 8,600+ community members engaging on www.engage.milwaukee.gov/GrowingMKE
• Multi-lingual outreach materials throughout the process and Community Open House public meetings in English, Spanish, and Hmong.

More than 80% of all in-person engagement activities were located in or adjacent to Qualified Census Tracts (QCTs) and/or Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Areas (NRSAs).