Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing And Homelessness topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Oshkosh officials and legislators discuss housing supply, tiny-home pilot limits and homelessness outreach
Summary
City staff, council members and state lawmakers addressed housing supply constraints, funding barriers for tiny-home and rental-assistance models, and a new city-funded homeless outreach team; legislators said large housing bills and ADU proposals could help but that funding and regulatory barriers remain.
City and state officials on Monday discussed a range of housing matters — from tiny-home villages and tenant-based rental assistance to accessory dwelling units (ADUs), incentives for new construction and a newly funded homeless outreach team.
Why it matters: Oshkosh officials said the city lacks sufficient affordable, available housing for new workers and vulnerable residents; they said both regulatory changes and targeted funding are needed to increase supply and support households at risk of homelessness.
Tiny-home village and TBRA: Council members and staff described the local tiny-home village as a privately funded project that helped some residents but that now faces operational and funding challenges. Staff said the tiny-home site (about 34 units) was largely funded by private philanthropy and used tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA) as a primary tool to help residents transition; TBRA availability has dwindled, and the village now faces vacancies and a need for ongoing operating dollars.
New homeless outreach team: The city is standing up a homeless outreach team on June 1 that pairs police outreach with a social worker provided in partnership with the county. Council members said the city and county are each covering part of initial funding and that donors are also contributing; the city—s share was described in the meeting as roughly $250,000.
State bills and incentives: Legislators described SB 180 (identified in the meeting as a major housing package) and related bills intended to ease development barriers, expand tools such as historic tax credits and TIF, and permit small, lower-cost housing units. Officials said SB 180 includes an owner-occupied restriction and a 10-year hold period to limit speculative flipping; the bill also contains provisions designed to allow stacking of state incentives with local tools.
Short-term rentals and ADUs: City staff said short-term rentals (Airbnb-style) have removed some housing stock from the long-term rental market and that accessory dwelling units remain underused despite local allowances. Staff said only one ADU permit had been issued in the prior two years and urged more incentives and code changes to encourage ADU construction.
Ending: City officials urged legislators to consider funding for operations (not just capital) and to reduce regulatory barriers. Legislators said they are refining bills and that some funding items removed from the governor—s budget may return as stand-alone measures.
