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Waunakee staff present 2026 housing affordability report; board discusses zoning, ADUs and land costs
Summary
Staff presented the required 2026 housing affordability report showing 2025 permit data and projections; trustees discussed zoning code updates, ADUs, TIF and land-cost barriers after staff noted an average land value of about $518,299 per acre and a projected population increase to 21,471 by 2040.
Community development staff presented Waunakee's 2026 housing affordability report, a state-statutory requirement summarizing 2025 permit activity and local housing metrics, and trustees discussed policy levers the village can use to address rising housing costs.
Staff told the board the report shows that 77% of homeowners live in single-unit homes while 23% of village households are renters. For 2025 building permits staff reported 90 single-family home permits, 26 duplex permits and 75 multifamily permits (the multifamily units were part of the Woodland Crest apartment project in Kilkenny Farms). "Seventy-seven percent of all homeowners in Waunakee live in single unit homes and 23% of all village households are renters," staff said when summarizing the report.
Staff also highlighted affordability measures: "The report shared that 18% of Waunakee households are cost-burdened according to HUD," meaning those households spend 30% or more of income on housing. Staff said that 71% of households earning under 50% of area median income are cost-burdened; the report lists Waunakee's area median income at about $130,000.
The Department of Administration projection cited in the report forecasts Waunakee's population rising to 21,471 by 2040, which staff said would require adding roughly 159 housing units per year to meet projected demand. Staff emphasized that land prices are a major constraint: "the average value of resident land per acre in Waunakee is 518,299," staff said.
Trustees discussed policy options including accessory dwelling units (ADUs), smaller-lot permitting, zoning-code revisions and use of TIF dollars for affordable housing. Staff said the village has already permitted smaller-footprint lots to encourage smaller homes and that a comprehensive zoning rewrite is planned after the comp plan process; staff noted two ADU permits were issued in 2025 and agreed to add ADU permit tracking to future reports.
Trustees and a UW Extension-presenter framed the issue as part of a statewide shortage of housing stock and rising construction costs. One trustee cautioned that while zoning changes can help, national cost pressures and labor shortages will continue to constrain outcomes. The board concluded the issue will be revisited during comp plan and future zoning updates.
The report was informational; no regulatory action was taken at this meeting and staff said they will continue to refine metrics and bring zoning-code changes forward after the comp plan work.
