WHITEWATER, Wis. — Housing availability and affordability is a constant concern in Walworth County. The county's Habitat for Humanity chapter is trying to fill the need for middle-class families by working with one city at a time.
WATCH: Walworth County Habitat for Humanity volunteers working to build 'missing middle' housing
"We're looking out for the missing middle," said Habitat for Humanity Walworth County executive director John Dawson. "They're teachers. They're first responders. They're factory workers with great jobs."
Dawson and other volunteers have spent the past few months constructing four workforce housing townhomes near downtown Whitewater.
"When a family comes to buy the house, they'll pay $200,000 for the house, but it will be worth $400,000," Dawson explained.
Tom Keefe of Lake Geneva volunteered to help with the build and made sure his employees did the same.
"We know how important it is in a vibrant community to have affordable housing available for those who need it," Keefe said.
While the need for workforce housing is there, Dawson said the organization has sometimes encountered resistance when dealing with some Walworth County communities.
"It's a NIMBY effect for people, meaning 'Not In My Backyard,'" Dawson said. "They say, 'I love Habitat, I love the concept, but don't build a house next to mine.' That whole image needs to change."
Whitewater has embraced Habitat for Humanity's efforts. They sold the townhomes' lot to the organization for a small fee and are eager to encourage more people to own homes in the city.
"We need to be proactive and the city needs to be willing to be aggressive," said Whitewater community development director Mason Becker. "Only about 32 percent of our housing stock is owner-occupied and the rest are rentals. That's the inverse of what you find in most communities."
Dawson said Habitat is already planning to build a 20-home subdivision in Walworth County when the Whitewater townhome development is finished.
"If we do 20 more homes next year, that will put us in the top 20 of all Habitat chapters," Dawson said. "People who live by the lake don't realize there's that much need in the community."
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