SHOREWOOD, Wis. — A growing debate is unfolding in Shorewood over parking, accessibility, and affordable housing on 4450 North Oakland Ave.
Village leaders are considering selling a public parking lot in one of the community’s most densely populated corridors to make way for 19 affordable housing units. Some residents say the move would eliminate roughly 50 parking spaces in an area that already struggles with limited options.
The lot was built in the early 1980s after the village identified a parking shortage. Now, that same space sits at the center of a renewed conversation about how to balance infrastructure and housing needs.
Watch: Debate grows in Shorewood over parking lot sale and affordable housing plan
Makayla French, who lives steps away from the lot, says she depends on it daily.
“I don’t know what I would do without this lot,” French said.
She describes street parking in the area as especially difficult in winter.
“During the wintertime, it’s so difficult to find a parking space,” French said.
She says the issue is not just about convenience, but personal safety.
“As a young woman, it’s not fun walking alone at night. It kind of makes me feel a lot safer,” French said.
Other residents say seniors and people with mobility challenges would be disproportionately impacted.
“My biggest concern is the loss of the 50 parking spots, and where are these cars going to park?” said Lisa Balistrieri, whose family has lived near the lot for decades. “What about the other people, the seniors or people with mild disabilities… they cannot park on the street.”
William R. “Bill” Meier Jr. says the proposal has caused him to reconsider staying in the neighborhood.
“If I can’t park close enough to carry my groceries, I’m gonna move,” Meier said.
“You have to take into account parking whenever you’re building new units… So where are they going to go?", Meier said.
Jay Sorensen of Affordable Shorewood Group says the lot exists because the village previously acknowledged this corridor had a parking problem.
“The story of this lot begins in 1981…We estimate that there are about 540 residents who live in this North Oakland parking district… probably more than 50 have walking disabilities and more than 70 are senior citizens. We have a parking problem here,” Sorensen said.
He questions where displaced vehicles would go if the lot is removed.
“Where are they going to park? There’s been no answer provided to that,” he said.
Village Trustee Matt McGovern says the board’s decision is rooted in a different concern — a shortage of affordable housing in Shorewood.
“There’s a real lack of affordable homes in Shorewood and affordable apartments in Shorewood… I wanted to give more options to people in Shorewood and make some affordable housing available for people here,” McGovern said.
He argues that adding housing benefits the broader rental market.
“When we add more housing, it gives renters more bargaining power. It reduces inflation in rent, and it’s really beneficial for the whole community,” he said.
McGovern acknowledges that some residents will lose parking access but says the board must weigh overall community needs.
“It will cover up parking that’s available right now… it’s unfortunate for people that are gonna lose a space that’s been provided by the village, but when we’re making decisions at the village board, we have to do what we think is best for the whole community,” he said.
He also emphasized that the process has been ongoing for years.
“We’ve been listening and having public meetings on this for about six years now. So this has not been a rush job,” McGovern said, noting funding discussions began in 2021 and proposals were requested in 2024.
TMJ4 reached out to the Village Board president for comment but she was not available. She referred questions to the Village of Shorewood’s website. The village manager was also not available for comment before this story aired. We let village officials know we remain interested in speaking further when they are available.
A final village board vote is expected in March. Even if approved, the developer would still need to secure financing, meaning construction would not begin until at least 2027.
Balancing public infrastructure and accessibility with the growing demand for affordable housing is a delicate challenge facing many communities, and one village leaders and residents alike acknowledge is not easy to resolve.
For now, the debate reflects a broader challenge facing many built-up communities: how to expand affordable housing while preserving access and infrastructure for current residents.
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