La Crosse committee recommends 2024 housing study adoption

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- The City of La Crosse's Judiciary and Administration Committee unanimously recommended to adopt a 2024 city housing study on Tuesday night.

Last year the city hired urban planning firm RDG to survey La Crosse's housing stock.

That housing study found half of La Crosse renters are cost-burdened, and house sales have dropped significantly since 2019.

One of its main conclusions is that overhauling the city's zoning code will reduce barriers to more creative housing developments.

Council members Tuesday night are most concerned with the study's finding that La Crosse has fallen behind the housing demand.

"We need about 200-230 units per year for the next decade to catch up to where we need to be," said District 11 Council Member Jennifer Trost, citing the housing study.

"We need all types and what we're seeing is mostly large, multi-family. We're not seeing as much infill development or small, incremental developers or duplexes," District 6 Council Member Chris Kahlow said.

Per the study, in the last decade the city has averaged 120 new units a year, and that's including the in-progress Riverpoint District.

The current zoning code has most non-agricultural areas zoned for single-family, so any proposals to change a property need special approval.

The city has set aside $260,000 for different consultants to help overhaul the zoning code beginning next year.

​COPYRIGHT 2024 BY NEWS 8 NOW/NEWS 8000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.