% >>> WELCOME TO "NOON WEDNESDAY,"
% I'M MARISA WOJCIK, MULTIMEDIA
% JOURNALIST WITH "HERE & NOW" ON
% PBS WEDNESDAY.%TODAY IS SEPTE
MBER 15.% THE HOUSING MARKET IS ON F
IRE
% AND FIERCELY COMPETITIVE,
% PRICING OUT PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT
% THEY COULD AFFORD TO BUY A
% STARTER HOME AND EVEN FURTHER
% DIVIDING PEOPLE FROM EVER
% ATTAINING THAT GOAL.
% JOAQU ÍN ALTORO, CEO OF THE
% WISCONSIN HOUSING AND ECONOMIC
% DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, JOINS US
% NOW TO EXPLAIN THE CONTEXT
% AROUND THIS GROWING ISSUE AND
% POINT TO HOW HIS AGENCY IS
% WORKING TOWARDS SOLUTIONS, AND
% THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
% HERE.%>> THANK YOU, THANK YO
U VERY
% MUCH.%>> I WANT TO START WIT
H WHAT, IN
% YOUR MIND, IS THE STATE OF
% HOUSING IN HOME OWNERSHIP IN
% WISCONSIN, AND WOULD YOU
% CHARACTERIZE THIS AS A CRISIS?
% >> YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, WE
% ABSOLUTELY ARE READING THE
% HEADLINES AROUND THE ISSUES OF
% SUPPLY AND DEMAND AND THE COST.
% I MEAN, THAT'S AFFECTING SO MANY
% THINGS IN THIS CONVERSATION, BUT
% RIGHT NOW, IN THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN, WHEN IT COMES TO A
% CRISIS, I WOULD SAY IT DEPENDS.
% IT IS ABSOLUTELY A CRISIS WHEN
% IT COMES TO THOSE THAT ARE
% HOMELESS.
% WHEN WE SPEAK TO PARTICULAR
% STAKEHOLDERS LIKE OUR TRIBAL
% NATIONS SO WE KNOW THERE'S NO
% TIME LIKE NOW TO WAIT TO RESOLVE
% THE ISSUES.
% IN A TIME OF CRISIS, WE STILL
% DON'T CONSIDER TOMORROW AND
% PLANNING FOR TOMORROW AND MAKING
% SURE THAT WE'RE AHEAD OF ANY
% POTENTIAL ON COMING CRISIS, AND
% SO THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE
% DISPARITY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN
% AND LATINO HOME OWNERSHIP IN THE
% STATE OF WISCONSIN VERSUS WHITE
% HOME OWNERSHIP.
% THE FACT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
% HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
% TOGETHER.
% THAT TAKES LONG-TERM PLANNING
% BECAUSE THE FACT NOT ONLY ARE WE
% BUILDING BUILDINGS THAT WILL BE
% CONCERNED ABOUT THE WELL-BEING
% OF A PERSON, BUT THERE'S PEOPLE
% THAT HAVE TO PROVIDE SERVICES,
% AND THERE'S PARTICULAR MODELS
% THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL OR NOT
% SUCCESSFUL, AND SO WE HAVE TO BE
% ABLE TO SHOW THOSE MODELS TO OUR
% DEVELOPERS AND OUR PRACTITIONERS
% AS TO WHAT THE MODELS LOOK LIKE.
% THAT TAKES LONGER, AND THEN THE
% CONVERSATION OF SUPPLY, RIGHT?
% THERE'S A REALLY WHAT IT'S COME
% DOWN TO IS THAT RIGHT NOW, YOU
% KNOW, YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT
% AMOUNT OF BUYERS THAT ARE TRYING
% TO GET INTO THE MARKET, THAT
% WANT TO PURCHASE A HOME, BUT,
% YOU KNOW, HOMES ON THE MARKETS
% FOR MINUTES, HOURS, AND WE'RE
% ASKING ABOVE THE ASKING PRICE.
% THAT ALL IS ABOUT THE FACT OF
% SUPPLY, AND IF I WERE TO PULL
% THAT BACK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER,
% IT IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A
% DIVERSE SUPPLY, A DIVERSE SET OF
% DIFFERENT TYPES OF OPTIONS OF
% THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING.
% A MAJORITY OF WHAT WE BUILT OVER
% THE LAST 20 YEARS HAS BEEN
% MOSTLY ABOVE MARKET AND LUXURY
% HOUSING, AND SO THERE ARE
% DIFFERENT INCOME LEVELS OF
% PEOPLE, AND SO ARE THEIR NEEDS
% FOR THE TYPE OF HOUSING THAT IS
% NEEDED FOR THEM TO LIVE IN.
% >> AND HAS THE PANDEMIC SHED A
% LIGHT ON THIS CRISIS, AND DO THE
% PATTERNS WE SEE IN RENTERS AND
% EVICTIONS, DO THOSE TELL US
% ANYTHING ABOUT THE HOME
% OWNERSHIP MARKET?%>> YEAH.
% THE PANDEMIC HAS ABSOLUTELY SHED
% A LIGHT ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
% YOU KNOW, I THINK, IF YOU THINK
% ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE ARE
% PEOPLE THAT SIT ON THE LEDGE,
% AND AT ANY MOMENT, THEY CAN GO
% FROM A POSITION OF GREAT
% OPPORTUNITY TO A POSITION OF
% GREAT DESPAIR, AND THAT HAS A
% LOT TO DO WITH PEOPLE'S
% OPPORTUNITIES, THEIR JOBS,
% INCOME, FAMILY STABILITY, MENTAL
% AND BEHAVIOR STABILITY.
% THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
% OUR FOLKS WHO SIT ON THAT LEDGE.
% YOU KNOW WHAT THE PANDEMIC DOES,
% IT PUSHES YOU EITHER WAY.
% SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS IN PLACE
% WHERE THE FACT OF MAYBE WHERE WE
% HAD CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FOLKS THAT
% WERE CONSIDERED HOMELESSNESS IN
% THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, BUT HOW
% ABOUT THE FAMILIES WHO COULD
% BARELY AFFORD RENT THAT WERE
% JUST BARELY AT A JOB THAT WAS
% PAYING ENOUGH TO AFFORD THE
% RENT.
% JOB DISAPPEARS.
% INCOME DISAPPEARS.
% YOU CAN IMAGINE THEN FAMILIES
% ARE COUCH SURFING WITH OTHER
% FAMILIES.
% THAT LASTS SO LONG.
% THEN THERE'S A NEED FOR SOME OF
% THE HELP THROUGH THE SOCIAL
% SERVICES, AND EVEN THE QUESTION
% OF CAN FOLKS AFFORD THEIR RENTS,
% AND WE'VE HEARD THE CONVERSATION
% RIGHT NOW IN THE NATION AROUND
% SOME OF THE MORATORIUMS, SOME OF
% THE PROTECTIONS, SOME OF THE
% EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE,
% THAT IS ABSOLUTELY WHAT HAPPENS
% WHEN THE PANDEMIC SHOWS ITS FACE
% AND HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR
% COMMUNITIES.%>> SO IS THIS AN
ISSUE OF% STAGNATING WAGES, OR THE
RISING
% COST OF THE HOUSING MARKET AND
% REAL ESTATE?%>> OH, MY GOD.
% YOU KNOW, TO ASK A QUESTION --
% AND I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION --
% BUT TO ASK THE QUESTION IS IT AN
% ISSUE OF THIS OR THIS?
% IT'S AN ISSUE OF EVERYTHING.
% THAT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO
% UNDERSTAND, RIGHT?
% IT'S LIKE WHEN I TALK ABOUT
% BUILDING HOMES NOWADAYS, FOLKS
% WANT TO FOCUS ON A SPECIFIC
% ISSUE AROUND THAT, BUT WHEN I
% SAY IT'S THE PERFECT STORM, THE
% PERFECT STORM HAS ARRIVED IN
% THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION WHEN
% IT COMES TO AFFORDABILITY.
% AFFORDABILITY OF PURCHASING OR
% AFFORDABILITY OF RENTING.
% THAT PERFECT STORM IS NOW, AND
% THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE
% REALLY TRYING TO GET ENGAGED IN
% THAT CONVERSATION AROUND%AFFO
RDABILITY, MAKING SURE WE
% PROVIDE AFFORDABLE PRODUCTS,
% EITHER IT BE WHEN ONE WANTS TO
% BUY A HOME, MAKING SURE WE ARE
% INVESTING IN AND BEING INVOLVED
% WITH THE DOWN PAYMENT SIDE, LOW
% INTEREST LOANS, AND ON THE
% RENTAL SIDE, MAKING SURE THAT WE
% PROVIDE TAX CREDITS TO BUILD
% MULTIFAMILY UNITS, THAT WE WORK
% CLOSELY WITH PROPERTY MANAGERS
% MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND NOT
% ONLY THEIR RIGHTS, BUT THE RIGHT
% OF THE TENANTS AND MAKING SURE
% THAT THROUGH OUR COMPLIANCE THAT
% THEY ARE TREATING THE TENANT
% WITH THE CORRECT RIGHTS THAT
% THEY DESERVE.
% >> AND SOME AREAS OF WISCONSIN,
% WE'VE SEEN IT IN RURAL AREAS AND
% HEAVILY TOURIST AREAS,
% COMMUNITIES ARE STRUGGLING TO
% FIND OR CREATE AFFORDABLE
% HOUSING, AND IT'S CREATING A
% HARDER JOB FOR EMPLOYERS TO FIND
% PEOPLE WHO CAN WORK IN THAT AREA
% BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND A PLACE
% TO LIVE, AND IT IS CREATING
% ALMOST A DOMINO EFFECT OF
% ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
% WHAT IS THE ROLE OR VISION OF
% HOW TO APPROACH AN ISSUE LIKE
% THAT?
% >> SO THIS IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT
% TOPIC, AND IT IS ACTUALLY VERY
% IMPORTANT TOPIC NATIONALLY.
% WHAT WE SEE WITH OUR COLLEAGUE
% ASSOCIATIONS ACROSS THE NATION
% IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THESE
% MANUFACTURING JOBS THAT LEFT OUR
% URBAN CORES IN THE 40s AND
% 50s AND 60s, BUT WE HAVE
% INDUSTRY, LIKE AGRICULTURE,
% THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN IN RURAL
% COMMUNITIES, THAT NEEDS THE WORK
% FORCE, BUT ALONG WITH WORK FORCE
% IS, HOW DO YOU SUPPORT THEIR
% HOUSING NEEDS?
% THE NEED IS GREAT OUTSIDE OF,
% OBVIOUSLY, THE URBAN CORE IN THE
% STATE OF WISCONSIN, AND SO, FOR
% US, THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE
% PARTICIPATE IN MAKING SURE THAT
% THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE AND THE
% LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE
% ARE HELPFUL TO BUILDING MORE
% HOUSING OR MULTIFAMILY RENTAL
% UNITS IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.
% A COUPLE THINGS WE'VE DONE OVER
% TIME IS THAT WE HAVE REDEFINED
% WHAT RURAL MEANT IN WISCONSIN
% BECAUSE WE REALIZED THAT WHEN WE
% CAST A WIDE NET, THERE'S A LOT
% OF OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT WERE
% NOT SPECIFICALLY RURAL THAT WERE
% BEING ABLE TO USE OUR RESOURCES,
% SO US IN REDEFINING THAT WAS
% IMPORTANT.
% WE ALSO CAME UP WITH A PILOT
% PROGRAM WE ARE WORKING WITH WITH
% MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES IN HELPING
% THEM AND PARTICIPATING WITH THEM
% AND HELPING THEM DECIDE WHAT ARE
% YOUR PRIORITIES?
% I THINK SOMETIMES IT IS
% IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET INTO
% THESE COMMUNITIES AND SAY, HEY,
% WE ARE A PART OF THAT EQUATION
% TO POTENTIALLY BEGINNING TO GET
% AT THE ISSUE OF WORK FORCE
% HOUSING, BUT IT IS NOT US ALONE.
% WE NEED YOU ALL, FIRST OF ALL,
% TO HAVE YOUR PRIORITIES AND MAKE
% SURE YOU ARE ALIGNED WITH WHAT
% YOUR PRIORITIES ARE, AND THEN WE
% CAN SAY THIS IS WHERE WE STEP
% IN, BUT THEN WHO ELSE SHOULD BE
% AT THE TABLE?
% BECAUSE IN THE PAST, WHEN IT
% CAME TO DEVELOPMENT,
% MUNICIPALITIES, A DEVELOPER, A
% BANKER, THAT DOESN'T MAKE --
% THAT RIGHT THERE IS NOT THE
% SECRET SAUCE TO SUCCESS SO RIGHT
% NOW AS A PART OF OUR ENGAGEMENT,
% WE BRING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS IN,
% HEALTH SYSTEMS IN, EMPLOYERS IN,
% AND IT IS CREATING A GREAT
% FRICTION AND GREAT
% CONVERSATIONS, BUT WHAT WE SEE
% IN THIS ALIGNMENT IS WHAT HAS TO
% HAPPEN NEXT.
% WE HAD FOLKS COME TO US SAYING
% WE NEED MORE TAX CREDITS OR YOUR
% TAX CREDITS TO BUILD, BUT THE
% TRUTH IT, IN SOME CASES, WE
% COULD AWARD ALL THE TAX CREDITS
% WE WANT TO BUILD, BUT SIX YEARS
% LATER, NOTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN
% BUILT, AND THE REASON WHY IS
% BECAUSE THERE WERE OTHER THINGS%
THAT HAD TO BE CONSIDERED IN
% ADVANCE OF ACTUALLY BUILDING.
% THINGS LIKE MAYBE SOME
% COMMUNITIES ARE SAYING, OH, NO,
% YOU'RE NOT BUILDING ANY TYPE OF
% HOUSING OR MULTIFAMILY RENTAL
% HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, OR
% THE FACT THAT THE ZONING DOESN'T
% ALLOW IN THAT TYPE OF AREA FOR
% THAT HOUSING, EVEN
% INFRASTRUCTURE COST.
% YOU KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS TO
% BUILD STREETS AND THE ELECTRICAL
% INFRASTRUCTURE?
% RIDICULOUSLY EXINESSIVE.
% --
% EXPENSIVE.
% IT IS AN AWAKENING FOR US AND
% THE COMMUNITIES AND EXCITING AS
% WE PROGRESS GOING FORWARD.
% >> DOES THAT DEFINITION OF
% "RURAL" AND "URBAN" CHANGE THE
% PRIORITIES, OR DO PRIORITIES
% EVEN JUST CHANGE FROM RURAL
% COMMUNITY TO RURAL COMMUNITY,
% URBAN COMMUNITY TO URBAN
% COMMUNITY?
% >> I WAS APPOINTED TO THE
% POSITION BY GOVERNOR EVERS, AND
% WHEN I MET WITH HIM, I REALLY
% APPRECIATED THE CHALLENGE HE PUT
% FORWARD.
% HE KNEW THAT I WAS NEARLY A
% 30-YEAR BANKER IN URBAN
% COMMUNITIES, BUT IN HIS RESEARCH
% AND THE FACT THAT WHEN I
% EXPLAINED TO HIM IS THAT WORKING
% IN RURAL COMMUNITIES -- EXCUSE
% ME, IN URBAN COMMUNITIES, WE ARE
% STILL WORKING WITH VERY LIMITED
% RESOURCES, AND SO THE WAY WE
% STRETCH A PENNY HAS TO BE
% INNOVATIVE IN OUR PROCESS, AND
% THE CHALLENGE WAS FOR ME TO TAKE
% THAT SAME MENTALITY, VIGOR TO
% RURAL COMMUNITIES.
% I TOOK THE CHALLENGE FROM HIM.
% I REALIZED, NOT THROUGH THE JOB,
% BUT IN ADVANCE OF THE JOB, IS
% THAT I, MYSELF, WAS REALLY
% CONCERNED ABOUT ANY COMMUNITY
% THAT DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO
% OPPORTUNITY THAT REALLY HAD A
% NEED FOR EITHER ECONOMIC DEVELOP
% OR HOUSING, AND I NOTICED THAT
% THAT NEED WAS EQUALLY OR
% SOMETIMES EVEN MORE IN RURAL
% COMMUNITIES, AND SO I, AGAIN,
% SAYS THE CHALLENGE FROM GOVERNOR
% EVERS HAS BEEN NOTED, AND WE ARE
% WORKING VERY HARD WITH OUR
% LEGISLATORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
% AISLE BECAUSE THE ISSUE OF
% HOUSING IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE.
% IT IS A BIPARTISAN ISSUE.
% WHEN I SPEAK TO EITHER MY
% REPUBLICAN AND/OR DEMOCRAT
% COLLEAGUES, THEY UNDERSTAND THE
% FACT THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT
% WE ARE SAFELY HOUSING OUR
% COMMUNITY, BUT WE ALSO ARE
% AFFORDABLY HOUSING OUR
% COMMUNITIES, AND SO THE WORK IS
% REAL.%IT IS TOUGH.
% IT IS NOT EASY.
% WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THIS ISSUE
% IS THAT THE QUESTION'S ALWAYS
% ASKED AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO
% WE NEED TO DO TO SOLVE THE ISSUE
% OF HOUSING IN THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN?
% I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT WE
% WILL NOT SOLVE OF ISSUE.
% THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE
% ONGOING AND ORGANIC FOREVER
% INDEFINITELY, AND IF WE
% UNDERSTAND THAT, THEN WE WILL
% PLAN ACCORDINGLY TO MAKE SURE WE
% ARE CONSISTENTLY TESTING,
% CONSISTENTLY SERVING,
% CONSISTENTLY INNOVATING, AND
% CONSISTENTLY EXECUTING TO HAVE
% SUCCESS AROUND THE HOUSING
% ISSUES IN THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN.%>> YOU'VE SPOKEN T
O A FOCUS ON
% UNDERSERVED, UNDERREPRESENTED
% COMMUNITIES AND TRYING TO WORK
% ON HOME OWNERSHIP IN THOSE
% POPULATIONS.
% WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?
% WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN THE STATE
% OF WISCONSIN?
% >> SO ONE OF THE PLACES THAT I
% WOULD CONSIDER TO BE UNDERSERVED
% AND UNDERREPRESENTED WHEN IT
% COMES TO HOME OWNERSHIP IS THE
% AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND LATINO
% COMMUNITY.%THEY ARE -- WE --
THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN HAS THE THIRD WORST
% DISPARITY RATE BETWEEN WHITE
% HOMEOWNERS AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN
% AND LATINO HOMEOWNERS.
% THAT ISSUE IS FOR US AND
% ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE ELSE A VERY
% IMPORTANT ISSUE BECAUSE IT GETS
% AT THIS CONVERSATION OF LEGACY
% AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WEALTH
% CREATION AND STAINABILITY.%TH
AT CHANGES THE FABRIC OF
% NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE NEEDS OF
% THOSE COMMUNITIES, EITHER IT BE
% HEALTH OR EDUCATION, AND MY
% RESEARCH IN LISTENING TO
% NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE
% NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE
% HISPANIC REAL ESTATE
% PROFESSIONALS AND THE NATIONAL
% ASSOCIATION OF REAL ESTATE%BR
OKERS, WHICH IS THE
% AFRICAN-AMERICAN NATIONAL REAL
% ESTATE BROKER ASSOCIATION, THEY
% CAME UP WITH SOME OF THE TOP
% THREE BARRIERS TO ENTRY WHEN IT
% COMES TO HOME OWNERSHIP.
% THE NUMBER ONE, FIRST, WAS DOWN
% PAYMENT.%WHAT WE ARE SEEING R
EGARDLESS OF
% RACE IS THAT IN THE CHANGE OF
% THE AGE DEMOGRAPHICS IS THAT
% WE'RE JUST NOT SAVING DOLLARS
% LIKE WE USED TO, AND SO THAT IS
% A HUGE IMPACT AMONGST
% AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND LATINO
% HOMEOWNERS IS THAT DOWN PAYMENT.
% WE JUST HAVE NOT SAVED FOR IT,
% AND THAT IS A REQUIREMENT IN
% ORDER FOR US TO PURCHASE A HOME.
% NUMBER TWO IS HOME BUYER
% EDUCATION COUNSELING.
% I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW
% IMPORTANT THIS EDUCATION IS.
% WE THINK WE KNOW THE PROCESS,
% BUT THE TRUTH IS, WHEN YOU
% UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES OF
% WHAT IT MEANS TO APPLY, WHO TO
% SPEAK TO, WHO TO TRUST, WHAT IS
% THE COSTS, SHOULD I BE PAYING
% THIS, WHAT'S THE CONTRACT MEAN?
% THERE'S SO MUCH TO LEARN, AND WE
% REALIZED THAT THAT EDUCATION IS
% INVALUABLE.
% A COLLEAGUE OF MINE IN TENNESSEE
% DID A RESEARCH ON THOSE THAT
% WENT THROUGH THE HOME BUYER
% COUNSELING EDUCATION, AND THEY
% HAD A LOWER DEFAULT RATIO DURING
% THE RECESSION THAN CONVENTIONAL
% HOMEOWNERS AND HOME BUYERS, AND
% SO THAT, IN ITSELF, SAYS IT IS
% IMPORTANT.%AND THEN THE THIRD
ISSUE IS AN
% ISSUE OF AFFORDABILITY.%YOU
KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
% THAT ON TOUCHED ON A LIGHTLY,
% BUT, AGAIN, THAT IS GOING TO BE
% VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN, ALL OF US, HAVE TO BE
% CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT
% THIS QUESTION OF AFFORDABILITY
% IS THAT, HOW DO WE SUPPORT, HOW
% DO WE CREATE POLICIES, HOW DO WE
% MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE SURE WE
% HAVE SUPPLY, AND WHEN I SAY
% "SUPPLY," JUST HOUSING THAT
% FOLKS AT DIFFERENT INCOME LEVELS
% THAT THEY CAN FIND IT AND AFFORD
% IT SO THAT IT CAN ADD TO THEIR
% WEALTH CREATION.%>> YOU MENTI
ONED LEGACY, AND
% YOU'VE BEEN MEETING WITH
% DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM FIRST
% NATIONS ACROSS WISCONSIN.
% WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING AND
% PLANNING FROM THESE
% CONVERSATIONS?%>> BORN AND RA
ISED IN THE CITY
% OF MILWAUKEE, AND I'VE HAD
% FRIENDS THAT IDENTIFIED AS
% NATIVE AMERICAN, AND I'VE SEEN
% PARTICULAR SOCIAL SERVICE GROUPS
% OR ORGANIZATIONS, VETERANS'
% GROUPS THAT IDENTIFIED AS NATIVE
% AMERICAN.
% WHAT THIS JOB HAS GIVEN ME THE
% TRUE PRIVILEGE OF GETTING DEEPER
% IN UNDERSTANDING KIND OF THE
% PLIGHT OF OUR TRIBAL NATIONS.
% FIRST THING I LEARNED WAS MADE
% VERY CLEAR IS OF THEIR
% SOVEREIGNTY AND WE HAVE 19 -- 11
% TRIBES, EXCUSE ME, I GET
% CONFUSED WITH ANOTHER STAT THAT
% I HAVE HERE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT
% WE HAVE 11 TRIBES IN THE STATE
% OF WISCONSIN, AND OF THE TRIBES,
% THEY WERE VERY CLEAR AT HOWDY
% VERSE THEY ARE.
% IT SEEM LIKE IN MOST CASES IN
% THE PAST, WHEN GOVERNMENT WANTS
% TO PARTNER WITH TRIBES, THEY
% JUST MAKE THIS ASSUMPTION, LIKE,
% LET'S HAVE THIS TOOL OR THIS
% OPPORTUNITY AND JUST PAINT A
% BRUSH LIKE ALL TRIBES NEED THIS
% OR THIS IS THE WAY TO TREAT ALL
% OF THEM.
% WE SHOULD BE VERY CLEAR THEY ARE
% VERY DIVERSE IN THEIR NEED, THEY
% ARE VERY DIVERSE IN THE
% OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE
% PRESENTED.%WE'VE WORKED REALL
Y HARD AT
% MEETING WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF
% THEM TRYING TO VISIT THEM, YOU
% KNOW, WHEN IT WAS SAFE FOR US TO
% VISIT THEM, AND REALLY
% UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR NEED WAS
% WHEN IT CAME TO HOUSING AND
% ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.%WHAT W
E LEARNED IS THE FACT
% THAT, AND THIS IS, I WOULD SAY,
% IN A GENERAL SENSE BECAUSE WE
% REALLY TRIED TO THINGS TRENDING
% AMONGST ALL THE TRIBES, AND A
% GENERAL SENSE, WE REALIZED THAT
% COVID, THE PANDEMIC, IT HIT THE
% TRIBES HARD, AND THE TRIBES THAT
% ACTUALLY HAD REVENUE FROM THE
% CASINOS, CASINOS WERE SHUT DOWN,
% AND IF THEY WERE NOT SHUT DOWN,
% PEOPLE WERE NOT GOING TO THEM,
% WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE
% REVENUES OF THE TRIBES, AND SO
% OUR TRIBAL NATIONS ARE THINKING
% REALLY HARD RIGHT NOW AND
% THINKING IN ADVANCE, BUT IT WAS
% FURTHER EXPERIENCE BAITED --
% EXACERBATED SO THE NEXT TIME
% THIS HAPPENS, WE ARE PROTECTED.
% WE WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT
% STRATEGIC PLANNING TO THINK HOW
% DO WE PARTICIPATE IN
% DIVERSIFYING THEIR REVENUE
% SOURCES TO PROTECT THEM GOING
% FORWARD.
% ALSO, THERE WAS SOME OF THE
% TRIBES THAT HAVE SEEN A
% SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN OPIOID
% USAGE.%WHAT IT HAS IS IT'S IM
PACTED THE
% HOUSING NEED FOR THE TRIBES IN
% MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, AND SO THE
% QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE
% PARTICIPATE WITH THE TRIBES IN
% PROVIDING KIND OF THE CORRECT
% MODELS OF WHAT SUPPORTIVE
% SERVICE LOOKS LIKE WITH HOUSING
% SO THAT WE CAN HOUSE THOSE THAT
% ARE AFFECTED BY OPIOID USAGE,
% AND AT THE SAME TIME, CAN HAVE
% SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE
% NEEDED TO GET THEM ABOVE WATER
% TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
% >> NOW, IN THE SHORT TERM,
% GOVERNOR EVERS HAS ANNOUNCED
% $92 MILLION IN HOMEOWNER%FINA
NCIAL ASSISTANCE, BUT SOME
% EXPERTS ARE SAYING, JUST IN
% GENERAL, THERE'S NOT BEEN AN
% INCENTIVE FOR DEVELOPERS AS WE
% TALKED ABOUT TO BUILD AFFORDABLE
% HOUSING SINCE THE GREAT
% RECESSION.
% IS THIS KIND OF PATTERN OF
% RISING HOUSING COSTS, IF IT
% CONTINUES, WHAT IS GOING TO BE
% THE OUTCOME, AND WHAT IS THE
% ROLE IN THAT?
% YOU SPOKE TO INNOVATIVE
% APPROACHES.%WHAT ARE THE NEW
WAYS THAT THIS
% HAS TO BE THOUGHT OF, AND IS
% THIS ANOTHER KIND OF BUBBLE
% THAT'S JUST SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT
% FROM WHAT WE SAW IN 2008?
% >> BIG QUESTION.
% I'LL DO MY BEST TO ADD TO THAT
% QUESTION.%I DO WANT TO START
FIRST AND
% FOREMOST IS THAT IF ANYBODY HAS
% HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO
% KIND OF THE PUBLIC SESSIONS OF
% OUR GOVERNOR IN WHERE HE GOES
% AROUND AND LISTENS TO
% COMMUNITIES, HE'S REALIZING, AS
% HE REALIZED FOR SOME TIME, THE
% FACT THAT THE ISSUE OF BROADBAND
% IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE, BUT IT
% CONTINUES TO COME FORWARD TO HIM
% AROUND HOUSING, AND HOUSING IS A
% VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE TO OUR
% GOVERNOR.
% I THINK WITH THE FACT OF THE TAX
% CREDITS THAT WE USED TO BUILD
% MULTIFAMILY RENTAL UNITS IN THE
% STATE OF WISCONSIN, I THINK SOME
% FOLKS THAT ARE FOLKS IN OUR
% COMMUNITY THAT THINK A TAX
% CREDIT ALONE IS THE ANSWER TO
% OUR PROBLEM, BUT A MEMBER -- IF
% YOU REMEMBER EARLIER IN OUR
% CONVERSATION, THAT THERE ARE
% MANY OTHER ISSUES IMPACTING OUR
% ABILITY TO GET HOUSING UP.
% FIRST OF ALL, THE COSTS.
% YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD IN A NEWS
% RECENTLY, JUST WOOD, ALONE, HOW
% IT EXPLODED IN PRICE.
% FINDING SKILLED WORK FORCE.
% FINDING WORK FORCE, FIRST AND
% FOREMOST, THAT WANTS TO COME TO
% RURAL COMMUNITIES TO DEVELOP.
% DEVELOPERS WILLING TO DEVELOP IN
% RURAL COMMUNITIES.
% IT IS JUST LIKE THIS PERFECT
% STORM OF SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE
% HAPPENING.%THAT DOESN'T -- BE
CAUSE OF THAT,
% THAT TRUTH, IT DOESN'T STOP US
% FROM WANTING TO INNOVATE IN
% PLACE AND REALLY UNDERSTAND.
% I WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU
% LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT'S
% HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL,
% THERE'S A LOT OF POLICY RIGHT
% NOW AND CONVERSATION ABOUT
% HOUSING, AND IT'S -- IT'S
% COMING, AND IT'S COMING FORWARD.
% I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT WE MAY
% SEE, IN THE FUTURE, AN INCREASE
% IN TAX CREDITS THAT WILL ALLOW
% US TO BUILD MORE OR FAVOR TO
% HOMEOWNERS, IF IT IS WHAT WE'RE
% SEEING -- WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS,
% AND IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN,
% HOUSING STOCK IS GETTING A LOT
% OLDER, AND IN ORDER FOR ONE TO
% BE ABLE TO SELL A HOME, TO
% MAINTAIN A HOME, THERE HAS TO BE
% AFFORDABLE LENDING, AFFORDABLE
% DEBT OR AFFORDABLE TAX CREDITS
% THAT ALLOW ONE TO REHAB THEIR
% HOME, AND SO WE THINK THAT THAT
% POTENTIALLY IS BEING FLOATED
% RIGHT NOW AT A FEDERAL LEVEL,
% AND SO WE WOULD HOPE AND TRYING
% TO SUPPORT IT THROUGH OUR
% FEDERAL LEGISLATORS THAT TO SEE
% THE INCREASE IN TAX CREDITS OR
% POTENTIAL RESOURCES THAT ALLOW
% HOMEOWNERS TO FIX THEIR HOMES UP
% TO EITHER SELL THEM OR MAINTAIN
% THEM, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
% I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO US HERE
% AND THE DIRECTION WE GO, WHAT
% WE'VE DONE IS LISTENED VERY
% CAREFULLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE
% OF YEARS, AND THE PLACES THAT WE
% ARE GOING TO GO IN DEEP AND
% SUPPORT, I THINK, FIRST AND
% FOREMOST, IS REALLY THAT MIDDLE
% INCOME AREA.
% IT IS THAT AFFORDABLE WORK FORCE
% HOUSING AREA TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
% SUPPORTING THAT, THAT AREA, AND
% YOU HEARD ME SAY THROUGH THE
% INNOVATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE
% COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO THE SET
% ASIDES OF THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE
% PUTTING TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
% SUPPORTING THOSE EFFORTS.
% THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AROUND
% THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND LATINO
% HOME OWNERSHIP DISPARITY,
% INTERNALLY, WE POINT THE FINGER
% AT US FIRST.
% WHAT HAVE WE DONE AND NOT DONE
% INTERNALLY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE
% A PRODUCT THAT OUR CUSTOMER
% EXPERIENCE, THAT OUR WORK IS
% THINKING ABOUT THE BIAS AND
% WE'RE ACTIVELY TREATING OUR
% PROCESS INTERNALLY, AND THEN,
% ALSO, HOW CAN WE USE OUR OWN
% PERSONAL CLOUT AND OUR
% REPUTATION TO INFLUENCE THE
% MARKET, OUR REALTORS, AND OUR
% BANKERS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND
% THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT
% IT CAN IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES.
% OUR WORKAROUND SUPPORTIVE
% SERVICES WITH HOUSING.
% SO I THINK FOR A LONG TIME WE'VE
% BUILT HOUSING AND JUST THOUGHT
% THAT THEY WOULD COME, BUT I
% THINK WE NEED TO FLIP THAT
% AROUND NOW, AND IF WE ARE TO
% THINK INNOVATIVELY ABOUT THAT,
% THEN WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE
% PERSON FIRST.%IF WE HAVE A P
ERSON AND WE WANT
% TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR
% WELL-BEING, THEN WE HAVE TO
% UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPE OF HOUSING
% NEEDS TO BE BUILT TO PROTECT
% THAT PERSON AND TO GROW THEIR
% WELL BEING.
% THEN THAT WILL INFORM THE TYPE
% OF HOUSING THAT WE NEED TO
% BUILD.
% HOME BUYING COUNSELING.
% YOU HEARD ME SNEAK TO THAT.
% WE PUT DOLLARS ASIDE AND
% CONTINUE TO FIND PARTNERS
% OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN THAT WANT TO HELP
% LEVERAGE OUR DOLLARS SO WE
% INCREASE THE AMOUNT HOME BUYER
% COUNSELORS IN THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN.
% WE SAW A LOSS OF HOME BUYER
% COUNSELORS AFTER THE RECESSION.
% WE HAVE TO LEAD AND BE A
% CATALYST TO HAVE MORE IN THE
% STATE OF WISCONSIN, AND THEN
% RURAL HOUSING.
% SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN RURAL
% COMMUNITIES IS THE FACT THAT, AS
% A PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL
% POPULATION, THOSE IN RURAL
% COMMUNITIES ARE BECOMING OLDER,
% AND OUR ELDERLY, SOMETIMES THEY
% DON'T WANT TO AGE IN PLACE, BUT
% THEY DON'T HAVE OPTIONS.
% IT IS UNFORTUNATE THEY DON'T
% HAVE OPTION.
% HOW DO WE PARTICIPATE IN GETTING
% OUR RURAL, EXCUSE ME, OUR
% DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, OUR
% BANKS, AND EVERYBODY TO
% UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO LOOK
% DEEPER AT OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES
% AND DEMOGRAPHICS.
% THEY ARE GETTING OLDER.
% ALSO, IF YOU SAW RECENTLY IN THE
% CENSUS THAT CAME OUT, IS THAT
% OUR STATE, OUR STATE'S,
% INCLUDING THE MAJORITY OF THE
% STATES AND STATE OF WISCONSIN,
% IS BECOMING MORE DIVERSE.
% AS THAT HAPPENS AND WHAT WE SEE
% IN SOUTHERN WISCONSIN IS AN
% EXPLOSION OF THE LATINO
% COMMUNITY.
% WE KNOW THAT.
% WE HAVE SEEN THE LATINOS ARE
% COMING FROM ILLINOIS OR THEY ARE
% COMING FROM OTHER STATES BECAUSE
% OF OPPORTUNITY FOR JOBS,
% OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUST, I THINK,
% JUST THE WONDERFUL WELL BEING
% AND LIFE THAT WISCONSIN
% PROVIDES, AND SO FOR THAT CASE,
% WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
% WHAT TYPE OF HOUSING IS ALIGNED
% WITH THAT?
% WHAT TYPE OF ECONOMIC
% OPPORTUNITIES AND%ENTREPRENE
URIAL OPPORTUNITIES IS% ALIGNED WITH
THE CHANGING OF THE
% DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN?%>> ALL RIGHT, WE N
EED TO LEAVE
% IT THERE.
% JOAQU ÍN ALTORO OF THE WISCONSIN
% HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
% AUTHORITY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
% JOINING US TODAY.
% >> THANK YOU.
% >> FOR MORE FROM "HERE & NOW"
% AND PBS WISCONSIN, VISIT
% PBSWISCONSIN.ORG, AND THANK YOU
% SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON "NOON
% WEDNESDAY."