Affordable Housing
The Wisconsin Council of Churches, along with faith communities and housing agencies statewide, supports efforts to make affordable housing more widely available in Wisconsin. Our basis for this work is the Wisconsin Council of Churches' "Statement on Economic Justice" (available online at the "Publications" portion of the website). The statement calls on us to live out Gospel values, and to focus on the compelling call to assure basic food and shelter for everyone.
Often we distinguish between "service" and "advocacy for justice" as ways that people of faith, as individuals and in congregations, carry out mission. We also think about sharing money, time and talents, and raising our voices to mission. All of these are ways to help address the housing issues
Common housing missions of congregations have focused on volunteering time of individuals and providing congregational funds for enterprises such as: Habitat for Humanity - helping build individual homes, Shelters for Homeless - whether non-profit or church-based, and "individual needs" - helping specific people meet basic needs short term or long term.
Some congregations and denominations also emphasize advocacy for state or federal action, e.g: better funding for anti-poverty programs or social services, more adequate homeless shelter support and programming, and other housing related initiatives. The WCC advocates for affordable housing legislation; visit our Legislative Alert Center and click on "issues" to check for current legislative priorities.
The Wisconsin Collaborative for Affordable Housing presents: A Home for Everyone Conference
July 23-24, 2008
The Wisconsin Collaborative for
Affordable Housing consists of government agencies, community based
organizations, private concerns and housing advocates – all committed to
promoting the development and preservation of affordable housing throughout
Wisconsin. We are pleased to present this year’s A Home for Everyone conference
as a way of focusing on these issues for low-income families and individuals.
We hope you can join us!
For more information on the
Collaborative or the conference, or to receive the conference brochure and
registration form when available, please click
here.
WCC is a member of the Wisconsin
Collaborative for Affordable Housing.
Radisson Paper Valley Hotel,
Appleton, WI
The WCC Affordable Housing Initiative
In June 2002 the Wisconsin Council of Churches received a $50,000 grant from the Otto Bremmer Foundation for an affordable housing project called "Opening Doors for Affordable Housing." This project, co-sponsored by Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee and Madison-area Urban Ministry, included four gatherings in 2003 that brought together leaders of the faith community and representatives of organizations to work together in meeting the need for housing that is affordable for low-income people.
The Wisconsin Council of Churches worked with faith communities and housing agencies statewide to develop affordable housing strategy on the basis of a statewide picture of affordable housing needs. This initiative identified unmet needs, encouraged collaboration, made known the resources available from existing organizations, agencies and congregations and encouraged expanded participation by faith communities in Wisconsin.
For more information on the
affordable housing project click
here.
Affordable Housing Resources
- To obtain a video presentation in VHS or DVD format describing what faith communities have done to help assure affordable housing in Wisconsin see the WCC "Resources" section for ordering information.
Contact Information
For additional information about this initiative contact Peter Bakken at (608) 837-3108
or make contact by email by clicking here.