Rep. Rob Kreibich

My bill addressing the growing housing crisis in Wisconsin is on its way to the governor’s desk after unanimously passing the Senate Tuesday. This bill is aimed at speeding up and streamlining the plat approval process, allowing homes to be approved and constructed quicker and more efficiently.

The average home in Wisconsin costs $338,000, over double what it was a decade ago. The average age for a first-time buyer in Wisconsin has increased to 38 years old. Part of this crisis is caused by the lack of available homes in Wisconsin. Currently, lot creation has fallen to 11,700 buildable lots a year, almost half of what we were creating in the early 2000s. By 2030, Wisconsin is expected to need 200,000 new homes, but it is currently not even close to keeping pace.

While there are many contributing factors to the housing crisis, AB 452 ensures greater predictability and transparency for developers and local governments and updates outdated statutory language to conform with modern home planning processes. By putting communities and builders on the same page and setting reasonable deadlines, the approval process will be sped up and more houses can be constructed for families in need.

This bill was introduced less than two months ago and passed through both houses of the Legislature unanimously, displaying the widespread support of this meaningful legislation.

If you have any questions or comments, or would like to join my mailing list, please feel free to reach out to me at 608-237-9128 or at Rep.Kreibich@legis.wisconsin.gov.

Rep. Rob Kreibich represents Wisconsin’s 28th Assembly District, consisting of parts of St. Croix, Pierce and Dunn counties.