PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — If you’ve heard friends or family complaining about exploding rent prices, or if you’re experiencing it yourself, your complaints are valid.
According to rent.com, the average rent price in Wisconsin in March was $1,602 dollars. That’s up more than 6% from the year before. It’s also the ninth highest increase in the nation year-over-year.
Organizations like The Gateway Collective in Green Bay are working to help others find affordable housing.
“We provide affordable housing for all different income levels, all different working individuals,” said Christian Jensen, The Gateway Collective’s director of development.
That need is becoming even greater as rent prices are on the rise.
“I’m just starting, and it’s like, yeah, it’s more than I expected,” said Sherry Smith.
She’s looking for a new place to stay in Green Bay. Affordability is key, as she’s retired.
“I’m, you know, primarily working on my social security as far as income,” said Smith.
Smith is hoping she will be able to rent out a unit in the City Center Lofts, which will be located at the Baylake City Center building downtown.
That upcoming housing complex is being led by The Gateway Collective. Some units will be complete in July.
“Everyone that is going to live there is going to be paying an income-based amount of 30% of whatever that income is, which is the standard for what individuals should be paying, or households should be paying, for housing-related costs,” said Jensen.
Construction on another affordable housing project, the City East Center, is set to wrap up by the end of July.
Lydia Van Thiel with the Greater Green Bay Blueprint to Prevent and End Homelessness says more projects like these are needed.
“There’s just a really huge need out there for affordable housing and we’re really hoping our community will come together to support affordable housing projects that come down the line,” said Van Thiel.
Van Thiel adds there’s more resources through Brown County’s Homeless and Housing Coalition.
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