Public-Private Partnership Designed To Bring New Homes To La Crosse Neighborhoods

The city of La Crosse is joining with private contractors to build new houses in the city’s older neighborhoods to help attract more taxpayers to live within the city limits.

For several years, city officials have been acquiring foreclosed homes for public housing projects or nonprofit organizations like Habitat for Humanity.

But the city planning department is now demolishing these properties as a way to encourage contractors to build new homes in central neighborhoods.

Mayor Tim Kabat said the department started the program as a way to improve the dwindling tax base within the city.

“We have the predominance of low-value housing here in our neighborhoods and yet, that’s what we rely on to pay for our services, that tax base,” said Kabat.

The public-private partnership has completed and sold one new home, with several others currently under construction.