Housing: the missing pillar of Waukesha County’s growth

OpEd by Alliance Board Chair Chuck Palmer, Waukesha Freeman

Fifteen years ago the Waukesha County Business Alliance embarked upon a strategy to increase the talent pool available to our businesses in manufacturing, health care and skilled trades. We now have a strong talent pipeline, brought about by programs like Schools2Skills™ and expanded technical education in our high schools. Waukesha County has invested heavily in our young people. Yet, far too many of our graduates cannot afford to live here.

My 25-year-old son is a case in point. He was part of the Alliance’s first Schools2Skills™ cohort, participated in expanded tech ed at Kettle Moraine High School, earned an engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and now works as an engineer at a Waukesha County manufacturing company. He still lives at home because starter homes effectively don’t exist. Entry-level houses are priced around $500,000 in the county, and a combination of anti-housing sentiment, outdated zoning and land use regulations, and escalating construction costs have thwarted efforts to build homes that fill this gap.

This reflects a countywide talent retention problem. Young adults want to start families and achieve the dream of homeownership, but rising costs put that goal out of reach. If we want to retain the people we have invested in, and attract others, we need more attainable housing that reflects tomorrow’s realities. Building smaller homes on smaller lots can help address the cost of purchasing a home. We’ve done this before: the typical home purchased by a GI returning from World War II was just 983 square feet, compared to today’s average new home of 2,400 square feet, more than double the size, even as household sizes have shrunk.

This approach is consistent with strategies used successfully in other communities and states, and it aligns with municipal comprehensive plans and long-term growth strategies already developed across Wisconsin. Local planners should be empowered to implement adopted plans, streamline approvals, and approve projects that align with those plans, without the delays that drive up costs.

Housing is not an isolated issue. It underpins the Alliance’s core priorities, workforce development, infrastructure, and economic growth. When housing falls short, talent attraction suffers, traffic congestion increases as workers commute from farther away, and school enrollment declines, threatening the strength of our communities. If young people defer home ownership, they will not have equity to upsize, as our aging population gets ready to downsize. That may mean declining home values. Even if you are not young, and do not need to hire/retain employees, if you own a home, the lack of attainable housing for the next generation is going to impact you. These challenges are reflected in the Alliance’s 2026 policy agenda, which emphasizes workforce, infrastructure, and economic development as central to a strong business climate. We want to make Waukesha County the best place to do business, live, and raise a family, and attainable housing is an essential part of that equation.

The path forward is clear: deliver attainable, family-friendly housing options across Waukesha County municipalities; support planners in implementing adopted comprehensive plans; and keep decisions focused on long-term community outcomes. If we get housing right, we will retain talent, sustain strong schools, and reinforce the economic foundation that makes Waukesha County an exceptional place to live and work.

(Chuck Palmer is a partner at the law firm of Michael Best and Chair of the Waukesha County Business Alliance Board of Directors. He lives in the Town of Delafield.)