Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region (founded in 1992) believes every family deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. They’ve built and renovated over 70 homes across La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau, Vernon (Wisconsin), and Houston (Minnesota) counties.
Why they do it:
- Soaring housing costs: Median home prices in La Crosse County have nearly doubled in 10 years, making homeownership less accessible.
- Benefits of stable housing: Affordable homes are vital for individuals, families, communities, and local economies. They can attract businesses, improve education and health outcomes, and boost overall well-being.
The urgent need for affordable housing:
- Limited entry-level options: In Wisconsin, only 6% of homes for sale are affordable to first-time buyers, hindering their chance to build wealth through homeownership.
- Aging housing stock: Two-thirds of La Crosse homes are over 75 years old, many in need of repairs and potentially unsafe.
- Burdensome housing costs: Over one-third of La Crosse households spend more than 30% of their income on housing, making it difficult to afford other essentials.
Habitat La Crosse works to bridge this gap by:
- Building and renovating affordable homes for qualified families.
- Providing zero-interest mortgages, making homeownership achievable for low-income families.
Habitat for Humanity La Crosse has six programs to complete their mission:
- ReClaim: free on-site salvage of material from homes to be sold at their ReStore
- RePair: assist low-income homeowners to regain a sense of safety with the integrity of their homes
- Home Ownership: building and rehabbing affordable homes for families
- Habitat for Heroes: providing homes and support for local veterans
- Faith Build: collaboration with local faith groups to build houses for families
- ReNew the Block: focus on home repairs and stormwater mitigation in a city block to maximize economic impact
Their mission is to create a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive in a safe and stable home.
More information about this Difference Maker can be found at: www.habitatlacrosse.org
