MADISON, Wis. — Dane County is the fastest-growing county in Wisconsin, in large part due to the popularity of Madison. With that growth has come a rising cost of living and a need for more housing county-wide.
Habitat for Humanity of Dane County is involved in the effort to create more affordable housing options.
American Family Insurance employees worked together Thursday to construct the walls of a brand-new home in the middle of the parking lot at the company’s headquarters in Madison.
Nyra Jordan, associate vice president of community and social impact, said American Family Insurance has been working with Habitat for Humanity for almost a decade. She’s noticed employees really value the partnership.
“They know that their efforts are actually going to support a real family, a real individual,” Jordan said.
Crews took the finished walls to a home-build site in Sun Prairie.
“This coming year, we’re building ten homes in Sun Prairie, Stoughton and Madison. But we want to grow our impact,” said Gabriella Gerhardt, vice president of development for Habitat for Humanity of Dane County. “Our goal is by 2030, we want to be building 25 homes a year. By 2035, we want to be housing 50 families.”
Families in need of safe, affordable housing partner with Habitat for Humanity to pay an affordable mortgage. That’s key in Dane County, where the median price of a home was $468,000 in July, according to online real estate firm Redfin. That’s up 3.8% compared to July 2024.
In contrast, Habitat for Humanity can offer newly built homes for about $280,000 thanks to the help of corporate partnerships, volunteer builders and community donations.
“These are families that would not be able to obtain traditional financing. They are low-to-moderate income,” Gerhardt said. “They work. They have steady work; they work hard. They want a home, but it’s really out of reach for them.”
To apply for a Habitat for Humanity house, families must demonstrate a need due to overcrowding or inadequate living conditions. They must have a stable income, help with construction and take homeownership classes.
“We believe that dreams are the most valuable thing that you’ll ever own,” Jordan said. “What’s more of a dream than home ownership?”
