Impediments To Fair Housing In City Of Wauwatosa

Press release from the City of Wauwatosa:

March 18, 2021

On Tuesday, March 2, the Common Council’s Committee of the Whole (COW) participated in a presentation on impediments to fair housing in Wauwatosa and the greater Milwaukee area. Fair housing is an important component of the work Wauwatosa is undertaking to advance equity. In 2019, Wauwatosa, as a recipient of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, collaborated with the cities of Milwaukee and West Allis and the counties of Milwaukee, Jefferson, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha in a regional effort to analyze and address barriers to fair housing. The following is a brief summary of what fair housing means in Wauwatosa and what the city is exploring next.

What do we mean by Fair Housing?

Fair housing means housing that, among other attributes, is affordable, safe, decent, free of unlawful discrimination, and accessible as required under civil rights laws. Fair housing includes all types of housing: single-family, multi-unit apartments, accessible housing for people with disabilities, alternative living situations, and more. Every person has the right to fair housing.

Why does fair housing matter?

Central ideas of equity in housing are choice and access: the freedom for all people to live where they want and in the type of housing that is best for them. Fair housing is the law: the Federal Fair Housing Act and Wisconsin Open Housing Law make it illegal to discriminate in housing based on protected classes of race, color, sex, national origin/ancestry, religion, disability/handicap, family/familial status, age, marital status, lawful source of income, sexual orientation and domestic abuse/sexual assault victims. Wauwatosa is committed to taking actions that undo historic patterns of segregation and other types of discrimination, as well as actions to promote fair housing choice and foster inclusive communities.

What did the report find that Wauwatosa is doing well?

Wauwatosa has addressed its own ordinances following the passage of a fair housing ordinance in 1968, subsequently updated on several occasions to align with the Federal and State fair housing laws. More recently, Wauwatosa completed a housing study in 2016, implemented an accessory dwelling unit ordinance and updated its Economic Development Investment Policy to address unmet housing needs. Wauwatosa has also made a commitment to being a more inclusive place to live, work, and visit. You can learn more about the city’s equity work.

What did the report find?

The presentation by Applied Real Estate Analysis (AREA) described a regional analysis that identified patterns and practices affecting inclusive housing and impediments to housing choice and access. The full presentation and report are available to review. They identified 13 key impediments in Wauwatosa. In summary, these barriers include:

• The lack of a regional housing strategy
• Restrictive ordinances and regulations that limit the types and locations of housing construction
• A lack of accessible housing
• Extensive use of evictions
• A lack of awareness, guidance and enforcement of fair housing laws
• A mismatch of housing, jobs, and transit options
• Disparities in homeownership rates and lending practices
• A prevalent “Fear of Others” or “Not in My Backyard” (NIMBYism) which prevents neighborhoods from welcoming inclusive housing

What to expect next

Staff discussed initial actions the city has taken and can undertake to address these impediments at a recent meeting of the Equity and Inclusion Committee. Staff will continue to work with the Equity and Inclusion Committee and other committees as they continue to develop policy and program recommendations. Wauwatosa is taking proactive steps to advance equity and there is much more work to be done. This year the Development Department will be undertaking several key projects with an equity focus, including zoning code and housing policy updates to allow for a wider variety of housing options, considering ways to encourage investment in inclusive and affordable housing, and further revising the economic development policy to advance housing access.

Where can I learn more?

• Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council
• Wisconsin Fair Housing Law
• Fair Housing Act

This press release was produced by the City of Wauwatosa. The views expressed here are the author’s own.