Milwaukee, Wisconsin, September 28, 2025
News Summary
Milwaukee is seeing a multi-pronged push to expand affordable housing: a developer is nearing a deal to convert the vacant former human services building at 1220 W. Vliet St. into 66 affordable apartments with ground-floor commercial space and a county behavioral health clinic; an Indiana-based developer has broken ground on Union at Rose Park, a 75-unit mixed-income project with family townhomes, rooftop solar and resident services; and state lawmakers have advanced a package of bills offering homebuyer assistance, ADU rules, funding tools and permitting reforms to spur more housing production statewide.
Major housing moves in Milwaukee area: Coggs building set for affordable conversion; new project breaks ground on King Drive; state lawmakers roll out housing package
What’s happening now: A developer is close to buying and converting a long-vacant downtown human services building into 66 affordable apartments while another private developer has started construction on a 75-unit mixed-income project on a busy north-side corridor. At the same time, state lawmakers have unveiled a set of bills aimed at increasing affordable housing across the state.
Key development: former Marcia P. Coggs Human Services Center
A developer is nearing a sale and redevelopment agreement with the county for the historic building at 1220 W. Vliet St. The plan would turn the former human services center into 66 affordable housing units and include commercial space plus a county-run Behavioral Health Services clinic on the first floor. Construction is expected to take about 18 months, with a possible opening by July 2027 if the deal closes this December.
The project has a total estimated cost of about $32.3 million. The developer says financing is nearly complete and includes several public and nonprofit sources: state housing authority support, a federal home loan bank, city funds and county funding. The project depends on nearly $13.9 million in low-income housing tax credits and roughly $7.2 million in historic preservation tax credits. The remaining funding hinge is selling the tax credits to investors, a process made harder by a softer market for tax credits amid economic uncertainty.
Apartment plans released earlier show one- and three-bedroom units ranging from about 740 to 1,740 square feet, with rents targeted between $823 and $1,576 to fit federal affordable housing rules. The block has a long local history: it began life as a department store in the early 20th century, was purchased by the county in the 1960s for welfare offices, and was named in 2003 for a trailblazing state lawmaker. County assessments in recent years cited rising maintenance costs and tenant moves that prompted the decision to sell. The county recently opened a replacement human services building nearby.
Groundbreaking on Martin Luther King Drive: Union at Rose Park
An Indiana-based developer hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for Union at Rose Park, a 75-unit apartment building on Martin Luther King Drive in the Harambee neighborhood. The project sits on about 1.39 acres and will rise four to five stories, containing one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, including 12 three-bedroom townhome-style units for larger families.
Most of the units will serve low-income renters, with 70 of 75 set aside under an affordable housing program. Units will be targeted at households earning 30%, 50% and 60% of area median income, while five units will be market-rate. Nine units will be reserved for veterans for a short holding period before being offered to other qualifying renters. The building will include a community room, fitness and business centers, rooftop solar panels and meet national green building standards for affordable housing.
Project partners include local and regional architects, engineers, lenders and community service providers. A nonprofit housing organization will operate an on-site space to deliver services like financial coaching, nutrition and education programs and coordinate job-placement and wellness supports. Funding layers include federal equity, state credit equity, tax-exempt bonds, state housing authority loans and private construction lending. Completion is expected in winter 2026.
State lawmakers roll out a housing package
State legislators from the majority party have introduced a multi-bill package aimed at expanding affordable housing options across the state. The package includes proposals to make it easier for first-time buyers to access second mortgage assistance through a new workforce loan program, to fund conversions of rental buildings to condominiums, and to create residential tax increment districts to help pay for subdivision infrastructure like streets and sewers.
Other bills would provide a statewide framework for accessory dwelling units, set a formal process for pre-application meetings between developers and local officials, and delay the implementation date for new commercial and multifamily building codes to give projects and municipalities more time to adapt. Lawmakers described the effort as focused on housing that is more affordable without relying on traditional subsidy programs, and they have sought input from the state housing authority on many measures.
Local context and community response
The King Drive corridor has seen a string of new projects and city investments such as street and bike-lane upgrades that have made the area attractive to developers. City policy gives existing residents priority for certain affordable units in eligible projects. Some neighborhood residents have questioned whether new apartments replace other missing neighborhood resources such as pharmacies or youth outlets. Developers and city officials point to job- and service-oriented partnerships as part of the broader approach to neighborhood revitalization.
Why this matters
- The downtown conversion would reuse a historic building and add dozens of affordable units near transit and services.
- The King Drive project adds family-sized units and on-site services tied to community organizations.
- State-level bills aim to address both homeownership barriers and the cost of building new housing, which many local groups say has lagged behind demand.
FAQ
What will happen to the former Coggs Human Services Center?
A developer is close to a deal to buy and redevelop the building into 66 affordable apartments with commercial space and a county behavioral health clinic on the first floor. Construction would take about 18 months if the sale closes on schedule.
How is the Coggs project being funded?
The project’s financing package includes state housing authority resources, federal home loan bank support, city and county funding, low-income housing tax credits and historic preservation tax credits. The developer still needs to secure a buyer for the tax credits to close the funding gap.
What is Union at Rose Park?
Union at Rose Park is a new 75-unit mixed-income apartment development on Martin Luther King Drive. Most units will be affordable, with a mix of sizes for families and supports such as on-site services and rooftop solar. Groundbreaking has taken place and completion is expected in winter 2026.
What do the new state bills propose?
The bills include proposals for a workforce home loan program for first-time buyers, grants to support conversions of rental to condominium housing, new tools to help pay for subdivision infrastructure, a statewide approach to accessory dwelling unit rules, and other measures meant to boost housing supply and clarity for builders.
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Key features at a glance
| Project / Policy | Location | Units / Funding | Timeline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coggs building redevelopment | 1220 W. Vliet St. (downtown) | 66 affordable units; $32.3M estimated; $13.9M LIHTC; $7.2M historic credits | Construction ~18 months; possible opening July 2027 | Includes county behavioral health clinic; needs tax credit buyer |
| Union at Rose Park | 3040 N. King Drive (Harambee) | 75 units; ~$25–25.8M cost; 70 units under affordable program | Groundbreaking held; completion expected winter 2026 | Includes 12 three-bedroom townhomes, rooftop solar, on-site services |
| State housing package | Statewide | Multiple bills: workforce loans, conversion grants, TIDs, ADU rules | Fast-tracked for hearings | Designed to boost affordable supply and ease development barriers |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee affordable housing development would add life to North King Drive lot
- Wikipedia: Marcia P. Coggs Human Services Center
- Urban Milwaukee: Assembly Republicans announce bills to support affordable housing
- Google Search: Assembly Republicans affordable housing Wisconsin 2025
- REBusiness Online: Annex Group breaks ground on $25.8M affordable housing community in Milwaukee
- Google Scholar: Union at Rose Park Milwaukee affordable housing
- Spectrum News1: Milwaukee affordable housing investment — King Park
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Affordable housing
- WISN-TV: Milwaukee apartments open as city seeks to address affordable housing shortage
- Google News: Milwaukee affordable housing Coggs Union at Rose Park 2025
Author: Construction TX News
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