Events
2026 Central Wisconsin Housing Summit
April 15 @ 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
$10 – $20
The 2026 Central Wisconsin Housing Summit is focused on the builder’s perspective, addressing the real challenges contractors, developers, and partners face in housing today. Learn best practices, explore resources, and connect with peers to find solutions that move projects forward.
Opening Keynote:
Join us for an inspiring keynote by Kurt Paulsen, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
About Kurt Paulsen:
Kurt Paulsen is a professor in the Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture at UW–Madison. His teaching and research focus on housing, affordable housing finance and policy, land use, and municipal finance. He has authored two Dane County housing needs assessments, chaired the City of Middleton Workforce Housing Committee, and conducted economic impact research for WHEDA. He is the author of “Falling Behind: Addressing Wisconsin’s Workforce Housing Shortage to Strengthen Families, Communities, and Our Economy”, published by the Wisconsin Realtors Association, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).
Event Highlights & Topics
- Networking & Resource Connections
Connect with peers, practitioners, and organizations working across housing, development, and community revitalization. - Setting the Foundation for Housing in Central Wisconsin
Align around a shared vision, common language, and clear goals for repairing, reviving, and reimagining local housing. - Regional Housing Insights & Local Tools
Explore key findings from regional housing research and learn about existing resources that support housing solutions. - Reimagining What’s Possible
Challenge assumptions and explore bold, innovative approaches to housing that strengthen communities. - Small-Scale Development & Community-Led Solutions
Learn how individuals, neighborhoods, and small teams can take action to develop and improve housing locally. - Financing Community-Driven Housing
Understand funding pathways for small and mid-sized projects, including local, state, and creative financing options. - Housing Conversations That Matter
Engage in facilitated discussions on today’s most pressing housing topics, including workforce housing, aging in place, and alternative housing models. - Workforce & Contractor Capacity Building
Examine strategies to grow the skilled labor pipeline and support the next generation of housing professionals. - Public, Private, and Community Partnerships
Learn how collaboration across sectors can unlock housing opportunities and accelerate development. - Hands-On, Interactive Learning
Participate in practical, workshop-style sessions focused on feasibility, funding, incentives, preservation, and project readiness. - From Ideas to Implementation
Discover what’s already happening locally, what resources are underutilized, and how to move projects forward—even with limited capacity.
Full details to be released closer to the event
Planning Committee
- Kayla Rombalski, UW-Extension Wood County
- Katie Livernash, UW-Extension Portage County
- Melinda Osterberg, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp
- Kayleigh Mengel, Wood County
- Daric Smith, Adams County Economic Development Corp
- Sam Wessel, North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
- Randy Fifrick, City of Wausau
- Sara Guild, Lincoln County Economic Development Corp.
- Angel Laidlaw, Centergy