VERNON COUNTY, Wis. – In October 2024, Vernon County formed a Housing Task Force to address the housing challenges faced by communities across the county. Working in partnership with UW-Extension, the Vernon County Community Development Department has spent the past few months conducting a county-wide housing study to identify current and future needs of housing in Vernon County, with the goal of building a responsive and effective housing strategy. The Housing Task Force has been encouraged by the survey participation, which exceeded expectations, and gathered feedback from residents across all municipalities in Vernon County. “We were thrilled to receive more than 800 responses for our community housing survey. Participants provided valuable insight that will be used to help shape housing strategies in the future,” said Amy Oliver, Vernon County Community Development Director.
The next phase of the housing study involves gathering in-depth insights from community members through a series of public input sessions. These sessions will be held on April 10th in Viroqua and April 15 in De Soto. All Vernon County residents are encouraged to attend and share their experiences and perspectives on housing in the county. The input gathered at these sessions will directly inform future housing recommendations and initiatives, helping to ensure that they align with the community’s needs. “Ensuring that every community and resident in Vernon County has a voice in the housing study is crucial for making informed and inclusive decisions,” said UW-Madison Community Development Extension Educator, Hannah McKeever. “Public input sessions are a great way to gather diverse perspectives and understand the unique needs of different areas.”
The information from these sessions will also be shared at the upcoming Wisconsin Rural Regional Housing Summit for the Driftless Region in Hillsboro on Tuesday, May 6th, 2025. Once the study is complete, it will be made publicly available online and accessible to communities across Vernon County for use in planning and decision-making.
Join the conversation and help shape the future of housing in Vernon County! Share your experiences and insights on housing at one of our upcoming input sessions:
- April 10th from 5-7 pm at the Viroqua Community Room, located in the basement of City Hall
- April 15th from 5-7 pm at Prairie View Elementary School in De Soto gymnasium
If you have questions or are unable to attend but still want to share your thoughts, please contact Vernon County Economic Development and Marketing Coordinator, Larkin Breckel, at larkin.breckel@vernoncountywi.gov or UW-Madison Community Development Extension Educator, Hannah McKeever, at hannah.mckeever@wisc.edu.
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