Press and Related News

Americorps VISTA provides Habitat support - Door County Daily News Posted 12/26/20 by Tim Kowols Jerry Phelps knew he was going to be emotional last week when Door County Habitat for Humanity dedicated its 43rd home because as he put it, he always is on dedication day. Phelps served as a volunteer building the home as a member of the Americorps VISTA program. VISTA stands for Volunteers in Service to America and the organization has partnered with Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Wisconsin to help others while building on their own skills for their career. It was the 31st dedication Phelps was a part of after previously serving with a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Durham, North Carolina. Speaking at the dedication ceremony, Phelps told the crowd that the number of houses an affiliate builds in a year does not make or break an organization.

There may not be a more active philanthropic effort than the recent push for affordable housing in Door County. At the same time, there are plenty of passersby who are loudly offering their anecdotal opinions about how to solve this expensive and complicated countywide issue. Meanwhile, Diana Wallace and Mariah Goode are quietly working on solutions that have already seen significant results.

By Myles Dannhausen Jr., Door County Living – December 26th, 2020 In this issue, we celebrate women in philanthropy: the organizations that are focused on women’s issues and the women who are accomplishing extraordinary things and inspiring the next generation. In Door County, it wasn’t hard to come up with dozens of ideas and people to feature — so many, in fact, that we don’t have room to include them all in these pages.

With a few Christmas ornaments twinkling in front of them, Door County Habitat for Humanity welcomed the Marvin family home in a dedication ceremony held in Baileys Harbor Tuesday afternoon. The dedication marked the 43rd home built by Door County Habitat for Humanity, a feat construction supervisor Chuck Stone called their most challenging build yet.

Habitat brings back holiday tradition Posted Wednesday afternoon by Tim Kowols, Door County Daily News.

46-unit Attainable Housing Project Proposed for Sister Bay By Myles Dannhausen Jr., Peninsula Pulse – November 13th, 2020 Almost three years after a countywide study revealed a gap of more than 200 rental apartments in northern Door County, a new proposal for affordable units is on the table in Sister Bay. 

Door County has been selected as one of three pilot communities in the state to take part in the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority’s (WHEDA) new Rural Affordable Workforce Housing Initiative.

An affordable housing development concept set for a 12-acre parcel in the Stony Ridge neighborhood of Sister Bay was pressed and approved by the Plan Commission. Next step is to prepare a preliminary document to submit a bid for Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development (WHEDA) tax credits. The Stony Ridge development would sit on 4.8 acres and house around 40 units. 

In an effort by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority to address the state’s shortage of rural affordable workforce housing is moving forward with the selection of three pilot communities and new financing tools for homebuyers and developers in rural areas.

New report shows many faced financial insecurity before COVID-19. Thirty-one percent of Door County’s households are struggling to afford basic necessities such as housing, child care, food, transportation and internet access. That statistic and others were reported in the state’s third ALICE report, released recently by United Way of Wisconsin in partnership with United for ALICE and local United Ways across the state, including United Way of Door County.