Housing in Menomonie: A Community Report
A home is not just four walls and a roof, it’s the dignity of having a place where a person can build a stable life for themself and their loved ones. We believe everyone in Menomonie deserves safe, affordable, and clean housing; no matter what our differences are, whether we rent or own, whether we are a student or a senior, or the color of our skin. Like air to breathe and food to eat, housing is a basic human need.
Menomonie’s housing crisis demands urgent attention. The voices captured in this report describe the human cost of inaction, from unsafe living conditions to the constant stress of housing insecurity. The time to act is now — before the crisis deepens further. That’s why GROWW is organizing people to win housing solutions in Menomonie. Because something has to change.
We want to hear from you!
What have been your experiences with housing? How does this issue personally impact you? Your story matters, and by sharing it in our housing survey, you can be a powerful voice in the movement for change.
Take Our Housing SurveyOur Methodology: The Art of Listening
During the summer of 2024, members of GrassRoots Organizing Western Wisconsin (GROWW) launched a community-wide “listening campaign” that aimed to better understand the human impact of housing challenges facing Menomonie residents, building trusting relationships, and to identify leaders in the community. We engaged 250 members of the community through a mix of door knocking, listening sessions, digital outreach, and one-to-one meetings. This report is a summary of what we heard. From June to October, a team of 15 GROWW members knocked on 558 doors across Menomonie, speaking directly about their struggles with housing, the causes of those challenges, and their ideas for solutions. Our team used a technique called “deep canvassing” which prioritizes active listening and storytelling to uncover personal experiences and perceptions of an issue. We organized three public listening sessions which were held at the Shirley Doane Senior Center. These sessions were designed to create a space for participants to share their personal stories and explore potential policy or community-driven solutions. Our digital outreach efforts connected with 41 individuals, some who were willing to participate in interviews about their housing experiences. These interviews offered deeper insights into the day-to-day realities of housing insecurity, discrimination, and neglect, as well as the impact of systemic barriers on vulnerable populations. In addition to these efforts, two UW-Stout students conducted research about off-campus housing using a survey (sent to 850 UW-Stout students with 189 responding), a focus group, and interviews. This report contains key findings from these conversations and draws upon personal stories to highlight the human impact of Menomonie’s housing crisis. By centering the voices of those impacted, we aim to provide a comprehensive picture of the challenges facing our community and potential solutions to address them.
Executive Summary
Key Findings
- Affordability Crisis: Some rents in Menomonie have increased by $50–$100 annually, outpacing stagnant wages. Many families spend over 30% of their income on housing, leaving little for other necessities like groceries. Home ownership is increasingly out of reach due to rising prices and interest rates.
- Limited Availability: The housing market lacks options for middle-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Demand for housing from UW-Stout students further impacts availability, and student renters can feel as though landlords are unfairly prioritizing long-term renters.
- Declining Quality: Substandard rental conditions, including mold, structural damage, and landlord neglect, are widespread. Renters sometimes perceive that large property management companies prioritize profits over maintenance, leaving tenants in unsafe and unhealthy environments.
- Homelessness and Precarity: Some residents live one crisis away from eviction. Menomonie’s harsh winters pose dangers for the unhoused, while accessing housing assistance remains a challenge for vulnerable populations.
- Systemic Barriers: Discrimination, corporate ownership of properties, and lack of accountability for landlords posed housing inequities.
Proposed Solutions
- Policy and Accountability: Implement municipal rental inspections, strengthen landlord accountability, and establish a Renters’ Bill of Rights.
- Expanding Housing Stock: Incentivize affordable housing development, reform zoning laws, support alternative housing models like co-housing and tiny homes, and attract local builders.
- Community Action: Increase transitional housing, create tenant advocacy centers, and renovate underutilized properties.
1. Affordability: A Persistent and Growing Challenge
rising rents
Every year, my rent goes up, and every year, I have less to spend on groceries, gas, and my kids. It’s like I’m paying more for nothing.
Our rent just went up to $1,500 a month. That’s more than half of what we get from Social Security. We do weekly meals at the churches to help us pay the bills.
barriers to home ownership
In the past, Menomonie has been an affordable place for first-time homebuyers, but that is no longer the case. With interest rates exceeding 7% and home prices rising rapidly, many long-time renters find themselves locked out of the housing market. A local teacher explained:
My husband and I have saved for years to buy a house. We finally had enough for a down payment, but the interest rates mean our monthly payments would be higher than our rent. It’s so discouraging.
With student loans and rent eating up my paycheck, saving for a house feels impossible. By the time I have enough, prices will have gone up again.
Impact on Families
We want to buy a house so our kids can have their own bedrooms, but every place we look at is either way out of our budget or in terrible condition. We’re stuck renting this cramped apartment.
2. Availability: A Limited Market with Few Options
A Missing Middle
When we first came here, Menomonie was affordable. Now it’s this weird mix. The only rentals we can afford are old and falling apart, everything else is ridiculously overpriced. Across the street, people are paying $1,800 a month for a three-bedroom with no basement. There’s no middle ground—just high-end homes or places no one really wants to live in. Housing is treated like an investment, not a necessity.
Accessibility Gaps
I’ve been searching for a wheelchair-accessible home for months, but there’s nothing. The doors are too narrow, and the bathrooms aren’t usable.
Impact on Local Workforce
We’ve had three new hires turn down jobs because they couldn’t find housing in Menomonie. It’s becoming a real problem for us.
High Competition
Renters described a market saturated with college students, making it harder for families or older residents to secure housing. Landlords often prioritize student renters who pay higher rates, rent by the room, or lump sums upfront. A young couple with a toddler shared:
We spent months looking for a place. We finally found a decent apartment, but the landlord gave it to a group of students who could pay six months of rent upfront.
3. Quality: Neglect in the Rental Market
The quality of rental housing in Menomonie emerged as one of the most distressing themes in our conversations. Substandard conditions, landlord neglect, and limited accountability leave tenants in precarious and often unsafe situations. 46% of the student survey respondents reported significant issues with the condition of their housing.
