Dear Neighbors,

Every person in Menomonie deserves a home that is safe, healthy, and dignified. This is not a radical idea. It’s the foundation of a strong community. Yet, too many of our neighbors are living in conditions that put their health and well-being at risk. Black mold, broken windows, electrical hazards, pest infestations, heating failures. These are not rare exceptions. They are widespread and documented realities.

Over the past year, our organization has been listening. Through hundreds of conversations at doorsteps and in listening sessions, we’ve heard stories that are hard to forget. A single mother whose children sleep in a room that smells of mildew because their ceiling has been leaking for months. A student dealing with an infestation of bees in her basement because the windows don’t close. A couple who once had to stuff jeans into a cracked wall to keep the cold air out. A mom fearful for her child because the back steps are falling apart. These are symptoms of a system that has failed to ensure the most basic protections for renters in our city.

But these stories have also sparked grassroots support from members of GROWW, tenants, homeowners, local business owners, and even local landlords, calling for a better way forward. We believe that now is the time for Menomonie to explore reinstating proactive rental inspections through our city departments.

Here’s the truth: our city used to have a proactive inspection program. But in 2017, the Wisconsin State Legislature (under heavy pressure from real estate lobbyists) passed Act 317, known by many as “The Landlord’s Bill.” This law stripped local governments of the power to regularly inspect rental properties unless there’s a complaint, even when there’s reason to believe people are living in dangerous conditions. In other words, powerful interests in Madison rewrote the rules to benefit big landlords at the expense of tenants. Our whole community has paid the price.

We believe Menomonie should not be powerless in the face of this. It starts by telling the truth about what’s happening and building the political will to change it. That’s why we’re inviting you to join us on Tuesday, June 10th at the Mabel Tainter Theater for a community conversation. Our featured guest, Kelly Reed from the City of Racine, will share the inspiring story of Racine RENTS, a proactive inspection program that has led to improved housing quality, strengthened neighborhoods, greater accountability, and helped protect residents from unsafe housing without putting an undue burden on responsible landlords.

We are not interested in finger-pointing or division. This is about taking care of our community. About making sure that no one, no matter their income or background, has to suffer in silence or live in fear. We believe this is the kind of change that’s possible when we act as an organized community, building power around our shared values.

The conversation we’re starting is about the kind of town we want to be. Will we allow corporate lobbyists and absentee landlords to shape the rules that govern our lives? Or will we come together to say: everyone belongs, and everyone deserves to live in a home that is safe?

We hope you’ll join us on June 10th and in the work ahead.

In solidarity,

GrassRoots Organizing Western Wisconsin (GROWW)

Our Housing Justice team
The GROWW Housing Justice Team originated at Grassroots School in January 2024, where some of us first met and learned we shared concerns about the housing challenges facing people in Menomonie. A few months later, we formed a team and began meeting regularly to lay the groundwork for a housing justice campaign. From the start, we prioritized listening – talking with as many people as possible before launching this campaign. 

Core Team Members
Andrew Hagen, Monica Berrier, Ingmar Amberson, Nichole Manson, Caitlin Doerr, Cody Gentz, Tina Lee, Bill Hogseth