Housing is a basic part of the fabric of our community. The Community Economic Development Office provides support to residents and landlords in a number of ways: through grants, loans, and assistance for buying homes, building affordable housing, doing home improvement and accessibility projects, improving apartment buildings, and installing smoke detectors. We have a new program working to make housing safe for our children by reducing lead paint hazards, a major health risk to children under 6. And finally, we provide support to the City’s homeless shelters for those times when there’s no place else to go.

The City recognizes that the free market for housing is often not a fair market for low and moderate income residents. Left unchecked, market forces will allow housing to deteriorate, push people from their homes and leave others with no homes at all. The City has enacted a variety of housing ordinances to provide a counterbalance (such as inclusionary zoning and housing replacement) and supports community-based nonprofit housing developers in developing affordable rental housing and housing for the most vulnerable City residents.

Housing is the essence of Richland Center's neighborhoods. Support for affordable housing allows elders to remain in the homes and neighborhoods they know. Homebuyer purchase and rehabilitation programs allow the next generation of residents to own and modernize older homes.

Affordable housing is a balance to economic development, ensuring that workers can find housing and that rising prices don't displace residents. And affordable housing development is a tool in redeveloping distressed neighborhoods, preventing loss of value in surrounding properties.

For more information, contact:

450 South Main Street, Richland Center WI 53581

City Administrator/Utility Manager
Phone (608) 647-4448 Fax (608) 647-3718

 or email the City Administrator/Utility Manager at  scompton@wppisys.org

The mission of the Housing Authority, Section 8 Existing Housing Program is to enable lower income families in our community to obtain decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing and to preserve the community’s existing housing stock.

The Housing Authority of the City of Richland Center provides subsidize to the maximum extent allowable.  Funding is awarded by the Federal Government to subsidize low-income families with their rent.  The number of families the Housing Authority can assist is determined by the annual contract authority awarded.  Average housing assistance payments, fair market rents established by HUD, and administrative costs are all factors for determining the number of units available to assist. 

For more information, contact:

701 W Seminary Street, Richland Center, WI 53581

Richland Center - Housing Authority Manager

Phone: (608) 647-4877 Fax: (608)647-4877

or email the Richland Center - Housing Authority Manager at rccityha@mwt.net