State Senator introduces affordable Wisconsin legislative packages in La Crosse

State Senator Brad Pfaff held a press conference in La Crosse, highlighting Senate Democrats’ commitment to addressing Wisconsin’s housing crisis and cutting costs. Senator Pfaff was joined by La Crosse County Board Supervisors Grant Mathu and Kelly Liebold, who emphasized that housing remains one of the top issues in their communities.

The four bills introduced, and part of the Health and Housing legislative package, included expanding the Homestead Tax Credit, banning hedge funds from buying single-family homes, banning algorithmic rent hikes, and improving Wisconsin’s housing stock.

Pfaff said the 18-bill plan focuses on lowering costs for healthcare, groceries, childcare and housing. The package also proposes increasing the Homestead Tax Credit income limit from $24,680 to $35,000, allowing more people to qualify. Pfaff said more needs to be done to support families and first-time homebuyers, however.

“Having affordable housing, having safe communities, giving opportunities for first-time home buyers to get into a home before the age of 40, that is something that’s a no-brainer, and again it’s disappointing that we did not do more,” Pfaff said.

Pfaff also said he wants to limit hedge funds from purchasing homes and ban the use of algorithms to set housing prices, calling it a distortion of the market.