MADISON, Wis. — Southeast Wisconsin is set to receive more than $32 million in federal investment aimed at strengthening affordable housing, construction workforce development and public infrastructure, according to officials from Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s office.
The funding was included in a bipartisan federal spending package approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed by President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Passage of the measure ended a three-day federal government shutdown and unlocked resources for 26 projects across the region.
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Lawmakers said the investments are intended to address rising living costs, housing shortages and labor gaps in skilled trades. The package follows a tumultuous budget year in which the federal government was previously shuttered for more than 40 days after repeated Senate stalemates over continuing resolutions.
Of the total allocation, $6 million is dedicated specifically to affordable housing initiatives. The city of Kenosha will receive $3 million for new construction, Communities of Crocus will receive $1.5 million, Acts Housing will receive $1 million to acquire affordable units, and Habitat for Humanity of Waukesha and Jefferson Counties will receive $500,000 to build additional homes.
Other major awards include $5 million for construction of a mental health facility in Racine County, $4 million for a YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee health commons building, and $3 million for the Versiti Blood Research Institute. Officials also directed $700,000 to the Iron Workers Local 8 Joint Apprenticeship and Advanced Journeyman Training Trust Fund for equipment purchases to expand craft training.
“At a time when costs are rising, and families are struggling to make ends meet, I fought hard to bring home investments to address their kitchen table issues and our communities’ most pressing problems,” Baldwin said in a statement. “I worked closely with communities across Southeast Wisconsin to fund projects that will put high-quality health care within reach for more people, support our small businesses and entrepreneurs, and give more families the chance to buy a home.”
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Beyond housing, a significant portion of the funding targets workforce preparation in health care, manufacturing and construction. The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee School of Nursing will receive $400,000 to build a rehabilitation gym and lab simulation space, while Concordia University will receive $753,000 to upgrade nursing facilities and expand enrollment.
Milwaukee Area Technical College was awarded $500,000 for higher-education scholarships, and Employ Milwaukee will receive $900,000 to support youth career exploration programs. Moraine Park Technical College secured $1.325 million to purchase robotics equipment aimed at training students for modern manufacturing environments.
Local governments also benefited. Walworth County will receive $1 million to renovate a vacant 30-bed skilled nursing unit into a community-based residential facility, and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District will receive $250,000 for a schoolyard renovation project.
Supporters say the mix of housing, health care and job-training investments is designed to create long-term economic stability rather than one-time relief. Construction and apprenticeship programs, in particular, are expected to help replenish an aging skilled-trades workforce while supporting ongoing infrastructure needs.
Regional leaders have praised the bipartisan nature of the spending bill, noting that it provides predictable funding for projects that had been delayed by federal uncertainty. With Wisconsin facing persistent shortages of affordable homes and health care workers, officials say the new dollars could have immediate community impact.
Originally reported by Ethan Duran, BridgeTower Media in Finance - Commerce.
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