City of Madison Development Process Initiative

As the city undertakes its Development Review Process, MDC is in a pickle. The discussion sometimes has neighborhoods and developers on opposite sides and elected representatives and commission volunteers sometimes aligned, sometimes arbitrating, and ultimately in a position to decide.

At MDC we have our feet in both camps, or stuck in the middle. We often develop or buy and rehab affordable housing. We are always helping hard to finance businesses which provide jobs and services for neighbors but also grow or build. One thing we do know is that the issue of affordable housing requires more attention, recognition and education. Every low income elderly person living on Social Security is probably someone's parent. Every young job seeker, entry level worker, or downsized employee is someone's child or sibling, and these days more often a parent too. So are the veterans with PTSD or people recovering from dependency. One thing we all have in common is that we need a place to live. For some the choice is wide open; for low income Madisonians- not so much.