City selling half block for $1 to help fight homelessness

Project could be worth over
$1 million to private developer

Could be a couple years before a big new housing development aimed, in part, at helping the homeless on the north side of La Crosse gets finished. Or, maybe even started.  

Bids from developers were due Friday for the development by the community garden on Kane St.

A requirement of the development: Focus on those transitioning from homelessness.

The city’s selling the empty half block of 733 Kane St. for $1, and the developer can count on $450,000 in block grant funding, as well as some possible tax credits from the state.

The final building will include over 30-35 apartments with a value of over a $1 million and privately owned.

That developer will target nearly a third of the units toward those who are transitioning from homelessness and, for good reason, says Caroline Gregerson in the city’s planning office.

“We have a huge homeless issue here in La Crosse,” Gregerson said. “We’re really about ending … homelessness. And, part of that is permanent housing, it’s how you end homelessness.”

That plan differs a bit from the city’s current strategy of trying to place homeless in existing apartments, Gregerson said. 

“We would really like to have some housing available,” she said. “That would be a little more ideal in terms of new construction, and kind of being able to have a case manager on site.”

It’s placement is ideal, according to Gregerson. It’s close to that community garden, bus routes and near grocery stores, she said.

She hopes the project will be a model for similar housing solutions in the future.