Rural Wisconsin City Benefits from New Mixed-Income Housing

Trolley Station Terrace, a new development from community action agency Newcap, is providing needed housing–both affordable and market-rate—in the rural community of Marinette, Wisconsin, at the mouth of the Menominee River along Green Bay.

The city is home to approximately 11,000 residents, with Census data showing 18.3% of the population live below the poverty line. The need for housing only has increased as some of the larger employers have brought new jobs to the area.

This includes Fincantieri Marinette Marine, a shipbuilding company that is anticipated to bring an additional 1,000 jobs to the city because of a contract with the Navy to build a Constellation-class frigate.

The 45-unit development, which was completed in November 2021, is helping meet the need by providing housing at 30%, 50%, 60%, and 100% of the area median income (AMI). In addition, nine units are set aside as supportive housing, targeting vets and those with disabilities.

“Marinette is a rural community, but it has a lot of growing businesses,” says Jaime Johnson, vice president of real estate and asset development at Newcap. “There’s such a housing need in Marinette. Any one of the AMI brackets that you serve, you are going to get tenants.”

Residents have access to a wealth of resources, including employment services, financial literacy programs, and assistance with benefits and/or entitlements. In addition, the pet-friendly community features a rooftop terrace, a fitness room, a dog-washing station, unit balconies or patios, and a park area.

The $10.2 million development was primarily funded by federal low-income housing tax credit equity.