Proposed Changes by Walker May Affect Housing

I, when being asked to give a summary of housing-related issues in the state for a paper to be distributed at a conference, never dreamed of saying watch what happens to housing when the Department of Commerce is dissolved.  Yet that's what Governor-elect Walker is proposing-replacing the Department of Commerce with a quasi-private economic development agency.

The question is, what happens to the various divisions within the Department of Commerce such as the regulatory oversight and the technical assistance providers.  Of particular concern is the Division of Housing and Community Development which administers the various federal and state programs related to housing.  To be sure, this Divison was been under the Department of Administration in the past, and there's no reason why it can't be again. 

But something that advocates have been talking-in a sort of wishful thinking way-is for the various housing programs that are scattered within the state agencies to be consolidated within one department.  If Governor-elect Walker does what he is proposing-replace the Department of Commerce and spin off some of the responsibilities into other Departments, , it might be a good time to advocate for the consolidation of housing programs.

I also wonder, though, wouldn't it simply be easier to expand WHEDA's programs and services?  After all, it's already a quasi-private agency, and its title is Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.