Communities of every size are facing mounting housing shortages—from overall supply constraints to the lack of affordable options. This session explores practical strategies for expanding housing availability through the experiences of a mid-sized Wisconsin city (La Crosse) and a small Minnesota community (Wabasha).
As data center development expands across Wisconsin and the Midwest, communities are increasingly being approached by developers seeking land, electricity, and water. While these projects can bring significant investment, they also raise complex questions related to zoning, infrastructure capacity, public finance, and environmental impacts.
In August 2025, after 6 to 12 inches of rain fell across the Milwaukee region in just 24 hours, flooded basements and damaged homes dominated local headlines. For Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), the historic storm exposed familiar vulnerabilities in …
A story in People highlights the legacy of former School of Architecture & Urban Planning professor Don Glickman, who passed away in November at age 94 after living with congestive heart failure.
Dr. Kirk Harris was featured in a recent report by TMJ4 examining Milwaukee’s food deserts. In the story, Harris explains how historic segregation, zoning decisions, and limited transportation options have shaped inequitable access to fresh, affordable food in many neighborhoods.
A recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel feature examines the ongoing transformation of Milwaukee’s historic Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive corridor, highlighting community-focused investments such as ThriveOn King, the new Martin Luther King Jr. Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library, and affordable housing developments.
An Innovative Cities Lecture Local events play a powerful role in strengthening city economies, generating activity from day trips to overnight stays. This session highlights how two Wisconsin communities attract visitors, host more than 80 events annually, and measure both …
An Innovative Cities Lecture The Milwaukee Priority One Transportation Initiative is a bold, collaborative effort to improve regional mobility, connect workers to jobs, and ensure equitable access to opportunity across Milwaukee. This initiative prioritizes innovative transit solutions—such as on-demand workforce …
Dr. Kirk Harris spoke with WUWM 89.7’s Eddie Morales on his research into redlining in Milwaukee, and how this stops people from buying homes. As the Founding Director for the Center for Equity Practice & Planning Justice, Harris has been researching …
Architecture has always been an area of interest for UWM master’s student Dulce Carreno, but in high school, she didn’t consider it a viable option. Instead, after graduating from her Las Vegas high school, Carreno served in the U.S. Air Force for six years. Her military service ultimately charted her course to architecture and urban planning, where she knew she could make a difference through her career.
