As Madison’s housing crisis deepens, a new affordable housing project rises to meet the urgent demand, promising relief for many in need.
Since 2010, the City of Madison has faced a persistent housing crisis, driven by demand that has pushed rent prices to record highs. As Wisconsin’s fastest-growing community, Madison’s population has risen by 19% over the past decade, far outpacing the state’s average growth of just 3.6% between 2010 and 2020. In the last five years, Madison’s growth rate stands at 8.63%, compared to 3.24% in Eau Claire. Looking ahead, projections estimate that Madison could welcome an additional 115,000 residents by 2050.
The city faces a significant shortage of affordable housing. To help address this issue, Lincoln Avenue Communities, a national developer dedicated to creating affordable housing solutions, is partnering with the City of Madison to implement innovative approaches in underdeveloped areas.
The View and The Victoria at Huxley Yards will deliver 553 new affordable housing units, advancing a key goal of the Oscar Mayer Special Area Plan and representing a key step in alleviating Madison’s housing challenges. Plans for the development of Huxley Yards began in 2021 and the project is expected to have its first two phases completed by spring and summer of 2026, according to Kevin McDonell, regional partner and vice president of Lincoln Avenue Communities.
“We are very appreciative of the many hours of community engagement that have gone into the Oscar Mayer Special Area Plan and are honored to be the first major development that will play a role in the plan becoming a reality,” said McDonell.
The plan states that the former Oscar Mayer plant in Madison that was once a major employer will be redeveloped into a new neighborhood with affordable housing. The plant closed in 2017, leading to more than 600 job losses and a decline in the tax base. In 2019, the city launched a strategic assessment to explore the future of the area.
The Oscar Mayer area offers a convenient location with access to transit, schools, parks, the upcoming Madison Public Market and more. The City of Madison supported the project with Tax Increment Financing, a way to pay for community improvement projects using money from property taxes. This helps to balance costs and ensure long-term affordability, aligning with its goal to expand affordable housing in well-connected areas, according to Heather Stouder, former planning division director for the City of Madison.
McDonell said he collaborated with city planners, local officials, financial partners, design and construction teams and neighborhood stakeholders to bring the project to life.
McDonell noted that Madison has experienced some of the highest rent hikes in the nation between 2022 and 2024, with Madison recording the country’s second-largest increase from February 2023 to February 2024.
“It’s hard to believe that Madison, Wisconsin, has seen rent growth increases that are higher than Nashville, Austin, and many of the fastest-growing cities in Florida these past two years,” McDonell said.
The View at Huxley Yards is designed for families and will include three courtyards, a pool, exercise room, playground, grilling stations, job training classroom, dog park, community room and walking trails.
It will offer 303 affordable units for individuals and families, while The Victoria will add 250 affordable units for seniors.
Meanwhile, The Victoria at Huxley Yards, designed for seniors, will feature two courtyards with gardens, walking paths, a community senior center, dog park, exercise room and craft room. McDonell said both of these units will be available only to those earning less than 70%, 60% and 50% of the area median income, which was $125,900 for a family of four in Dane County in 2024.
“I’m incredibly proud of the meaningful role that our Lincoln Avenue team is playing in helping to provide housing solutions for a community that desperately needs housing,” McDonell said.
Andi Simmons, director of business development at Wisconsin Management Company, which manages Huxley Yards, said it’s meaningful to bring growth to the Oscar Mayer neighborhood.
“We have seen the evolution of the area over the past decades and are excited to add new faces to our area, who like us, will hopefully make their homes here for many years to come,” Simmons said.
“We are excited to see the momentum continue to build on the surrounding properties and look forward to seeing other new investments announced in the years that come,” McDonell said.
As the community embraces this development, leaders emphasize the importance of addressing housing needs in Dane County.
“I believe that the adopted plan provides a solid path for future redevelopment, and that Lincoln Avenue Communities has laid out an important piece of the puzzle we’ll continue to see take shape over the years,” Stouder said.
Leasing for both properties at Huxley Yards is expected to begin in fall 2025.
