SHEBOYGAN COUNTY—Sheboygan County families and employers face a severe affordable housing, child care, and labor shortage — and a regional agency is working to address these issues, which are identified as creating the top barriers to growth in the county.
Based on the findings of cross-sector task forces and various studies, the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corp., a not-for-profit 501(c)(4), has raised funding to help address these workforce development barriers. The funding will serve as a continual financial arm to support short- and long-term workforce development barriers and will initially be used to drive new, entry-level home development.
The current housing market is experiencing rapid price increases, exceeding the purchasing power of many working families. More than 2,500 full-time jobs are currently open in Sheboygan County. Pre-pandemic data from WisConomy anticipates 2,500 additional jobs will be created as part of the economic recovery.
To address this, the SCEDC will lead in developing approximately 600 housing units over the next three to five years throughout Sheboygan County to bring affordable housing to the market.
Early employer donors to this SCEDC-run program include Johnsonville, Kohler Co., Masters Gallery Foods, Inc., and Sargento Foods Inc., which have collectively donated $8 million to date with a total goal of raising $16 million to make affordable homes available in the county.
The SCEDC seeks financial contributions from other public and private Sheboygan County employers and organizations to help implement these workforce strategies that create a meaningful, positive, and sustainable impact.
Those interested in joining this effort to support and address various workforce development barriers in Sheboygan County can reach out to Brian Doudna, SCEDC Executive Director, at 920-946-9378 or Doudna@SheboyganCountyEDC.com.
