1000 Friends Webinar Series

Exclusionary Zoning

Wednesday August 14

Noon - 1:00 PM

with Matt Mleczko

Matt Mleczko is a Post-Doctoral Associate at Rutgers University. He received his Ph.D. in Population Studies and Social Policy from Princeton University in 2024 and received the 2023 Irving Louis Horowitz Award from the Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy for the overall most outstanding dissertation. Matt is also affiliated with The Eviction Lab at Princeton University. He studies integration, housing, poverty, and inequality, with a particular focus on the role of housing policies in fostering equitably integrated and cohesive communities. He was born and raised in Kenosha, WI and credits his time in Milwaukee as early inspiration for his research interests.

Join us to learn about ongoing research that demonstrates the link between exclusionary zoning and neighborhood disadvantage in impoverished neighborhoods. Using data covering the past two decades from the National Zoning and Land Use Database and U.S. Census Bureau, I find that exclusionary zoning is associated with higher median rents and higher shares of rent burdened households in impoverished communities. These results suggest that exclusionary zoning policies may contribute not only to concentrated advantage in affluent areas but may also have spillover effects that have negative long-run consequences for disadvantaged neighboring communities.

To register and for more details

Eviction Lab

The Eviction Lab at Princeton University creates data, interactive tools, and research to help neighbors and policymakers understand the eviction crisis.

For more information on the Eviction Lab.

“It has been an honor for me to collaborate with so many amazing organizations and government employees.

Working with and learning from our excellent staff and board over the years has been a privilege. Getting to know our volunteers and our supporters has made my job a great joy and so very rewarding.

Now it’s time to pass the torch and give someone new a chance to lead the organization into the next chapter.

I'll miss you!"

Deb

We're Hiring!

Long-time staff member and current Executive Director, Deb Nemeth, will step down from her position by the end of this year.

Our next Executive Director (ED) will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for 1000 Friends of Wisconsin’s programs and execution of its mission. They will lead the team and engage with our Board to inspire and build partnerships and to expand 1000 Friends programs and make our work useful and relevant to diverse communities. The ED will be a steward of the mission and build on 28 years of success promoting healthy communities through sound land use, transportation, and climate policy. They will ensure the continued evolution of the organization, its partnerships, and understands what it means, and what it takes to create lasting benefits to the state.

The Executive Director iwill be a dynamic, thoughtful, and strategic leader. In addition to driving execution of the mission and the strategic plan, the ED represents the organization statewide and with regional coalitions. The ED ensures the continued evolution of the organization, its partnerships, and understands what it means, and what it takes to create permanent benefits across the state.

Read the full job announcement and learn how to apply.

Augmented Reality Renderings

Rethink 794, in collaboration with local architectural designer John Everitt, unveils a new and innovative way to visualize the I-794 Corridor. Using any mobile device, the initiative showcases a vision that replaces I-794 with a boulevard alternative and development. Augmented Reality (AR) allows participants to experience the potential for this project to transform Downtown Milwaukee and the Historic Third Ward. Discover for yourself how a boulevard opens land for potential development, creates better walking and biking connections, and strengthens the City’s tax-base. Check out the augmented reality renderings at I794.com.

Land use and transportation are inherently intertwined. For example, even a strong network of bike lanes or sidewalks will not be used if people have to travel long distances to get from one destination to another. Although land use and transportation should be considered an inseparable pair, we often find that many people have difficulty connecting them.

1000 Friends talks about the connections between transportation and land use policy a. lot. This study makes it all very clear. Take a look.

Bridging the Connection Between Land Use and Transportation

Smart Growth America (SGA), with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hosted a series of six virtual sessions called the Center of Excellence. These sessions, held this year from March to June, covered a range of topics about the intersections of land use and transportation. Participants were primarily mayors, city council members, and staff from cities and towns across the country. Over the course of these sessions, participants heard expert perspectives on multiple topics that could apply in their respective communities. They also asked questions and shared their own experiences which generated fruitful discussions for the SGA team and the other participants. More details about the takeaways from each session are available below.

To read the full study