Fitchburg Housing Committee Discussion Meeting - June 8, 2026

The Fitchburg Housing Committee met on June 8, 2026, for a discussion-only meeting. Sustained Dane staff presented a mid-year update on the 2026 Efficiency Navigator Program, and city staff presented housing and economic development updates, including a proposed down payment assistance program. No formal votes were taken. The meeting adjourned at 5:19 p.m.

Efficiency Navigator Program Update

• Claire Schaefer of Sustained Dane, joined remotely by colleague John, said the 2026 program is nearing its second phase. It helps small to medium apartment buildings become more efficient and resilient, reduce operating costs, and preserve affordability, with funding tied to the 2019 housing plan and TIF district closures.
• Outreach included letters to 176 properties and promotion through newsletters, social media, FACTV, and a press conference. About 30 applications were received; 10 buildings had eight or more units, six owners submitted applications for more than one property, and about half of the applications were for duplexes.
• Intakes were completed at 16 buildings representing 90 units and 237 residents: eight duplexes, five eight-unit buildings, one three-unit, one 15-unit, and one 16-unit building.
• To date, 14 assessments have been completed and 10 reports returned: five in Bellmar, three in Forest Downs, two in Wildwood South, and one each in rural residential, Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Leopold.
• General observations included weatherization needs, heat pump water heater opportunities, fewer air-source heat pump opportunities, and adjustments to intake/termination setups. One building scored 10 out of 10 for window replacement need.
• Among reviewed properties, one building had sprinklers in common areas and 15 did not. No lighting concerns were identified; some missing or disconnected downspout extensions were noted; in one building, removed smoke-detector batteries were replaced immediately; one owner reported seasonal mice and a persistent woodpecker, with no other pest evidence.
• Initial recommendations from the 10 available reports included five weatherization projects, one heat pump measure, and one unremediated health-level gas leak. The first cost estimate was about $185,000 before contractor quotes, and the work would affect 104 residents, including 29 children and 13 seniors.
• Staff explained the weatherization-first approach: it addresses the root cause of energy loss, often delivers high savings per dollar, allows heating and cooling systems to be sized correctly, and includes ventilation and gas-leak checks for health and safety.
• Case study: an eight-unit building in Forest Downs where residents pay all utilities. Recommended measures were air sealing, insulation, ventilation, a heat pump water heater, and gas-leak repair, with estimated $1,000 annual utility savings, 36% energy-use savings, and a 5,500 reduction in CO2 emissions (units not stated).
• IRA rebate status: four buildings in the Madison program have been approved after about four to five months of paperwork. Administrative changes announced in the previous week may make rebates unavailable for replacing gas appliances with electric appliances, so the program is in transition. The HER prescriptive path is preferred and can provide up to $14,000 per unit; income tiers are 80% or below AMI for higher rebates, 80-150% for lower rebates, and no rebate above 150%.
• Next steps are contractor quotes, three-party agreements, land use restriction agreements, and installation. A new land use restriction agreement is being finalized to keep assisted properties affordable for five years, including if sold; Dan Hardy from CETA/CEDA helped draft it and Valerie will review it before the June 25 joint meeting.
• The administrative phase was $100,000; an additional $400,000 is allocated for the second phase, to be brought forward June 25. Staff discussed whether to run another outreach round that could extend into 2027.
• An Office of Energy Innovation grant application is being prepared with Madison and Middleton and is due June 30 to expand the program to owner-occupied buildings; the amount discussed was about $500,000, with budget details pending.

Housing Initiatives and Down Payment Assistance

• City staff recapped the Efficiency Navigator work, the land use restriction agreement, a $600,000 CDBG Pro-Housing Grant for infrastructure, and an in-house housing dashboard being developed with IT and GIS assistance.
• Proposed down payment assistance program: it would target the "missing middle" at 60-120% AMI, with up to $25,000 for 60-80% AMI based on need and matching funds up to $25,000 for 80-120% AMI. It would apply to single-family homes, townhomes, and condos and require a homebuyer education certificate. About $2.5 million is allocated, expected to last three to four years.
• Purchase price cap feedback: members discussed no cap, a moderate cap, and a lower cap. One member supported a moderate cap; another estimated that a $425,000 home with a 6.5% mortgage would require about $115,000 in income, assuming 20% down and 30% of income for housing. Some members preferred relying on lender underwriting or an affordability test instead of fixed caps, while one noted lenders may overextend buyers.
• Geographic targeting feedback: several members opposed restricting assistance to specific neighborhoods, saying people should not be told where to live. Some supported citywide availability, slight bonus points for priority areas, or transit-oriented/future transit-oriented locations. One member noted single-family homes and transit-oriented development often do not align; another suggested a pilot targeted area that could expand.
• City employee preference feedback: members were generally receptive to including employee preference in scoring, with some supporting a limited preference. One speaker said the city should lead by example on employer-assisted housing, and another noted TIF funds are contributed by multiple taxing jurisdictions. Staff said HR views the program as a recruiting and retention tool.
• Repayment structure: the proposal would require repayment upon sale or cash-out refinance, but not for an interest-rate refinance. Members discussed early-repayment incentives, an average homeowner tenure of about seven years, the administrative burden of tracking refinances, and the need for provisions covering death, estates, and family transfers.
• Administration and transparency options included a single nonprofit administrator or a hybrid with city involvement; grievances would require city participation. Members discussed publishing scoring criteria and total scores while protecting confidential information, and vendor quarterly reports and audits to allow adjustments.
• Members did not favor recertifying household income over time, citing financial privacy and not wanting to penalize households whose income increases; the program focuses on first-time homebuyers.

Economic Development Updates

• Economic development staff reported that the council approved a $9.8 million pay-as-you-go TIF developer agreement for the clean-fill site between Highway 14 and M, proposed by local developer Mark Fairchild. Full build-out could generate $104 million in valuation, with two multifamily buildings totaling about 325 units, a 119-unit continuum-of-care facility by Trilogy Health, about 40 single-family lots, and about 40 townhome units initially identified as ownership product.
• Bowman Plaza on North Fish Hatchery Road saw costs increase from $70 million to $77 million; revised TIF assistance would have a not-to-exceed amount of $7 million and was scheduled for the next council meeting. If approved, demolition could begin in July, with occupancy in two phases in early 2028 and April 2028. The project includes 270 market-rate apartments, 10,000 square feet of commercial space, and structured/underground parking.
• Jamestown Quarry: the council and Plan Commission unanimously supported the TID amendment and project plan/cost amendment, which goes to the Joint Review Board on June 24. It would allow a retail center and another apartment building on the north end with about 270 units; developer Corey Frank could return for a future workforce/market-rate conversation.
• Oak Ridge senior housing, proposed by JT Klein Company, was scheduled to break ground later that week at 4 p.m. just north of Jinfinity Gymnastics on Nesbitt Road; it will provide 80 units of affordable housing.
• Staff have held initial conversations about build-to-rent single-family and twin-home product, a model more common in the South and West that is now moving into Midwest markets.
• The Dementia Village groundbreaking occurred in May; the project will first remodel existing space and then construct the home.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken; the meeting was for discussion only.
• Staff will refine the down payment assistance program using committee feedback before preparing an RFP.
• The land use restriction agreement will be finalized, reviewed, and brought to the June 25 joint meeting, along with the second-phase Efficiency Navigator funding.
• The Office of Energy Innovation grant application with Madison and Middleton is due June 30, 2026.
• The next joint CEDA/CETA meeting is June 25, 2026; the next Housing Committee meeting is August 10, 2026.
• The meeting adjourned at 5:19 p.m.