WHEDA Statement on State of the State Address - Gov. Evers Declares 2026 the “Year of the Neighbor”

Gov. Tony Evers delivered his 2026 State of the State address last night. He highlighted the Evers Administration’s efforts and successes over the past seven years to invest in Wisconsin, including expanding access to affordable housing.

“A key part of our work to support working families, strengthen our communities, and grow our state’s workforce has been ensuring folks have the housing they need in the communities they work in. It’s about connecting the dots, and expanding access to affordable housing is an issue I hear about almost everywhere I go in Wisconsin,” said Gov. Evers. “We worked together to pass the largest state investment in workforce housing in Wisconsin history, and my administration has supported over 30,000 new housing units across our state.”

During his eighth State of the State address, the governor declared 2026 the “Year of the Neighbor,” highlighting the importance of community and togetherness during divisive times and celebrating the neighbors who make Wisconsin the great place it is to call home.

WHEDA CEO and Executive Director Elmer Moore, Jr., the agency working to address the state’s housing shortage, released the following statement in support:

“I can’t think of a better theme to highlight the importance of safe, stable, affordable housing than the Year of the Neighbor. We’re putting people first by helping our neighbors get the affordable housing they deserve. Our work in commercial development, multifamily property management, and single-family mortgage financing embodies the idea that we could all use a good neighbor, and we could all be better neighbors.

Our mission is to expand access to affordable housing across the state in our rural communities, our cities, and everything in between. The folks who work at WHEDA and all our partners within the housing ecosystem share our Wisconsin values of kindness, respect, empathy, and compassion in all that we do.

We are jazzed to continue working with the Governor to celebrate our neighbors and create opportunities for Wisconsinites to find a place to call home through our programs to grow homeownership and affordable housing development across the state.” The governor’s address is available to watch here and here. Read the Governor’s full address here.