11/24/2025
You can also read about this community feature and find archives of our past features at pablofoundation.org/community.
Every single one of us and our neighbors deserves housing. But right now we are failing to meet that need as a community. Even if you make 100% of the median area income, you cannot afford a home in Eau Claire. A family of four making the area median income for a four-person family cannot afford a three-bedroom home. In the 2024-2025 school year alone, 336 students experienced homelessness during the academic year in the Eau Claire Area School District. From 2023 to 2024, there was a 20% increase in overall homelessness and a 40% increase in family homelessness nationwide.
In Eau Claire, 50% of our housing is occupied by one person. These individuals are mostly seniors continuing living in family-sized homes. These homes are difficult to maintain for many seniors, and they aren’t particularly accessible. Why are so many seniors staying in homes that are unable to meet their needs? Because they don’t have an affordable alternative.
None of us can do this alone. We know it takes the whole community. We know we can figure this out together. We talked with area housing leaders and asked them to give us their take on what housing in Eau Claire looks like. Here’s what they told us.
“Eau Claire’s housing landscape is stretched thin, especially for families with children. I trust our community’s commitment to collaboration to create real progress when we pair empathy with action. More families face complex barriers with fewer affordable options. Eau Claire’s strong partnerships can open real pathways to stability.” - Semone Thomas, Family Promise of the Chippewa Valley Executive Director
“We know that providing people safe and secure housing first is the most evidence-based, economically sound, and trauma-informed model for treating homelessness. Eau Claire organizations have come together to collaborate but continue to fund short-term resources that extend gaps in services. We need to focus efforts on what works- building relationships with property owners and creating permanent housing solutions so our unhoused community members can achieve personal safety and dignity in the services we provide them.” - Nichole Kulow (CSW, LPC), CC We Adapt & Next Generation Mentors Therapist and Internal Support Supervisor
“We struggle to find safe affordable housing for the people that we serve. Once they complete our program it is imperative that we find them safe affordable places to live. If they cannot find stable affordable housing they are often forced to go back to unhealthy living situations that often leads back to using substances to cope with the stress. This is a huge issue and we are actively looking for solutions and partnering with other agencies to find creative solutions to this situation.” - Michelle Markquart, Eau Claire Sober Living Executive Director
“Housing is like healthcare. If we don't have enough of what we need, it's our most vulnerable community members who are impacted first. An emergency room is a necessary part of a healthcare system. But unless it is attached to a hospital with a variety of coordinated services and aftercare, folks are just going to end up back in the ER. You will never be able to build it big enough. Increasing permanent housing with effective supportive services is how we end homelessness. Development of more permanently affordable housing that is based on data and desired outcomes is how we prevent it. We need to be strategic with our resources in order to become a healthier community.” - Astri Graceheart, Home for Good Executive Director
“Homelessness in Eau Claire is not just a housing issue—it’s a community issue. Every sector, from healthcare to business, has a role to play in making it rare, brief, and non-recurring. We have the chance to build on years of compassionate work and move toward a more unified system—one that centers lived experience and delivers real results. Affordable housing is the foundation of health, stability, and dignity. Without it, our neighbors remain vulnerable to cycles of crisis. But with compassion, collaboration, and a shared vision, Eau Claire can be a place where everyone has a safe, stable place to call home.” - Angela Weidemann, Eau Claire County Human Services Director and Angela Stokes, Eau Claire County Human Services Assistant Director
“While new affordable homes are needed in the Chippewa Valley, keeping people in their existing homes is equally important. As many households are facing various financial challenges, needed repairs are often not financially possible due to rising costs. Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity serves as a resource for essential home repairs that help keep families in safe and healthy homes.” - Allyn Bertrang, Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity Executive Director
The housing crisis is a monumental topic in Eau Claire and across the country right now, and finding housing solutions that work for everyone can feel like an impossible challenge. So what does it look like to address this challenge? It looks like providing temporary shelter for victims of domestic violence. It looks like helping our unhoused neighbors find permanent housing. It looks like ensuring adequate housing is permanently affordable for everyone in our community.
Housing is a basic human need. But a house only becomes a home when the residents feel a sense of community and a sense of belonging. Whether it’s supporting transitional housing projects or projects that allow residents to build financial security and equity, we seek to support housing-related projects that are financially responsible, community-focused, and provide long-term living solutions.
