Faculty, alumnus play key roles in major report on housing inequality in Green Bay

A new report laying the framework to revitalize housing opportunities across Green Bay has the distinct imprint of UW-Green Bay collaboration. Two faculty and a recent alumnus played key leadership roles in the findings and recommendations laid out by the Green Bay Equal Rights Commission Housing Inequality Report, which was unanimously approved by the nine-member commission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Democracy and Justice Studies Professor Jon Shelton, Humanities and Global Studies Professor Christina Ortiz and ’16 alumnus Marcus Grignon all serve as commissioners. Shelton also serves as Vice Chair of the commission.

Throughout 2022, the Equal Rights Commission – the first in Green Bay’s history – met with community members and experts to identify root causes and short- and long-term solutions for housing, especially for vulnerable communities that face larger hurdles to high-quality, affordable options.

Watch: Green Bay Equal Rights Commission finds housing inequality

Report recommendations include “[investments] in more tenant advocacy, everything from making materials available for multiple languages to hiring a full-time housing investigator,” said Professor Shelton, as well as a policy change that “would require developers to develop a certain amount of affordable housing.”

The contributions and leadership of the commission’s report are a defining example of how UW-Green Bay faculty, alumni and students are stepping up with innovative solutions to build a more prosperous future for everyone across northeast Wisconsin. Our collaboration with organizations, businesses and residents to solve the biggest problems and equalize opportunity is a cornerstone of our mission as a community-serving institution.