Katherine Kamp Executive Director, Wisconsin Partnership for Housing Development
Kathy joined the Wisconsin Partnership for Housing Development in October 2006 as the Deputy Director. In 2013, she became the Executive Director of the organization. Since joining WPHD, she has directed the organization’s affordable housing development activities, including a 7 year project to revitalize distressed neighborhoods in Janesville. She has provided technical assistance to local states and communities in Wisconsin and throughout the nation. Kathy has worked with many Wisconsin communities to assist in the identification of housing needs using data and by doing surveys of employees regarding housing needs. Once needs are identified, programs can be developed to achieve community goals. Prior to working at WPHD, she was the Executive Director of the Housing Partnership of the Fox Cities, where she operated transitional, permanent supportive housing, and affordable rental programs. Before moving to Wisconsin, she worked in Washington D.C. where she directed a consulting practice related to health policy and medical technology.
Wisconsin Partnership for Housing Development
Created at the initiative of Governor Tony Earl in 1985, the Wisconsin Partnership for Housing Development expands access to affordable housing opportunities and revitalizes neighborhoods through partnerships among the public, nonprofit and private sectors. The Partnership develops or co-develops housing; designs and manages financing programs; provides consulting services to nonprofit and for-profit developers and state, regional and local governments; and advocates for increased resources for affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization. WPHD has been an active participant in affordable housing development and program management. To date, we have:
• Developed or been principal development consultant for 900 homes, including:
o A traditional neighborhood development at The Uplands in Sun Prairie, including 143 lots of new construction with mixed income housing, including single family rental housing, a condo development and single family homes,
o in-fill, new construction of condominium units at Coachyard Square and Oak Glen,
o renovation of foreclosed housing for sale to income eligible households in five communities throughout Wisconsin, o housing for people with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities,
o housing for older adults, and o rural supportive housing units
• Provided training, technical assistance, and consulting services to more than 100 nonprofit and for-profit developers that have produced, rehabilitated or preserved as affordable more than 1,200 homes.
• Created and managed seven financing programs that provided over $65 million in debt and equity financing to develop, rehabilitate and make energy conservation improvements in more than 2,000 homes.
• Managed down payment assistance programs that have provided $37 million in down payment assistance to help more than 7,300 low and moderate income Wisconsin households buy homes; an additional $5 million in down payment assistance will be provided in 2013 alone.
• Using funding from the Housing Partnership Network, we provided financial support for counseling to another 5,000 home buyers and over 400 renters.
• In our advocacy role, proposed and helped secure passage of legislation that has made more than $63 million in new state funds available for affordable housing.