Wisconsin Gov. Evers, touring new La Crosse apartments, says state should help developers with similar facilities

An affordable-housing complex that recently opened near downtown La Crosse got the approval of Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers during a visit Monday.

Evers, along with state Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska), checked out the Collective, which runs along 4th Street for nearly an entire block. The Democratic governor called it a “beautiful facility,” and said the state should help local developers build similar housing for all income levels.

“It just takes so much effort on everybody’s part,” Evers, pointing out the partnership between state and local government and the people who build housing, said, adding “it is critical that that becomes kind of a linchpin to having a good life here in Wisconsin,” because everyone needs good housing.

The Collective’s 62 apartments include some units for people who have recently been homeless. Other places are rented at market level or lower for working class residents. The building features anywhere from studio to three-bedroom apartments.

Evers, who was given a tour inside the development, said Wisconsin could use hundreds more apartment buildings like the Collective.

The Collective, operated by Cinnaire Solutions of Madison, focuses on ways to provide more accessible and affordable housing in La Crosse.

Cinnaire vice president Nicole Solheim, who hopes many of the units will be filled soon, said the state has been a valuable partner in getting the apartments built.

“I expect that we will be fully occupied this summer,” Solheim told reporters. “Right now, we have a huge interest list, and it just takes time to work through all of those applications.”

Groundbreaking for the Collective happened last May.