Madison Area Community Land Trust (MACLT) is leading the development of townhomes at the Voit property on Madison’s east side off of Milwaukee Street. This project will create opportunities for stable, quality, permanently-affordable homeownership that will multiply in impact over time. MACLT is seeing a major growth spurt, and is on the path to expand our portfolio by over 60% in the next 5 years as we work toward our goal of developing our 100th permanently-affordable home by 2030. The Voit Townhomes project will jumpstart this growth to support us in expanding the number of permanently affordable homeownership opportunities in Dane County.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How many homes will be created and what will be their impact?
The project plans to include 12 affordable single-family attached townhomes, subject to design and planning approval and funding. The land trust model keeps the homes permanently affordable, so the impact of these homes will grow each time the homes sell to a new low-income family. On average, MACLT homes sell every 15 years, meaning that each home will serve on average two families after 15 years, three families after 30 years, and four families after 45 years. In this way, this development will have a long-term impact, affecting generation after generation of low-income buyers into the future.
What are the unique features of the homes and community?
A New MACLT Community of 12 Townhomes:
MACLT’s plan for this site includes 12 homes. Ten of the homes will be 18 ft wide with three bedrooms total, and two of the homes will be 20 ft wide with four bedrooms total. The development will include two buildings with 6 attached homes each, shared workshop and storage building, EV-chargers, shared green space, and parking lot managed by a new Home Owners Association made up of the residents.
Missing Middle Housing in a Central Location:
The City of Madison has identified the need for more missing middle homeownership options for first-time homebuyers looking for affordable places to live. “Missing middle” refers to medium-density housing such as townhomes and condominiums, which can be more affordable to build than single-family homes on larger lots.
This project will provide missing middle housing of medium density in a neighborhood with direct access to an adjacent children’s playground, community garden, and large city park, and access to bus service, multi-use bike/ped path, and full-service grocery store and post office within walking distance.
Designed for Accessibility, Aging in Place, and Versatility:
The homes will be two stories tall and all homes will incorporate universal design principles to attain a livable accessible standard, including an accessible full bathroom, bedroom, and laundry on the main floor. Not only will these homes be accessible for those with disabilities looking to purchase a home, but they will provide opportunities for aging in place to increase housing stability of our homeowners long-term. The full basements will each include an egress window and passive radon ventilation to make it easier to finish the basement and add another bedroom. This will make the homes even more versatile as families grow and their needs change.
All-electric, Energy-efficient Design:
The homes will be as green and energy-efficient as economically feasible while maintaining a high level of affordability. We are planning for an all-electric development (no gas appliances or hookups) that is airtight and energy-efficient, solar ready, and Energy Star certified to reduce energy costs for homeowners. We are also exploring funding opportunities to incorporate solar panels as part of the initial construction. Additionally, the project will incorporate natural landscaping techniques that would incorporate native plants and not require fertilizer and pesticides. Threshold Builds, our design-build partner, has significant experience and passion for energy-efficient design.
What is the timeline of the project?
In 2023, MACLT secured a purchase contract for a parcel (lot 10) at the Voit property. In 2024, the Starkweather Group (the owner of the entire Voit property) gained approval from the City of Madison for the re-zoning and platting for the entire Starkweather Plat. MACLT began working on architectural design at the end of 2024, and is finalizing the design and securing financing and entitlements in 2025. We anticipate that construction will begin by early 2026 if not sooner.
How will the project be funded?
The City of Madison is expected to contribute the majority of the subsidy needed to make these homes affordable. Dane County has committed $970,000 to this project already. Madison Community Foundation, Roots and Wings Foundation, TruStage and Evjue Foundation have additionally supported the early capacity building and research stages of this project, and MACLT submitted an application to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago Affordable Housing Program for $600,000 in 2025. MACLT additionally secured construction financing from Lake Ridge Bank in 2025.
Who is the development team for the project?
The project development team includes Threshold Builds as architect and builder, legal counsel from Carlson Black O’Callaghan & Battenberg LLP, and MACLT’s Housing Development Advisory Committee, a committed volunteer committee of professionals in real estate.
Who will be able to buy these homes?
MACLT is planning to develop twelve attached single-family townhomes. We are planning for between 4 and 8 homes to be affordable below 80% area median income (AMI) (a max income of $103,850 per year for a family of four), and between 4 and 8 homes to be affordable below 50% AMI (a max income of $64,900 per year for a family of four). The exact number of homes available to each income range will depend on our funds raised for this project. Ongoing affordability will be protected by resale price restrictions embedded in a ground lease between the homeowners and MACLT, just like all affordable MACLT homes. All of the homes will be livable accessible for buyers with permanent disabilities.
The exact incomes for different household sizes are listed in the chart below:
To ensure our homes serve those who need the homes the most, MACLT employs a point system in our Applicant Selection Criteria Policy to select buyers, specifically targeting households with lower incomes per person, individuals with permanent disabilities, and first-time and/or first-generation homebuyers. Since we adopted this policy in 2020, the average income of our buyers has dropped from 60% to 49% of the area median income (AMI), and the percentage of people of color buying our homes has increased from 39% to 67%. (For comparison, in our service area of Dane County, US Census data shows 84% of residents are white and 16% are people of color.)
The first step for anyone interested in buying these homes is to submit a Homebuyer Pre-Application.
How will the buyers of these homes be supported in their homeownership journey?
We are committed to the long term success of our homeowners and stewardship of the homes through our Stewardship Program. MACLT provides pre- and post-purchase support to homebuyers and homeowners in our program. Many of our homeowners are the first in their families to own a home, and MACLT staff are instrumental in helping them access resources for housing maintenance and repair. MACLT coordinates information sessions on things like winterization, refinancing, and basic maintenance, and provides direct 1:1 support to homeowners to help them find programs, funding, and quality maintenance professionals. MACLT homeowners also have the opportunity to participate in a committee of MACLT homeowners as well as the opportunity to serve on MACLT’s Board of Directors. The Stewardship Committee provides a place for low-income homeowners in the CLT to collaborate and provide feedback on MACLT policies that will impact them.
What is the significance of this project for MACLT?
This project will be the largest that MACLT has completed since Troy Gardens in 2006! MACLT will use program revenues from this project to invest in the next project, jumpstarting the growth of MACLT’s Housing Development Program and increasing MACLT’s permanently affordable housing production long-term. This will have ripple effects, increasing the affordable homeownership opportunities in our community for decades to come. This project is a pivotal opportunity to spur MACLT’s sustainable growth.