View as Webpage - June 2026

RETHINK 794

What could Milwaukee’s I-794 corridor become if it were designed for people instead of a freeway?

⚠️ Reminder: Share feedback before June 5 to help shape the future of Milwaukee's downtown/lakefront corridor!

The final Walk & Roll 794 event on May 27 brought community members together to explore the corridor firsthand – identifying barriers to connectivity while imagining a future with safer streets, stronger neighborhood connections, vibrant public spaces, and new opportunities for housing, transit, and economic development.

Discover the key findings and our vision for a more connected downtown Milwaukee. Please share your opinions with WisDOT before June 5!

JOIN US! THURSDAY, JUNE 4

Final Presentations @ the Madison Community Transportation Academy

By Jen Walker, Community Programs Manager

We are nearing the end of our Madison Community Transportation Academy. Over the last 10 weeks, participants have explored a variety of local transportation issues and are preparing their final project presentations, where they propose their own solutions to make Madison a more connected and accessible community for all! If you're interested in attending, please RSVP to jen@1kfriends.org.

Over the last few weeks, we got out of the classroom and into the community through both a Walk & Roll Audit along the Park Street neighborhood, as well as a Madison Transit Tour (photos below). Participants gained a firsthand understanding of how transportation systems shape daily life – highlighting lessons about walkability, public transit, accessibility, and the importance of creating safer, more connected communities for everyone.

If you care about safer streets, better transit, and thriving neighborhoods, follow along and stay engaged as our transportation academies continue across Wisconsin. Watch for alumni whose ideas and projects are already shaping their communities.

JUNE 2026

Updates from the Housing Team

By Ken Smith, Housing Policy Director

In May, while the calendar included fewer formal housing events, work continued behind the scenes to strengthen relationships and connections across Wisconsin’s housing ecosystem. Much of the focus remained on engaging partners and organizations advancing housing solutions statewide. Read the full recap here.

On May 7, Tehila and I attended the University of Wisconsin–Extension’s Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Summit at the Milwaukee County Zoo’s Zoofari Center, joining regional leaders in conversations about shared priorities for strengthening communities.

On May 14, I attended a student presentation from the “Race, Class and the Just City Lab” at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, led by Professor Kirk Harris. Hosted at Century City Tower in Milwaukee’s 30th Street Corridor on the former A.O. Smith industrial campus, the event highlighted student research on housing, equity, and the just city.

ACTIVE WISCONSIN

Local Fixes, Statewide Need: Updating Wisconsin's Rules for E-Bikes and E-Motos

Wisconsin’s e-bike boom is exposing gaps in local policy and the need for statewide clarity.

While electric bikes have been a game-changer in expanding access to active transportation and recreation through bicycling, confusion between e-bikes and more powerful e-motos have created a regulatory gray area, leaving local officials to balance safety and liability concerns.

Explore why updating statewide bicycle policies matters, how communities can improve safety and clarity, and what modern micromobility could mean for the future of local transportation planning.

Photo: Bicyclists share a path with E-Bikes in Vilas County, Wisconsin, during the fall season.

HOUSING ONWARD

Are Community Land Trusts the Solution for a More Justice-Oriented City?

By Ken Smith, Housing Policy Director

Community land trusts (CLTs) are gaining traction as a potentially powerful tool to address today’s housing affordability crisis, offering a model that keeps homes accessible while curbing land speculation. By separating land ownership from homeownership, CLTs create pathways for lower- and middle-income residents to stay rooted in the communities they know, even as housing costs rise.

This month, we explore the growing role of CLTs across Wisconsin and take you inside recent housing forums in Milwaukee, where local leaders, advocates, and researchers are grappling with how to scale equitable housing solutions. From innovative policy ideas to on-the-ground perspectives from real CLT homeowners, the conversation reveals both the promise (and the complexity) of building a housing system that works for everyone. Read More...

HOUSING ONWARD

What can Milwaukee’s Cream City brick and Jerusalem’s limestone reveal about how cities hold onto identity while still changing?

By Tehila Cohen, Housing Field Organizer

Photo: Jerusalem limestone craftsmanship

Photo: Milwaukee Cream City Brick on the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist

"Seeing the pride Milwaukee takes in its Cream City heritage reminds me that architecture and building regulations are rarely just about shelter. Housing is the physical manifestation of a city's values, where the basic need for a home meets the desire for identity."

Tehila Cohen's newest blog explores how two very different places use local building materials to define their character. And she raises an important question: when cities evolve, what should we preserve, and what do we leave behind?

PUBLIC LANDS

DNR Seeks Public Input on Western Coulees and Ridges Management Plan

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released a draft regional master plan for the Western Coulees and Ridges, covering hundreds of public lands across western Wisconsin, and they are accepting public comments through July 2026.

The plan will guide long-term decisions on recreation access, habitat restoration, forestry practices, and future improvements to parks, trails, and wildlife areas. Because it sets management direction for decades, this is a key opportunity for residents, outdoor users, and local stakeholders to weigh in on priorities from conservation and water quality to trail expansion and public access. If you care about how these landscapes are used and protected, now is the time to review the draft and submit feedback.

REGIONAL TRANSIT

New Study Says MCTS Saves Southeast Wisconsin Hundreds of Millions Each Year

A new regional study finds the Milwaukee County Transit System generates at least $345 million in annual economic value through reduced congestion, lower vehicle costs, fewer crashes, and lower emissions.

Researchers say the transit system benefits not just riders, but commuters, businesses, and the broader regional economy — while also ranking among the Midwest’s most efficient transit systems.

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER

Active Wisconsin Networking Call

Tuesday, June 9 @ 3:00p CST

We'll be joined by Benjamin Schneider, author of The Unfinished Metropolis. He argues that cities are being held back by policies that prevent them from adapting to meet today's needs and challenges. Register here.

In the meantime, read an interview here, along with Benjamin's latest Streetsblog USA article, exploring how zoning and transportation policies are two sides of the same coin.

55 YEARS IN MILWAUKEE

Juneteenth in Wisconsin: Honoring Freedom, Celebrating Community

Photo Credit: juneteenthmilwaukee.com, Milwaukee Juneteenth Celebration is a family affair and includes the popular Jubilee parade on Dr. Martin Lurther King Jr. Drive.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Now recognized as a federal holiday, it celebrates Black freedom, resilience, and culture while also reflecting on the ongoing work toward racial equity.

Across Wisconsin, communities mark Juneteenth with parades, festivals, music, food, and educational events – bringing people together to honor history and celebrate community.

Check out the happenings below! ⬇️

Milwaukee Juneteenth Day Celebration (Friday, June 19) is the state’s largest and longest-running Juneteenth celebration, returning for its 55th year along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, featuring a parade, live music, food vendors, community organizations, and cultural programming.

Summerfest is also hosting “A Taste of Juneteenth” from June 18–20 with music, food, scholarship pageants, and community programming.

Door County Juneteenth Celebration (Saturday, June 20) is the second annual event in Sturgeon Bay, which will feature gospel performances, DJs, speakers, food vendors, kids' activities, and educational programming focused on empowerment and community connection.

Madison Juneteenth in the Park is an annual celebration that includes a community parade down Park Street ending at Penn Park with live entertainment, food, speakers, and family activities on Saturday, June 20.

Racine Juneteenth This celebration on Sunday, June 14, includes a parade followed by music, vendors, food, and community programming at the Dr. John Bryant Center. 

Fitchburg Juneteenth is a smaller, community-centered event on Wednesday, June 17, featuring music, spoken word, storytelling, and speakers discussing the history and meaning of Juneteenth.

Photo: Governor Tony Evers kicked off Pride Month by officially raising the Progress Pride flag over the Wisconsin State Capitol on June 1, 2026.

PRIDE MONTH

Did you know?

🏳️‍🌈 In 1982, Wisconsin became the FIRST state to pass a law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.

🏳️‍🌈 In 1998, Wisconsin elected the FIRST openly LGBTQ woman to Congress.

From Milwaukee to Eau Claire and communities across the state, Wisconsin Pride Month celebrations are bringing people together with festivals, parades, picnics, and other events throughout June.

CREATIVITY IN THE HOUSING SHORTAGE

Why We’re Choosing to Live Near Each Other Again

By Ali Hoffman, Communications & Digital Manager

As Wisconsin works to expand housing supply through policy change, people are turning to creative solutions of their own. From the rise of living near friends on joint compounds, to a recent push to legalize shared-living for non-relatives ("Golden Girls" style), to the growing use of ADUs and backyard cottages, more households are choosing to live closer together and share resources.

Photo: LiveNearFriends.com offers guidance on creating your own housing compound to live next door to your friends and family.

These shifts reflect a broader rethinking of housing beyond the nuclear family model, echoing traditions of multigenerational living and mutual support.

As the housing shortage persists, many are rediscovering something important we may have lost along the way: the value of community, connection, and living closer to one another.

SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN

Skip the Drive Challenge

June 1-30, 2026

Free to join & participate

This month, CommuteWISE challenges you to bike, bus, carpool, roll, or walk your way to your destination rather than driving in a vehicle alone. Your choices help ease congestion, improve air quality, save you money, and could win you prizes!

Building Momentum for

More Housing in Madison

Photo (above): Sharon & Jen of Madison For More Neighbors meet with Ken & Tehila of Housing Onward to chat about opportunities to create more homes in Wisconsin.

Photo (below): Madison Metro Bus promoting Madison Housing Week (May 3-8)

Photo (above): Accessible Housing WI ADU ribbon cutting event as part of Madison Housing Week.

Photo (left): Darrin Wasniewski (left) of AARP Wisconsin with Sharon (right) at the "Six Minutes, One Idea" event, part of Madison Housing Week.

Message from Our Executive Director

Recap of WI Climate Table Annual Gathering + Re-Amp Retreat

By Trevor Roark

Executive Director

In the middle of May, I was fortunate to connect with fellow EDs, Organizers, Directors, Board Members, Volunteers, and more – all for collaboration around statewide climate action.

1000 Friends is a member of the Wisconsin Climate Table (WCT) and we met at the Aldo Leopold Center (Foundation) for an annual gathering to discuss strategies, synergies, and next steps on our collective priorities.

Led by the new WCT Coordinator, Andrew Butts from the Green Neighbor Challenge, our day was jam-packed with healthy yet challenging discussions and workshops. Not to mention, some of us had the opportunity to tour "The Shack," the simple yet powerful place where Aldo Leopold and his family did so many things ... A big thanks to Andres for coordinating and facilitating!

The next day was the REAMP power-building retreat, also at the Aldo Leopold Center. This became a crossover gathering with many of the same organizations, where they reviewed potential collaborations to move the needle towards REAMP's north-star goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. A big thanks to Sarah Ann Shanahan and Melissa Gavin for facilitating this retreat – and for the great discussion!

It's in these gatherings that we can further strengthen our ties to the land, water, and air through collective impact.

Let's Connect @ Upcoming Events

1000 Friends of Wisconsin

608-259-1000 | 1kfriends.org



We work remotely, so please contact us via email:

Trevor Roark

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