Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 227 - Administrative procedure and review.
227.115 - Review of rules affecting housing.

227.115 Review of rules affecting housing.
(1) Definition. In this section, “state housing strategy plan" means the plan developed under s. 16.302.
(2) Analysis of rules affecting housing.
(a) If a proposed rule may increase or decrease, either directly or indirectly, the cost of the development, construction, financing, purchasing, sale, ownership, or availability of housing in this state, the agency promulgating the proposed rule shall prepare a housing impact analysis for the proposed rule before it is submitted to the legislative council staff under s. 227.15. The agency may request any information from other state agencies, local governments, or individuals or organizations that is reasonably necessary for the agency to prepare the analysis.
(b) On the same day that the agency submits the housing impact analysis to the legislative council staff under s. 227.15 (1), the agency shall also submit that analysis to the department of administration, to the governor, and to the chief clerks of each house of the legislature, who shall distribute the analysis to the presiding officers of their respective houses, to the chairpersons of the appropriate standing committees of their respective houses, as designated by those presiding officers, and to the cochairpersons of the joint committee for review of administrative rules. If a proposed rule is modified after the housing impact analysis is submitted under this paragraph so that the housing impact of the proposed rule is significantly changed, the agency shall prepare a revised housing impact analysis for the proposed rule as modified. A revised housing impact analysis shall be prepared and submitted in the same manner as an original housing impact analysis is prepared and submitted.
(3) Findings to be contained in housing impact analysis.
(a) A housing impact analysis shall contain information about the effect of the proposed rule on housing in this state, including information on the effect of the proposed rule on all of the following:
1. The policies, strategies and recommendations of the state housing strategy plan.
2. The cost of developing, constructing, rehabilitating, improving, maintaining, or owning single-family or multifamily dwellings.
3. The purchase price of new homes or the fair market value of existing homes.
4. The cost and availability of financing to purchase or develop housing.
5. Housing costs, as defined in s. 16.301 (3) (a) and (b).
6. The density, location, setback, size, or height of development on a lot, parcel, land division, or subdivision.
(b) A housing impact analysis shall analyze the relative impact of the effects of the proposed rule on low- and moderate-income households.
(c)
1. Except as provided in subd. 2., a housing impact analysis shall provide reasonable estimates of the information under pars. (a) and (b) expressed as dollar figures and shall include descriptions of the immediate effect and, if ascertainable, the long-term effect. The agency shall include a brief summary or worksheet of computations used in determining any such dollar figures.
2. If, after careful consideration, the agency determines that it is not possible to make an estimate expressed as dollar figures as provided in subd. 1., the analysis shall instead contain a statement to that effect setting forth the reasons for that determination.
(d) Except as otherwise specified in par. (a), a housing impact analysis shall be prepared on the basis of a median-priced single-family residence but may include estimates for larger developments as an analysis of the long-term effect of the proposed rule.
(4) Applicability. This section does not apply to emergency rules promulgated under s. 227.24.
History: 1995 a. 308; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 249; 2011 a. 32; 2017 a. 68.
Sub. (2) requires a report on the effect of a proposed rule on housing if the “rule directly or substantially affects the development, construction, cost, or availability of housing in this state." The use of the phrase “directly or substantially" demonstrates that not just any effect will trigger the housing impact report requirement. A housing impact report is not required simply because the subject matter of a proposed rule relates to housing or because the rule tangentially affects housing in some way. Wisconsin Realtors Ass'n v. PSC, 2015 WI 63, 363 Wis. 2d 430, 867 N.W.2d 364, 13-1407.
The absence of an explicit, on-the-record determination regarding whether a housing impact report is required is not dispositive and does not mean rules were promulgated without compliance with statutory rule-making procedures. Wisconsin Realtors Ass'n v. PSC, 2015 WI 63, 363 Wis. 2d 430, 867 N.W.2d 364, 13-1407.
NOTE: The above annotated materials cite to the pre-2017 Wisconsin Act 68 version of s. 227.115.

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