Seeing an "insurgence" of commercial investment in Kenosha County with little new affordable housing units to support it, a Minnesota development firm is planning a housing development in Somers with more than 400 affordable apartment units.
Roer Cos. is eyeing a 121-acre property at the northwest corner of 12th Street and a Union Pacific Railroad line at the eastern end of Somers' village limits, according to plans submitted to the Village of Somers.
The company is planning to use a 32-acre portion on the eastern section of the undeveloped property for 408 below market-rate apartment units. The units will be split between several two-story and three-story buildings.
The development will include a leasing office, clubhouse, coworking space and a fitness center, plus outdoor amenities like a playground and pickleball and basketball courts.
Using federal and state affordable housing tax credits, Roer plans to subsidize the apartments for families earning less than 60% of the area median income.
The company cited investments by major companies like Uline, Eli Lilly, Microsoft and Amazon, among others.
"By way of this, Kenosha County has established itself as an employment hub for the growing middle-class workforce in the area," Roer said in a project summary. "As investment by firms increases and employment opportunities follow, affordable housing options are going to be in high demand. With ample Market Rate housing already, Kenosha County needs federally subsidized housing to address this mounting issue."
Concerning competition, the only other affordable housing communities in the vicinity include a 96-unit senior project and a 71-unit affordable project in or around downtown Kenosha, and a 140-unit affordable complex in Pleasant Prairie, according to Roer.
The western portion of the property is shown to be developed as a future single-family subdivision, conceptually shown as containing 51 lots. This portion of the development would be completed by a yet-to-be-named development firm.
Pending municipal approval, the project team expects that it will secure financing by June 2026 for an October 2026 construction start.
Roer's plans are up for initial approval from the Somers Plan Commission today.
Founded in 2012, Roer develops properties nationally, including two in Milwaukee: Maxwell Lofts, a historic building in Milwaukee's Walker's Point neighborhood that Roer converted to apartments, and Community Within the Corridor, a project that converted a former manufacturing plant into affordable housing units on the city's northwest side. Roer was a partner on that project, which was closed for about two years due to TCE contamination and is now reopening.
