The Intersection Between Housing, Health, and Life in Madison

In this episode of GridgeFridge, we explore the burgeoning housing crisis in Madison and the ways in which it intersects with health and well-being for students and community members alike.

Through conversations with UW students and staff, affordable housing advocates, mental health professionals, and community leaders, we examine how rising rents, limited availability, and unstable living conditions are reshaping life on and off the UW–Madison campus.

From students navigating lease pressure and luxury apartment “affordable housing” units, to longtime Madison residents witnessing the impacts of housing insecurity, we explore how housing instability impacts far more than where someone rests their head at night. It affects physical and mental health, academic and professional success, and someone's sense of stability and belonging.

This episode features perspectives from UW–Madison student Angel Delgado, University Health Services Director of Mental Health Services Dr. Ellen Marks, Porchlight Executive Director Karla Thennes, realtor and business owner Tiffany Malone, former Madison alderperson and current Odyssey Project Success Coach Brian Benford, career journalist and professor Sue Robinson, and real estate faculty member Paul Aylesworth.

And together, they offer their thoughts and reflections on the pressures, tradeoffs, and systemic challenges that continue to shape who is able to live, stay, and thrive in Madison.

As the city continues to grow, the question becomes not just how to build more housing, but how to create housing that is truly affordable, accessible, and sustainable for the people who call Madison home.