The Rural Livability Project

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First Impressions

January 28, 2024
Waukesha, USA - June 26, 2014: Main Street in Historic Downtown Waukesha. The streets are decorated with American Flags around the 4th of July.

the curb appeal, of a community. The First Impressions program offers a perspective of your community from an outsider, providing communities with insights of their strengths and weaknesses of visual appeal.

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Read our latest news and updates
In the news: “The Wobbly Infrastructure Behind Aging in Rural Communities” in Shelterforce
Shelterforce interviewed ​Erin Gaede about rural housing challenges for older adults. The article highlights findings from the Rural Livability Project, showing how housing costs, deteriorating…
In the News: Rural Livability Research Featured in News Works Lab
News Works Lab interviewed Erin Gaede about her research on private equity firms buying up rural manufactured homes. Read the feature here!
New Publication: “Some Rural Residents are Trading Nutrition for Shelter” in the Daily Yonder
Erin Gaede, Yang Cheng, and Tessa Conroy wrote an article for the Daily Yonder based on their research about the impact of housing financial stress…