Madison is for People

We are a group of Madison neighbors who advocate for more housing

We are residents of Madison who value our neighbors, our city, and our environment. We are working to make housing more affordable, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and end homelessness in Madison. That’s why we say yes to more housing in our city.

What we stand for

Our mission statement: Madison is for People works to build a more affordable and sustainable Madison.

• Legalize Housing: Reform zoning laws to make duplexes, triplexes, and townhouses legal everywhere
• Fix Bad Incentives: Repeal ordinances that encourage car-centric and low-density development
• Promote Affordable Housing: Promote funding and building subsidized housing
• Support Housing Stability: Support tenants and vulnerable communities
• Empower and Educate our Neighbors: Build a diverse coalition of local advocates and small-scale builders to support a variety of housing density approaches in Madison
• Make Car-Free Living Possible: Advocate for robust transit, walking, and biking infrastructure so that residents of all ages and abilities can safely and affordably access jobs, schools, amenities, and housing

We want a more affordable and sustainable Madison

We see friends, family, and coworkers priced out of our area. We see sprawl consume acres of farmland and wilderness and spur an increase in traffic congestion. We also see an alternative: Madison as an affordable and inclusive community. We can make Madison a place with homes for all, where car ownership is not a requirement, and where new residents are welcome.

Meet Our Steering Committee:

Will Ochowicz

Bio

Will Ochowicz started Madison is for People in 2021. Will grew up outside of Milwaukee and went to UW-Madison. After college, he got a job, settled down, and stayed in the city. He's proud to say that he was married in one of Madison's beautiful parks. Will is passionate about making Madison better for everyone, no matter their income or ability. Will recently made the switch to be car-lite and bike as his primary mode of transportation. He also leads the Communications Committee for MifP.

Darrin Wasniewski

Bio

Darrin Wasniewski’s journey into building communities can best be described as iterative. What began as a desire to save old buildings in the German Village neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio, evolved into a passion for fostering social connection and creating places for all ages and all abilities. He currently co-leads AARP Wisconsin’s Livable Communities efforts around the state in addition to being a partner in Grow Collaborative Consulting. As a volunteer, Darrin is a Global Walkability Correspondent for Pedestrianspace.org, a collaborative focused on advancing walkable communities around the world, where he leads international workgroups focused on Architecture & Urbanism and the Walkable Economy. In Wisconsin, his passion finds an outlet as a steering committee member of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin’s Active Wisconsin Network. Locally, in his home of Madison, he serves on the steering and transportation committees for Madison is for People, is a member of Downtown Madison Inc., participating on the organization’s transportation and economic development committees, and is a transportation commissioner for the City of Madison. Additionally, he maintains membership in the Wisconsin Downtown Action Council, Congress for New Urbanism, American Planning Association, and YIMBY Action. Darrin is a non-fiction book junkie, soaking up a few a month, and an avid podcast listener. Be careful; he’ll talk your ear off about a current read or a podcast he just listened to.

Mary Pustejovsky

Bio

Mary Pustejovsky is passionate about livable cities for people. Biking is her primary form of transportation with 3 kids. She has lived in Madison since 2020 and prior to that lived in Austin and Chicago. In Austin, she was a board member for the Red Line Parkway Initiative as well as AURA, a land use and transit advocacy group. In her day job, she works in the nonprofit industry, focused on technology used by nonprofits for fundraising and operations.

Ian Jamison

Bio

Ian Jamison came to Madison 12 years ago as a student and never left. Moving to the “15-minute” Marquette neighborhood and going car-free in 2020 transformed his daily life. Now, as chair of the Transportation Committee, he advocates for policies that would give neighbors across Madison the same option. He is passionate about sustainability, affordable housing, public transit, and building strong, cohesive communities. His nine years in the healthcare industry sent him all over the world, and he loves sharing the great ideas he’s seen in other countries.

Mike Zenz

Bio

Mike Zenz first moved to Madison in 2004, but then did a stint in Washington D.C. for grad school. When he returned to Madison in 2015, he was shocked at how scarce and expensive housing had become. He is particularly interested in finding ways to focus local governments on the needs of both renters and home-owners when they are crafting community plans and policies. He loved the sort of transit oriented development he experienced when living in D.C., where he could walk to the subway and get anywhere in the city, and is excited that his neighborhood of Eken Park is turning into just such a place. He is also an avid watcher of Madison Plan Commission and Common Council meetings. Must See TV!