Last month, we talked about leadership as a catalyst for change and how local champions drive bold ideas forward. This month, we turn to Systems change in Action. The Lincoln-King Community and Health Care center in Racine, WI, is showing what it looks like when leadership, investment, and community voice come together to reshape the systems that affect people’s daily lives. The project is a 78,000 SF, net-zero facility that will bring together the community center, public health department, and a Federally Qualified Health Center operated by Pillar Health. Residents will gain access to medical, dental, and behavioral health services alongside recreation, youth programming, and community spaces shaped by direct neighborhood input.
The vision stretches beyond the building itself. Racine leaders have connected the effort to affordable housing, home rehabilitation, and infrastructure upgrades. This integration matters: healthier homes, safer streets, and expanded opportunities reinforce the benefits that accessible health care, creating an ecosystem where families can truly thrive. To make this possible, the project combines New Markets Tax Credits, state and federal grants, and philanthropic support, while the City’s Racine Works policy ensures local workers share in the jobs created. The building’s net-zero design lowers long-term operating costs, strengthening sustainability. Just as important, local leaders are committed to guarding against displacement and maintaining affordability. Investments in new affordable housing, home rehabilitation, and ongoing community engagement are designed to ensure longtime residents remain at the center of neighborhood revitalization.
The King Center project illustrates how systems change happens when communities connect the dots: health with housing, policy with practice, and investment with equity. It shifts the focus from “what can we fix” to “how can we rebuild the system so that everyone can flourish?”
— Sierra Johnson, Senior NMTC Consultant
