Ken Smith

Housing Policy Director 

Ken Smith, 1kF Housing Policy Director

Ken Smith is the Housing Policy Director at 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, where he works with the housing team to promote policies that sustainably increase housing options and affordability for all people across Wisconsin.

Ken has a background in history, policy analysis, and urban planning. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, and later earned a Master of Public Affairs and a Master of Science in urban and regional planning from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He has professional experience in southeastern Wisconsin conducting research and policy work for Milwaukee County, and has served as an urban planner for Waukesha County and the City of Glendale. He previously interned as a graduate student for the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) in its commercial lending group, which, among other things, allocates housing tax credits to multifamily developers.

Outside of work, Ken enjoys being active in his community, researching and writing history, promoting historic preservation, enjoying the outdoors, exercising, traveling, speaking Spanish, and learning Polish.