§ 2.6. Housing Programs

Refer to the Clark County Inventory and Trends Report and the Clark County Year 2025 Comprehensive Plan for a listing of housing programs applicable and available to the City of Greenwood.

Additional Housing Programs

Greenwood Housing Authority

The Greenwood Housing Authority is a quasi-governmental organization that is run by a Board of Directors. The City of Greenwood has limited to no involvement with the activities of the Authority. The Authority works with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help low to moderate income residents of the city with rental assistance and housing rehabilitation. The Authority often uses grants from federal or state agencies to fund activities.

City of Greenwood Housing Revolving Loan Fund

The City of Greenwood maintains and administers a small revolving loan fund (RLF) to assist residents in housing rehabilitation. The RLF began in 1989 and the maximum amount available for loan is $9,000. The city typically provides several loans per year.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

HUD is the federal agency with primary responsibility for housing programs and community development. HUD is the main repository of resources for housing programs in Wisconsin. HUD provides funding for state developed programs through HOME and other initiatives. It also funds the Continuum of Care for Homeless Families initiative, and provides Section 8 vouchers, which assist low-income families in finding affordable housing. The Wisconsin HUD office is located in Milwaukee and can be contacted at [phone].

Rural Development, Rural Housing Service - United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-RD)

USDA provides a variety of housing and community development programs for rural areas, generally available in areas with populations of 10,000 or less. It provides support for rental housing development, direct and guaranteed mortgage loans for home buyers, and support for self-help and cooperative housing development. For more information visit its website at www.rurdev.usda.gov.

Wisconsin Rural Development, Rural Housing Service

The mission of the Rural Housing Service is to enhance the quality of life of rural people through the creation of safe, affordable, housing where people can live, work, and prosper as part of a community. The Wisconsin Rural Housing Service offers housing preservation grants, loans and grants for farm labor housing, loans and grants for home improvement and repair, loans for financing housing site development, loans for home purchase or construction, loans on apartment buildings, and self-help technical assistance grants. For further information visit the web-site at www.rurdev.usda.gov/wi/index.html.

Wisconsin Department of Administration, Division of Housing and Intergovernmental Relations

The Division of Housing and Intergovernmental Relations provides housing assistance to benefit low- and moderate-income households through the Bureau of Housing. It offers state-funded housing grants or loans through local organizations, coordinates its housing programs with those of other state and local housing agencies, helps develop state housing plans and policies, and provides training and technical assistance. The Division channels federal housing funds to local authorities and organizations and administers federal funds for the homeless.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) — Housing Program

The Wisconsin Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for housing, administered by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, provides grants to general purpose units of local government for housing programs which principally benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) households. The CDBG program is a federally funded program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Small Cities CDBG Program. CDBG funds can be used for various housing and neighborhood revitalization activities including housing rehabilitation, acquisition, relocation, demolition of dilapidated structures, and handicap accessibility improvements. The maximum grant to an applicant is $500,000. Approximately 15 communities are awarded funds yearly in Wisconsin. For more information on this program contact the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Bureau of Housing.

Home Safety Act

A new Wisconsin law requires the state's Uniform Dwelling Code (UDC) be enforced in all municipalities. This includes the necessity to have new construction inspected for compliance with the UDC, the statewide building code for one and two family dwellings built since June 1, 1980.

The Home Safety Act signed into law by Governor Doyle on December 3, 2003 includes important changes to the enabling statutes for the UDC. The changes were effective as of December 18, 2003. Previous to the new legislation, municipalities with a population of 2,500 or less could choose by resolution to decline UDC enforcement.

Those municipalities which previously chose not to enforce the UDC now have three options:

• Adopt an ordinance to begin local enforcement of the UDC. This may include contracting with another municipality or a private party to do the work.

• Delegate enforcement to the county, if the county is willing to accept it. Currently only three counties have UDC enforcement programs - Adams, Chippewa, and Eau Claire.

• Take no action. This then causes the Safety and Buildings Division to enforce the UDC for new homes in the municipality.

There are approximately 900 municipalities in Wisconsin which had elected not to enforce the UDC. The Safety and Buildings Division plans to survey the municipalities that previously declined enforcement to try to determine what the municipalities plan to do so a system can be structured for enforcement responsibilities. For further information contact the Wisconsin Department of Commerce.

The City of Greenwood has adopted a local ordinance to administer and enforce the uniform dwelling code (UDC). The City of Greenwood has contracted with a private firm for the enforcement of the UDC in the city.

Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME)

A variety of affordable housing activities may be supported by federal HOME awards including down payment assistance for home buyers, rental rehabilitation, weatherization related repairs, accessibility improvements and rental housing development. Approximately $13 million is awarded annually. The program is administered by the Wisconsin Division of Housing and Intergovernmental Relations (DHIR).

Housing Cost Reduction Initiative (HCRI)

Local sponsors compete for $2.6 million in state grants annually to reduce the housing costs of low-income renters or home buyers. Eligible applicants include local units of government, American Indian tribes or bands in Wisconsin, housing authorities and non-profit housing organizations. Eligible activities are emergency rental aid, home buying down payment assistance, homeless prevention efforts, and related housing initiatives. The HCRI is administered by the Wisconsin Division of Housing and Intergovernmental Relations (DHIR).

Homeless Programs

The Division of Housing and Intergovernmental Relations administers three programs specifically designed to help homeless people:

• State Shelter Subsidy Grant (SSSG) Program: provides up to one-half of an emergency homeless shelter's program operating budget. Eligible applicants are a county or municipal governing body or agency, an Indian Tribal government, a community action agency, or other private not-for-profit or non-profit organization.

• Housing Opportunities For Persons With Aids (HOPWA): This federal program is designed to provide eligible applicants with resources and incentives to devise long-term comprehensive strategies for meeting the housing needs of persons with AIDS or related diseases. Funds are distributed through a competitive process.

• HUD Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) Program: Funds may be used for homelessness prevention, essential services, rehabilitation of shelters, and operating costs.

• Transitional Housing Program (THP): Eligible applicants propose to operate transitional programs for formerly homeless individuals and families. Funds may be used for housing costs, education and vocational training, transportation, day care, or other costs needed to assist participants in sustaining self-sufficiency.

• Interest Bearing Real Estate Trust Account Program (IBRETA): Real estate brokers establish interest bearing real estate trust accounts for the deposit of all down payments, earnest money deposits and other trust funds received by the broker and related to the conveyance of real estate. Interest is remitted to the WDOA. Proceeds augment existing homeless programs.

Local Housing Organization Grants (LHOG)

LHOGs enable community-based organizations and public housing authorities to provide affordable housing opportunities. The program is funded from state general purpose revenue funds. It is administered by the Wisconsin Division of Housing and Intergovernmental Relations (DHIR) and is distributed statewide in response to RFPs on a competitive basis.

Habitat for Humanity

The goal of this program is to eliminate inadequate housing and poverty housing throughout the world. Local affiliates, including dozens in Wisconsin, are responsible for raising funds, recruiting volunteers, identifying project sites, and constructing owner-occupied housing for the benefit of participating low-income families. Visit www.habitat.org.

Wisconsin Fresh Start Program

The Fresh State Grants are awarded on a competitive basis to agencies that would like to establish programs based on the Operation Fresh Start, Inc. service model. The purpose of the program is to provide at-risk young people with education, employment skills, and career direction leading to economic self-sufficiency. This is accomplished through opportunities for meaningful service in the young people's communities by helping to meet the housing needs of low-income individuals and families. The program is designed to provide on-site housing construction and rehabilitation work experience, off-site academic classes, and supportive services for young people, primarily for ages 16-24. Contact the Wisconsin Division of Housing and Intergovernmental Relations (DHIR) for more information.