Gov. Tony Evers Announces $25 million Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program
The Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP) supports Gov. Tony Evers for his announcement of a $25 million Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program. Administered by the Department of Administration (DOA), the program will provide financial assistance for rent, security deposits, and wrap around services for eligible households who have experienced income loss resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
DOA will partner with local community action agencies across the state to accept applications from interested individuals and distribute rental assistance.
Housing costs have long steadily increased out of proportion to income, as witnessed by the 306,000 low-income Wisconsin renters who pay more than half their income on housing. Over 10% of Wisconsin residents live below the federal poverty line and last year the Department of Public Instruction identified more than 18,000 homeless children and youth throughout the state. This was before the current emergency. Now, many businesses have closed due to the public health emergency and unemployment in Wisconsin has reached historic levels.
“Our communities throughout the state — rural, suburban and urban — are struggling with the effects of the pandemic, and it is with respect to housing security where so many Wisconsinites are especially vulnerable,” said WISCAP Executive Director Brad Paul. “The Governor’s announced rental assistance program immediately assumes a critical role in preventing homelessness and ensuring greater housing stability.”
“The impact this funding has on renters, landlords, their families and the economy in general cannot be underestimated,” says George Hinton, CEO of the Social Development Commission. “People are hurting. They are stressed. This initiative will give them some immediate relief as they begin to recover from the damage this pandemic has caused.”
You can stay up-to-date regarding the W.R.A.P. program by visiting this page on DOA’s website. This page will be updated with application information and contact information for your local community action agency in the weeks ahead.
About WISCAP: The Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP) is a member association serving the statewide network of sixteen locally controlled Community Action Agencies (CAA) and two single purpose agencies.
