Dept. of Commerce: Gov. Doyle Announces $500,000 in Housing Grants

Contact:
Tony Hozeny, 608/267-9661

MADISON—Gov. Jim Doyle today announced housing grants totaling $500,000 to 15 local nonprofit organizations. The awards were made from the Local Housing Organization Grant Program (LHOG) administered by the Department of Commerce.

“My Grow Wisconsin Initiative calls for investing in community infrastructure,” Gov. Doyle said. “These grants will generate single family and multi-family housing development, fund counseling programs for home buyers, and support numerous other housing efforts for Wisconsin’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable populations.”

The following summarizes the awards:

MILWAUKEE METRO

MIDTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
Central City, Milwaukee – $38,000

In collaboration with Select Milwaukee, Inc., the Midtown Neighborhood Association will oversee the construction of a single-family housing development in the central city. This development, Garfield Place will result in eight low-to-moderate-income families achieving home ownership.

ACTS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. INC.
Central City, Milwaukee – $38,000

The agency will help 10 very low-income households achieve home ownership in the central city of Milwaukee. Services provided to the households include homebuyer counseling, real estate brokerage, assistance with rehabilitation of the units, and post-purchase counseling.

SOUTH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION
Milwaukee Near South Side – $37,000

South Community Organization will provide formal homebuyer training to 160 low-to moderate- income households. This training will result in 40 first time homebuyer purchases. The agency will also provide post purchase counseling to 40 households.

LAYTON BOULEVARD WEST NEIGHBORS, INC.
Milwaukee, Layton Blvd. West – $34,000

Layton Boulevard West will use the funds for a wide range of housing activities, such as conducting home buyer classes in English and Spanish, promoting local resources for 200 property updates and repairs, and developing a housing resource guide in English and Spanish. The agency will also facilitate code-violation abatement on 20 properties, and coordinate 10 major rehabilitations and 10 minor home rehabilitations.

OTHER METRO

CHIPPEWA COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY/ STARTING POINTS
Chippewa County – $38,000

Chippewa County Housing Authority will produce 10 units of self-help housing. This production will consist of four units of new construction and six units of acquisition and rehabilitation. The agency will also provide foreclosure prevention counseling to 25 at-risk households. Starting Points will provide housing counseling to 1,400 homeless or at risk very low income households.

SOUTHEASTERN WI HOUSING
Rock, Walworth, Racine and Kenosha Counties – $37,000

Southeastern WI Housing will oversee the construction of 10 self-help homes in Walworth, Racine and Kenosha counties, conduct homebuyer seminars, and oversee the construction of nine self-help homes in Rock County. The agency will also conduct pre-development work for the construction of eight rental units.

GREATER FOX CITIES HFH, INC.
Outagamie, Winnebago, and Calumet Counties – $37,000

Greater Fox Cities Habitat for Humanity will oversee the construction of 27 new Habitat homes
within the service area over the next two years. It will also provide home ownership counseling to 27 families who will purchase the units.

MADISON AREA COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
City of Madison – $37,000

The Madison Area Community Land Trust will fund a project manager to oversee the construction of Troy Gardens, a 20-unit new construction housing project over a two-year period. The Troy Gardens development will be fully accessible to people with disabilities.

HOME OWNERSHIP MADE EASY, INC.
Sheboygan County – $37,000

In cooperation with St. Vincent De Paul and Catholic Social Services, the agency will develop 20 one- room transitional units. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will lease and manage the units. Catholic Social Services will provide supportive services such as counseling and referral.

BALANCE OF STATE

NORTH WI CDC / INDIANHEAD COMMUNITY ACTION, INC
Sawyer, Rusk, Washburn, Douglas, St. Croix and Barron Counties – $38,000

North WI CDC will oversee the construction of 8 affordable homes using modular and self-help construction techniques with help from Self-Help Opportunity Program funds. It will also collaborate with Indianhead Community Action, Inc. to provide credit and budget counseling to 28 households.

HBC SERVICES
Jefferson County – $24,000

HBC will expand services to Jefferson County and will provide homebuyer-counseling services to 160 households and help 60 households purchase homes. The agency will also conduct 24 educational homebuying seminars, 12 in English and 12 in Spanish.

HO-CHUNK HOUSING AUTHORITY
Sauk County – $35,000

The Ho-Chunk Housing Authority will hire a development project manager to oversee the construction of 36 units of affordable rental housing in Ho-Chunk Village (Wisconsin Dells/Baraboo).

LOWER WI RIVER HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Iowa, Sauk and Richland Counties – $20,000

Lower Wisconsin River Habitat for Humanity will maintain a half-time construction manager to oversee the construction of two affordable homes for very low-income households. The agency will also provide housing counseling to 18 households.

RENEWAL UNLIMITED, INC
Adams, Juneau, Columbia and Sauk Counties – $30,000

Renewal Unlimited, Inc. will provide comprehensive counseling to 25 low- and moderate-income households and help them purchase homes. The agency will also oversee the construction of a two-unit condominium structure and provide comprehensive counseling and placement for 12 low- to moderate-income tenants.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF GREEN COUNTY
Green County – $20,000

Habitat for Humanity of Green County will assist 20 elderly or disabled households by providing repair, rehabilitation and upgrades to allow the occupants to remain in their homes. The agency will oversee the construction of one affordable-housing unit of for a very low-income household. The agency will also conduct a housing needs survey in Green County.

The Department of Commerce administers a variety of housing programs. For more information, contact Marty Evanson, 608/267-2713