Resource Details

Housing

Critical Assistance Program

The Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources (DEHCR) will be awarding all grant funds under this competition to one (1) applicant who has the capacity to assist the neediest clients statewide in Wisconsin outside of Dane, Milwaukee, and Racine counties for whom a one-time payment would prevent homelessness. The successful applicant will agree to provide a single point of contact statewide for Critical Assistance clients to apply for funds and receive award determinations and assistance payments. Critical Assistance funds may not be awarded to subgrantees. Other programs provide most of the homeless prevention funding available through DEHCR.

Eligibility

The Critical Assistance Program (CA) provides homeless prevention assistance to low-to-moderate income households in areas of the state that are not served with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Emergency Solutions Grant, state-funded Homeless Prevention Program, or other funds. Households served are at or below 80 percent of County Median Income (CMI), with the majority below 30 percent of CMI. This assistance consists of a one-time rent payment, utility payment, security deposit, mortgage payment or property tax payment to prevent the client’s homelessness. The Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources (DEHCR) will be awarding all grant funds under this competition to one (1) applicant who has the capacity to assist the neediest clients statewide in Wisconsin outside of Dane, Milwaukee, and Racine counties for whom a one-time payment would prevent homelessness.

Top Benefits

  • Rent assistance: the grantee may make a one-time rental payment, with the client showing capacity to make future rent payments.
  • Utility payment assistance: the grantee may provide utility payment assistance in instances when non-payment of utility costs will lead to eviction and homelessness. Eligible assistance includes heat, electric and water costs. Other forms of utility assistance must first be considered before Critical Assistance funds are used for this purpose.
  • Security deposits: the grantee may provide security deposit assistance to renters after other homeless prevention assistance sources of assistance are considered.
  • Mortgage assistance: the grantee may assist homeowners with a one-time payment of principal and interest on a mortgage loan that is in arrearage. The homeowner must show the ability to make future payments.
  • Property tax assistance: the grantee may assist homeowners with a one-time property tax payment for a property tax arrearage. The homeowner must show the ability to make future payments.

Related Resources

  • EPA Envirofacts Database

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

    Housing, Other, Sustainability

    Envirofacts provides users an assessment of their environment using their ZIP code.

  • Single Family Housing Rural Disaster Home Repair Grants

    U.S. Department of Agriculture

    Housing, Other

    This program provides grants to very-low and low-income homeowners to repair homes damaged in a Calendar Year (CY) Presidentially Declared Disaster Area.

  • Rural Housing Preservation Grant

    U.S. Department of Agriculture

    Housing

    Provides grants to sponsoring organizations for the repair or rehabilitation of housing owned or occupied by low- and very-low-income rural citizens.