Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Department of Health and Human Services Propose $2.5 Million in Rental Assistance for Unhoused Individuals
Defying nationwide trends, Milwaukee County has seen a 75% decrease in homelessness in the past 10 years
MILWAUKEE – County Executive David Crowley and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) are proposing reallocating $2.5 million in federal HOME funds for tenant-based rental assistance to support unsheltered individuals.
This would be the largest single investment in homelessness in Milwaukee County’s history. Rental assistance remains the most effective tool for Milwaukee County to sustain its success in reducing homelessness. This comprehensive strategy has allowed Milwaukee County to have the lowest unsheltered homeless count in the country over multiple years.
“We are working to maintain Milwaukee County’s record of having one of the nation’s lowest unsheltered populations per capita,” said County Executive Crowley. “To sustain this progress, we must continue identifying innovative, efficient ways to help people facing housing instability. Housing is foundational to health and well-being, and without it, addressing other needs becomes far more difficult. This reallocation will connect unsheltered residents to housing and supportive services, putting them on a path toward stability, independence, and a way forward.”
Funds for rental assistance have been increasingly difficult to set aside for the purpose of reducing homelessness. Due to the dramatic rise in the cost of rent, Milwaukee County has been unable to issue new vouchers in 2026 as the program has met its budget cap. This has created challenges within the homeless system as the County’s Housing Authority has been the main source of permanent housing for the system.
“This investment is critical to address homelessness in our community. We have demonstrated proven success with our Housing First philosophy since 2015, seeing a sizable drop in our unsheltered count,” said James Mathy, Administrator, DHHS Housing Services. “The return on investment is substantial reducing criminal justice costs and an even greater impact in reducing expensive emergency healthcare costs.”
Unsheltered homelessness across the United States continues to grow each year. In the past 10 years, the country has seen a 58 percent increase in street homelessness. Despite a nationwide increase, Milwaukee County continues to reduce unsheltered homelessness, with a 75 percent decrease over the past 10 years. Milwaukee County’s Housing First approach was featured in a nationwide documentary, “Beyond the Bridge,’ in 2024.
With this reallocation, Milwaukee County will be able to continue its ongoing work of housing unsheltered individuals by placing them directly into permanent housing with supportive services. This advances the County’s successful Housing First model that has led to dramatic reductions in unsheltered homelessness in Milwaukee. Through the Tenant-Based Rent Assistance (TBRA) program, Milwaukee County can fund security deposits and up to two years of rental assistance for those that meet the federal definition of homelessness.
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors will consider this proposal in June.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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