Gov. Evers, WHEDA Announce $2.5 Million Affordable Housing Loan Program Awards

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA), today announced over $2.5 million to support three new housing developments, providing more than 120 new workforce housing units in communities across the state. The funding is provided by the Vacancy-to-Vitality and Infrastructure Access Loan Programs, which were created through bipartisan legislation and supported by $525 million—the largest state investment in workforce housing in state history—provided by the 2023-25 Biennial Budget signed into law by Gov. Evers. To date, this funding has supported the development of over 1,000 workforce housing units statewide, with many more to go.

“Housing is one of the issues I hear most about everywhere I go, and it’s an issue that connects dots between some of the most pressing issues facing our state, from our kids’ success in the classroom to bringing talented folks to our workforce,” said Gov. Evers. “I was proud to sign into law the largest state investment in workforce housing in our state’s history, and it’s great to see these funds go out the door to communities across our state. During my administration, more than 17,000 affordable housing units have been built in Wisconsin, and with these critical programs and millions of dollars left to award, we’re not slowing down anytime soon.”

Today’s announcement comes as the state celebrates Homeownership Month, and a copy of the governor’s Homeownership Month proclamation is available here.

“What better time than Homeownership Month to celebrate the creation of thousands of housing options in our rural and urban areas for workers, their children, and our aging population who need a safe, stable place to live and thrive,” said WHEDA CEO and Executive Director Elmer Moore, Jr. “Homeownership plays an important role in strengthening our families, community, and economy. Whether someone is buying their first home or striving to maintain and improve their home, WHEDA has the tools to support their homeownership goals.”

This announcement builds on longstanding efforts of the Evers Administration to expand access to safe, reliable, and affordable housing, which is a critical part of addressing the workforce challenges facing the state, supporting kids and families, and building healthier, stronger communities. Since 2019, over 17,000 affordable housing units have been constructed across the state, and more than 26,000 housing units total have been built statewide. Of the over 17,000 units of affordable housing built, 1,090 units can be attributed to the Vacancy-to-Vitality, Restore Main Street, and Infrastructure Access loan programs alone.

WHEDA is the administrator of the Vacancy-to-Vitality, Restore Main Street, and Infrastructure Access Loan Programs. To date, WHEDA has awarded $18.9 million of the available loan funding made possible through these innovative programs.

Vacancy-to-Vitality | $2.3 million
Kelly Station, a 76-unit workforce housing development in Dane County, will receive a $1 million loan from the Vacancy-to-Vitality loan program. Additionally, South Shore Landing in Milwaukee County will receive a $756,752 loan to build 20 housing units. Finally, Indianhead Conversion in Chippewa County will receive $562,807 to build 27 housing units.

Infrastructure Access | $222,210
In addition, Kelly Station received an Infrastructure Access award for eligible infrastructure installation.

WHEDA’s More Like Home™ Repair and Renew Loan Program was also created by the 2023-25 Biennial Budget with $50 million to help owners of older homes make critical repairs and improvements that increase energy efficiency, safety, and security. Since its launch in September 2024, 500 homeowners have received a total of $21.2 million in low-interest loans to finance repairs.

Gov. Evers’ 2025-27 Executive Budget proposal built on these efforts to increase the number of affordable housing units available in Wisconsin by including measures to improve programs like the Infrastructure Access, Vacancy-to-Vitality, and Restore Main Street program to encourage greater use by local units of government and Tribal Nations, as well as improve the effectiveness of the programs. Additionally, the governor’s budget also includes a proposal to double the resources available each year through the state housing tax credits program, increase the credit period from six to 10 taxable years, and give WHEDA broader financing authority.

For further details on the application awards, visit WHEDA’s Competitive Loan Financing Products page here.

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.