Gov. Evers, WHEDA Announce $50 Million in Affordable Housing Loan Program Awards to Support the Creation of More Than 1,900 Affordable Housing Units Statewide
Awards build on Evers Administration efforts to expand access to safe, reliable, affordable housing, supporting over 35,000 affordable housing units since 2019
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA), today announced $50 million to support 22 new housing developments across 10 counties, creating nearly 1,900 workforce housing units in communities across the state. The funding is provided by the Vacancy-to-Vitality, Infrastructure Access, and Restore Main Street loan programs, which were created through bipartisan legislation signed by Gov. Evers in 2023 and supported by $525 million—the largest state investment in workforce housing in state history—provided by the 2023-25 Biennial Budget.
To date, these three programs have supported nearly 3,500 housing units statewide, building on the Evers Administration’s longstanding efforts to expand access to affordable housing. All told, since 2019, more than 35,000 housing units have been built to address the needs of Wisconsin’s workforce, seniors, families, and communities.
“Expanding access to safe, stable, and affordable housing is a key part of our work to support kids and families, strengthen our communities, and grow our state’s workforce,” said Gov. Evers. “I’m proud of our efforts to build affordable housing statewide—to the tune of over 35,000 new units—that will help communities grow, and workers, families, and seniors thrive. Together, we are building the future we want to see for folks and communities across our state.”
In April 2026, Gov. Evers signed additional bipartisan legislation, making specific modifications to the Vacancy-to-Vitality, Infrastructure Access, and Restore Main Street loan programs to make them more effective in expanding affordable housing options across the state. Including this round of awards, WHEDA has diligently administered more than $76.5 million of the available loan funding.
“Affordable housing is challenging to fund and build,” said WHEDA Executive Director and CEO Elmer Moore Jr. “These loans make a difference in getting needed projects to the finish line.”
Vacancy-To-Vitality | $41.3 Million | 682 Units
The Vacancy-to-Vitality Loan helps convert vacant commercial buildings into workforce or senior housing. Twelve projects were awarded more than $41 million to create 682 affordable housing units in nine counties across the state. Four projects are workforce housing developments, four are funded through the Small Community Set-Aside, which ensures affordable housing resources reach Wisconsin’s smaller municipalities, and four are through the Senior Set-Aside, which incentivizes the development of affordable senior housing across Wisconsin. Notable projects that received loans included Copper Rocks Phase I and II in La Crosse County, which received two awards totaling over $8.37 million to bring much-needed affordable housing to the area, and Terrace Park Senior Housing in Columbia County, which received $5.28 million. The complete list of Vacancy-to-Vitality awards is available on WHEDA’s website.
Infrastructure Access | $6.5 Million | 1,185 Units
The Infrastructure Access Loan helps developers cover the cost of installing, replacing, upgrading, or improving public infrastructure for workforce or senior housing. Eight projects were awarded more than $6 million to create 1,185 affordable units across four counties. Seven projects are workforce housing developments, and one is funded through the Senior Set-Aside. Notable projects that received loans included Fox Meadowview, which is the first development in Kenosha to be awarded an Infrastructure Access Loan, receiving $1.2 million to create 144 workforce units, and West River Lofts in Manitowoc County, which was awarded over $2.3 million through both the Infrastructure Access Loan and the Vacancy-to-Vitality Loan to create 54 workforce units. The complete list of Infrastructure Access awards is available on WHEDA’s website.
Restore Main Street | $2.3 Million| 49 Units
The Restore Main Street Loan helps renovate units above street-level commercial spaces. Three projects in Milwaukee County were awarded more than $2 million to create 49 workforce units. Notable projects that received loans include the Historic Mitchell Street Residences, which received $1.25 million, Maier Flats, which received $400,000, and Rucham Mitchell Housing 2, which received $622,545. More details on these Restore Main Street project awards are available on WHEDA’s website.
In designating these awards, WHEDA considered Regional Planning Commission (RPC) district caps and, within each region, prioritized Small Community and Senior transactions as required by state statute. Current availability by RPC district and the amount remaining reserved for Small Community and Senior transactions can be found on WHEDA’s website.
For further details on the awards, visit WHEDA’s Competitive Loan Financing Products.
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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