WHEDA and CSH welcome applications for the inaugural Wisconsin Supportive Housing Institute

MADISON – The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and CSH are now welcoming applications for a first-of-its-kind Wisconsin Supportive Housing Institute. A webinar to answer questions about the application process will be held December 7 at 9 a.m. Information about WHEDA’s supportive housing initiative and the application documents can be found here; registration for the free webinar is available here.

In February 2021, WHEDA partnered with CSH – a national leader in supportive housing – to connect developers and community service providers with training and resources to expand the supply of much-needed housing in Wisconsin. The initiative kicked off with a four-part webinar series to educate developers, community service providers and other housing professionals on the basics of supportive housing, integrated housing models, supportive services, and property management.

WHEDA and CSH also conducted a statewide survey to better understand the areas of greatest need for supportive housing and the barriers in meeting those needs. Survey respondents identified various challenges to supportive housing including a lack of case managers and other service providers, limited funding to meet supportive housing needs, resident support as they transition to coexisting with others in the same development, and a shortage of available housing.

Using the survey results, WHEDA is launching its inaugural Wisconsin Supportive Housing Institute. The Institute is expected to increase supportive housing development in communities across Wisconsin by training teams on ways to reduce the time it takes to obtain funding for supportive housing by improving the planning and development process. The Institute will provide four to seven new and experienced development teams from across the state with over 80 hours of targeted training and technical assistance. Teams will be made up of a developer, a supportive service provider and a property management partner.

For questions about the application process, email: wisconsin.institute@csh.org.

In 2022, WHEDA and CSH will launch a Tribal Supportive Housing Institute to help address the unique supportive housing needs of Wisconsin’s Tribal nations. To keep up with WHEDA initiatives, sign up to receive emails here and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

ABOUT WHEDA

For more than 48 years, WHEDA has worked to provide low-cost financing for housing and small business development in Wisconsin. Since 1972, WHEDA has financed more than 78,000 affordable rental units, helped more than 135,000 families purchase a home and provided more than 29,000 small business and agricultural loan guarantees. WHEDA is a self-supporting public corporation that receives no tax dollars for its operations. For more information on WHEDA programs, visit wheda.com or call 800-334-6873.

ABOUT CSH
CSH is a nonprofit focused on advancing solutions that use housing as a platform for services to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people, maximize public resources and build healthy communities. CSH is a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and has provided more than $1 billion in loans, grants, project assistance and advocacy creating access to 335,000 homes for those who need housing and important services to achieve stability and transform their lives. CSH and Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority have partnered to offer training opportunities, research and prioritized investment focused on addressing persistent racial inequity and helping individuals and communities to thrive.