Vacancy-to-Vitality Competitive Loan

The Vacancy-to-Vitality Loan helps convert vacant commercial buildings into workforce or senior housing. These conversions can be expensive due to structural changes needed to redesign the floor plate for housing, zoning and regulatory changes or construction costs. These projects expand housing without new land use and often have lower infrastructure demands and shorter development timelines than projects on empty land.

Total funding: $100 million
Funding awarded as of fall 2025: $12,319,559 

Upcoming Important Dates

2025 Wisconsin Act 237 (Assembly Bill 194) makes certain modifications to the Infrastructure Access, Restore Main Street, and Vacancy-to-Vitality loan programs created in the 2023-25 Biennial Budget. The Spring Cycle applications open May 6, 2026 with final submissions due by 5:00 P.M. CDT on June 19, 2026. Award announcements are expected in July 2026.

• Infrastructure Access (Wis. Stat. § 234.66)
• Restore Main Street (Wis. Stat. § 234.661)
• Vacancy-to-Vitality (Wis. Stat. § 234.662)

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Please submit questions about the Vacancy-to-Vitality competitive loan to home@wheda.com

Vacancy-to-Vitality Application Materials

• Vacancy-to-Vitality Loan Term Sheet for Single-Family Housing
• Vacancy-to-Vitality Loan Term Sheet for Multifamily Rental Housing
• Vacancy-to-Vitality Loan Application 
• Vacancy-to-Vitality Award Plan 

Loan program resources

• Procorem WorkCenter Request Form
• Compliance Manual (Revision Coming Soon)
• Monitoring Forms
  • Owner's Certificate of Continuing Program Compliance (Form 100) (Revision Coming Soon)
  • Utilities Information (Form 205) (Revision Coming Soon)
  • Tenant Income Certification Affidavit (TIC) (Form 300) (Revision Coming Soon)
• Workforce Home Price Estimator
• Vacancy-To-Vitality Income-Rent Limits (2025)
• Vacancy-To-Vitality Income-Rent Limits (2024)
• Vacancy-To-Vitality Single Family 140 Percent Income-Rent Limits (2025)
• Vacancy-To-Vitality Single Family 140 Percent Income-Rent Limits (2024)
• Vacancy-to-Vitality Overview Presentation (Revision Coming Soon)
• Vacancy-to-Vitality Loan Checklist (Revision Coming Soon)
• Government Guide Sheet
• Frequently Asked Questions (Revision Coming Soon) 

2025 Fall Award Cycle Winners

2025 Spring Award Cycle Winners

Click the name of the project to see more information.