Wis. Stat. § 16.308 — WI Code / Chapter 16 / Section 16.308
Grants for the provision of shelter for homeless individuals and families.
Status: in_force

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Current operating budget” means the budget for the calendar or fiscal year during which an application is submitted, including all sources and amounts of revenue and all actual and planned expenditures.

(b) “Eligible applicant” means any of the following:

1. A county or municipal governing body.

2. A county or municipal governmental agency.

3. A community action agency.

4. A private nonprofit organization, as defined under s. 108.02 (19) , or a nonstock corporation that is organized under ch. 181 and that is a nonprofit corporation, as defined in s. 181.0103 (17) .

5. A federally recognized American Indian tribe or band.

6. A housing and community development authority.

7. An organization operated for profit.

(c) “Proposed operating budget” means the budget proposed for the calendar or fiscal year following the year in which an application is submitted, including all anticipated revenue other than the amount sought in the grant application and all planned expenditures.

(d) “Shelter facility” means a temporary place of lodging for homeless individuals or families.

(2) Purpose; allocation.

(a) From the appropriations under s. 20.505 (7) (fm) and (h) , the department shall award grants to eligible applicants for the purpose of supplementing the operating budgets of agencies and shelter facilities that have or anticipate a need for additional funding because of the renovation or expansion of an existing shelter facility, the development of an existing building into a shelter facility, the expansion of shelter services for homeless persons, or an inability to obtain adequate funding to continue the provision of an existing level of services.

(b) The department shall allocate funds from the appropriations under s. 20.505 (7) (fm) and (h) for temporary shelter for homeless individuals and families as follows:

1. At least $400,000 in each year to eligible applicants located in Milwaukee County.

2. At least $66,500 in each year to eligible applicants located in Dane County.

3. At least $100,000 in each year to eligible applicants not located in Milwaukee County or Dane County.

4. In addition to the amounts under subds. 1. to 3. , no more than $183,500 in each year to eligible applicants without restriction as to the location of the applicants.

(3) Application.

(a) An eligible applicant which is not located in Dane County or Milwaukee County may submit an application for one of the following:

1. A grant of not more than 50 percent of the current or proposed operating budget of a shelter facility operated by the applicant.

2. A grant of not more than 50 percent of the portion of the applicant’s current or proposed operating budget allocated for providing homeless individuals with vouchers that may be exchanged for temporary shelter.

(am) An eligible applicant located in Dane County or Milwaukee County may submit an application for one of the following:

3. A grant of not more than 50 percent of the total current or proposed operating budgets of one or more shelter facilities from which the applicant purchases shelter for homeless persons and to which the applicant will distribute the money it receives under conditions described in the application.

4. A grant of not more than 50 percent of the total current or proposed operating budgets of 2 or more shelter facilities which the applicant represents and to which the applicant will distribute the money received under conditions described in the application.

(b) Applications shall be submitted in the form required by the department and shall be accompanied by the current or proposed operating budget or both, as required by the department, of each shelter facility or agency that will, directly or indirectly, receive any of the grant money, and an explanation of why the shelter facility or agency has or anticipates a need for additional funding.

(3m) Grant eligibility. In awarding grants under this section, the department shall consider all of the following:

(a) Whether the community in which an eligible applicant provides services has a coordinated system of services for homeless individuals and families.

(b) The number of shelter days the eligible applicant intends to provide during the year for which the grant application is submitted.

(c) The eligible applicant’s history of successfully transitioning homeless individuals or families to permanent housing.

(d) Whether the eligible applicant provides intensive case management services.

(e) Whether the eligible applicant provides trauma-informed care.

(f) Whether the eligible applicant provides opportunities for shelter residents to obtain employment, increase their income, or increase their hours worked.

(g) The utilization rate of each unit at each shelter facility operated by the eligible applicant.

(h) The average length of stay of shelter residents at each shelter facility operated by the eligible applicant.

(i) The percentage of shelter residents served by the eligible applicant that is chronically homeless.

(3s) Implementation of eligibility criteria.

(a)

1. In each fiscal year of the 2019-21 fiscal biennium, all amounts expended under this section that exceed the amount shown in the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the 2018-19 fiscal year may be expended only for grants awarded after the department considers the eligibility criteria specified in sub. (3m) (b) to (i) .

2. The department shall phase in over fiscal years 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 the award of grants based on consideration of the eligibility criteria specified in sub. (3m) (b) to (i) . Beginning in fiscal year 2023-24, 100 percent of the grants awarded under this section shall be awarded after the department considers all of the eligibility criteria specified in sub. (3m) (a) to (i) .

(b) Before the department awards a grant based on consideration of the eligibility criteria specified in sub. (3m) (b) to (i) , the department shall consider whether an eligible applicant’s rules, policies, or procedures for providing services to homeless individuals and families have an impact on how one or more of those criteria apply with respect to the eligible applicant and may adjust any grant award accordingly.

(4) Rule making required. The department shall promulgate by rule both of the following:

(a) Criteria for awarding grants.

(b) Criteria for determining whether an agency that operates a shelter facility or program is eligible for a grant.

(5) Prohibited uses. The department may not provide a grant for any of the following purposes:

(a) The construction of a new shelter facility.

(b) The operation of a shelter care facility licensed under ch. 48 .

(d) The operation of an agency that provides only information, referral or relocation services.

History: 1985 a. 29 , 276 ; 1987 a. 27 , 399 ; 1989 a. 31 ; 1991 a. 39 s. 1378 ; Stats. 1991 s. 16.352; 1993 a. 16 , 374 ; 1995 a. 27 ; 1997 a. 27 , 79 ; 2001 a. 16 ; 2003 a. 33 s. 159 ; Stats. 2003 s. 560.9808; 2011 a. 32 s. 3458m ; Stats. 2011 s. 16.308; 2019 a. 76 ; 2021 a. 239 s. 74 .