Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) signed five bipartisan bills to address Wisconsin’s need for more affordable housing options. Assembly Bills 264-268 provide for various affordable housing development and rehabilitation, four of which are designated to be administered by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA).

  • Assembly Bill 264 (2023 Wisconsin Act 14): Creates a residential housing infrastructure revolving loan fund program, allowing a residential housing developer to apply to WHEDA for a loan to cover the costs of installing, replacing, upgrading, or improving public infrastructure related to workforce housing or senior housing;  
  • Assembly Bill 265, (2023 Wisconsin Act 15): Creates a main street housing rehabilitation revolving loan funding program, allowing an owner of rental housing to apply to WHEDA for a loan to cover the costs of an improvement to workforce housing to maintain it in a decent, safe and sanitary condition or to restore it to that condition;  
  • Assembly Bill 266, (2023 Wisconsin Act 16): Establishes a new procedure for certiorari review of local land use decisions regarding residential development, providing that the new procedure for certiorari review is the only review available for a decision of a political subdivision regarding an application for approval, such as a permit or authorization for building, zoning, driveway, stormwater or other activity related to residential development;  
  • Assembly Bill 267, (2023 Wisconsin Act 17): Makes various modifications to the Workforce Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program administered by WHEDA, including but not limited to:
    • Specifying the home must be a single-family residence that the applicant occupies as the applicant’s primary residence and that was constructed at least 40 years prior to the date of the loan application;Allowing eligible rehabilitation to include the removal of lead paint, asbestos, mold, or other environmental contamination; Allowing eligible rehabilitation to include repairing or replacing flooring or an interior wall or ceiling, or an internal plumbing system; and 
    • Requiring WHEDA to establish policies and procedures to administer the loan program, and the policies and procedures must, to the extent practicable, address credit underwriting guidelines and loan repayment requirements.  
  • Assembly Bill 268 (2023 Wisconsin Act 18): Creates a commercial-to-residential conversation revolving loan fund program under WHEDA, allowing a developer to apply to WHEDA for a loan to cover the costs of converting a vacant commercial building to workforce housing or senior housing; and requires the housing associated with a conversion loan must be new residential housing for rent or sale and must consist of 16 or more dwelling units.