Western Wisconsin Organizations Receive Housing Grant Funding

A number of Western Wisconsin organizations were among nearly 60 across the state to receive a part of $2 million in housing grant funding.

According to a press release from Governor Tony Evers, the funding through the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority is meant to improve emergency shelters, transitional residences, and extremely low-income housing across the state.

The funding will go towards creating or improving 1,515 beds and housing units across the state. Funded projects include efforts to improve energy efficiency, major infrastructure repairs, and overhauling heating and cooling systems.

A number of organizations in Western Wisconsin received significant funding awards through the grant program. Benjamin’s House Emergency Shelter in Rice Lake received the maximum award of $50,000 for boiler room upgrades and heating repairs. The Salvation Army of Barron County also received the maximum $50,000 to install concrete slaps in a common building and tiny homes.

In Dunn County, The Bridge to Hope received $40,000 in grant funding to replace three furnaces and install a sump pump to protect against flooding. Stepping Stones of Dunn County received nearly $7,500 for a new air conditioning system in two apartment shelter units and a baseboard heating system for another.

Additionally, the Prescott Housing Authority in Pierce County received the maximum $50,000 award to replace 24 housing units in 12 apartments.

A number of municipalities across the state have identified a lack of affordable housing as a major contributing factor to issues like growing unhoused populations and workforce shortages in critical fields like healthcare.

Local organizations have also launched efforts to expand available resources for housing insecure residents, including Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council and Hope Gospel Mission’s new Day Resource Center in Eau Claire and the L.E. Phillips Career Development Center Chippewa County Outreach Office’s 100 Nights of Shelter campaign.