Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority Accepting Applications for Rural Affordable Workforce Housing Pilot
Thursday, July 23rd, 2020 -- 8:15 AM
-The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority is now welcoming applications for the rural affordable workforce housing pilot.A webinar to answer questions about the application process will be held July 24 at 1 p.m. Information about the initiative including the rural affordable workforce housing initiative plan and application documents can be found online; registration for the free webinar is available online. The pilot will work with stakeholders from at least three rural communities to develop partnerships and processes that ultimately will benefit communities statewide. Participants at listening sessions organized by WHEDA cited many factors contributing to Wisconsin’s shortage of rural, affordable workforce housing including rising construction costs, limited developer interest due to the smaller scale of rural projects; aging housing stock; few affordable rental options; zoning, infrastructure challenges; and limited financing for new construction and renovation projects.
WHEDA's rural affordable workforce housing initiative includes the pilot effort and supplemental financing tools designed to better serve rural communities by overcoming gaps in existing programs. The July 24 webinar will cover the pilot application process including the need for communities to apply with a diverse team of stakeholders that demonstrate geographic, demographic, public and private collaboration. For those who are not able to attend, the recorded webinar will be posted to the webpage along with any needed updates to the FAQs. Applications will be due Aug. 31 with participating communities announced in early October. For questions about the application process, email: [email protected]. To keep up with information about the pilot and other WHEDA initiatives, sign up to receive emails and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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