AB121: Bill Text

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Assembly BILL 121

March 25, 2019 - Introduced by Representatives Dittrich, Steineke, Rodriguez, Snyder, Pronschinske, Kurtz, Plumer, James, Felzkowski, Rohrkaste, Tittl, Mursau, Spiros, Steffen, Allen, Duchow, Kulp, Petryk, Petersen, Thiesfeldt, Kitchens, Schraa, Krug, Murphy, Tusler and Subeck, cosponsored by Senators Bernier, L. Taylor and Carpenter. Referred to Committee on Housing and Real Estate.

AB121,1,3 An Act to amend 16.307 (2), 16.307 (2m) and 20.505 (7) (h); and to create 16.307 (1m) and 20.505 (7) (fn) of the statutes; relating to: housing navigator grants and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill creates an annual appropriation of $300,000 to be used by the Department of Administration to provide grants to Continuum of Care organizations for hiring housing navigators.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB121,1 Section 1. 16.307 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB121,2,6 16.307 (1m) Grants for housing navigators. From the appropriation under s. 20.505 (7) (fn), the department shall make equal grants to each continuum of care organization in this state designated by the federal department of housing and urban development. All grant funds shall be used to hire housing navigators to engage in activities that include: acting as a liaison with landlords, rental property managers, and homeless assistance programs; recruiting new landlords; identifying affordable housing for program participants; and mediating landlord-tenant issues. The department shall ensure that the grant funds are expended to fill housing navigator positions that are reasonably balanced among the geographic areas served by each continuum of care organization.

AB121,2 Section 2 . 16.307 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB121,2,11 16.307 (2) Supplemental funds. The department shall ensure that grants awarded under sub. subs. (1) and (1m) are not used to supplant other state funds available for homelessness prevention or services to homeless individuals or families.

AB121,3 Section 3. 16.307 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB121,2,16 16.307 (2m) Report. Annually, the department shall submit a report to the speaker of the assembly, the president of the senate, and to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3) that summarizes how much money was received under sub. (1) in the previous year and how that money was distributed.

AB121,4 Section 4. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

AB121,5 Section 5. 20.505 (7) (fn) of the statutes is created to read:

AB121,3,3 20.505 (7) (fn) Funding for housing navigators. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for grants to continuum of care organizations under s. 16.307 (1m).

AB121,6 Section 6 . 20.505 (7) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB121,3,9 20.505 (7) (h) Funding for the homeless. All moneys received from interest on real estate trust accounts under s. 452.13 for grants under s. 16.307 (1), and all moneys received under ss. 704.05 (5) (a) 2. and 704.055 (2) (b), for grants to agencies and shelter facilities for homeless individuals and families under s. 16.308 (2) (a) and (b).

AB121,7 Section 7. Effective date.

AB121,3,12 (1) This act takes effect on the day after publication, or on the 2nd day after publication of the 2019 biennial budget act, whichever is later.

AB121,3,13 (End)