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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
March 5, 2021 - Introduced by Representatives Steineke, Snyder, Allen,
Armstrong, Baldeh, Edming, James, Kerkman, Moses, Novak, Ortiz-Velez,
Plumer, Rozar, Shankland, Skowronski, Spiros, Spreitzer, Steffen,
Subeck, Tauchen, Tranel, Tusler and Mursau, cosponsored by Senators
Bernier and Darling. Referred to Committee on Housing and Real Estate.
AB146,1,7 1An Act to renumber 16.303 (1); to amend 16.303 (2) (intro.), 16.303 (3) (a),
216.303 (3) (b), 16.304 (1) (a), 16.307 (2), 16.307 (2m), 16.3085 (2) (a), 20.505 (7)
3(h) and 49.175 (1) (f); and to create 16.303 (1g), 16.303 (1r) (am), 16.306 (1) (f),
416.307 (1m), 16.3085 (2) (b) 5. and 20.505 (7) (fn) of the statutes; relating to:
5grants to homeless individuals and families, grants to defray housing costs and
6for diversion programming, housing navigator grants, homeless case
7management services, and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Grants to homeless individuals and families
This bill provides an additional $900,000 in each fiscal year of the 2021-23
fiscal biennium for grants to provide housing and associated supportive services to
homeless individuals and families.
Grants to defray housing costs and for diversion programming
This bill provides an additional $500,000 in each fiscal year of the 2021-23
fiscal biennium for grants or loans to persons or families of low or moderate income
to defray housing costs.
The bill also provides $300,000 for grants or loans to eligible organizations to
assist persons or families of low or moderate income to obtain and participate in

diversion programming. The bill defines “diversion programming” as short-term
intervention that supports persons or families of low or moderate income in
identifying immediate, safe housing arrangements, other than temporary shelters,
including by utilizing conflict resolution and mediation skills to reconnect the
individuals or families to their support systems.
Grants for housing navigators
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.
homeless case management services
This bill requires the Department of Children and Families to allocate in each
fiscal year $1,000,000 of funding under the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) block grant program to the Department of Administration to make
grants to shelter facilities for case management services for homeless families.
Current law requires DCF to allocate $500,000 of that funding to DOA to make the
grants. The bill also increases the annual limit on grants to a shelter facility from
$50,000 to $75,000. Also, the bill eliminates a restriction under current law that
limits DCF to making no more than 10 grants in total each year. In addition, the bill
allows shelters to use the grants for professional development of case managers, in
addition to the uses allowed under current law. The bill provides that professional
development includes travel expenses necessary for case managers to participate in
training. However, the bill provides that no more than 10 percent of a grant can be
used for professional development purposes.
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:
AB146,1 1Section 1 . 16.303 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 16.303 (1r).
AB146,2 2Section 2 . 16.303 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:
AB146,2,73 16.303 (1g) In this section, “diversion programming” means short-term
4intervention that supports persons or families of low or moderate income in
5identifying immediate, safe housing arrangements, other than a temporary shelter,
6including by utilizing conflict resolution and mediation skills to reconnect the
7individuals or families to their support systems.
AB146,3 8Section 3 . 16.303 (1r) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
AB146,3,8
116.303 (1r) (am) From the appropriation under s. 20.505 (7) (b), subject to sub.
2(2), make grants or loans to agents designated under s. 16.304 to assist persons or
3families of low or moderate income in obtaining and participating in diversion
4programming. The department shall ensure that the funds for the grants or loans
5are reasonably balanced among geographic areas of the state that correspond to the
6geographic areas served by each continuum of care organization designated by the
7federal department of housing and urban development, consistent with the quality
8of applications submitted.
AB146,4 9Section 4 . 16.303 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB146,3,1110 16.303 (2) (intro.) In connection with grants and loans under sub. (1) (1r), the
11department shall do all of the following:
AB146,5 12Section 5 . 16.303 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB146,3,1413 16.303 (3) (a) The department may make grants or loans under sub. (1) (1r) (a)
14directly or through agents designated under s. 16.304.
AB146,6 15Section 6 . 16.303 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB146,3,1716 16.303 (3) (b) The department may administer and disburse funds from a grant
17or loan under sub. (1) (1r) (a) or (am) on behalf of the recipient of the grant or loan.
AB146,7 18Section 7 . 16.304 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB146,3,2019 16.304 (1) (a) Award grants and loans under s. 16.303 (1) (1r) and (2) subject
20to the approval of the department.
AB146,8 21Section 8. 16.306 (1) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
AB146,3,2222 16.306 (1) (f) A federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state.
AB146,9 23Section 9 . 16.307 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB146,4,824 16.307 (1m) Grants for housing navigators. From the appropriation under
25s. 20.505 (7) (fn), the department shall make equal grants to each continuum of care

1organization in this state designated by the federal department of housing and urban
2development. All grant funds shall be used to hire housing navigators to engage in
3activities that include: acting as a liaison with landlords, rental property managers,
4and homeless assistance programs; recruiting new landlords; identifying affordable
5housing for program participants; and mediating landlord-tenant issues. The
6department shall ensure that the grant funds are expended to fill housing navigator
7positions that are reasonably balanced among the geographic areas served by each
8continuum of care organization.
AB146,10 9Section 10 . 16.307 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB146,4,1310 16.307 (2) Supplemental funds. The department shall ensure that grants
11awarded under sub. subs. (1) and (1m) are not used to supplant other state funds
12available for homelessness prevention or services to homeless individuals or
13families.
AB146,11 14Section 11 . 16.307 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB146,4,1815 16.307 (2m) Report. Annually, the department shall submit a report to the
16speaker of the assembly, the president of the senate, and to the appropriate standing
17committees under s. 13.172 (3) that summarizes how much money was received
18under sub. (1) in the previous year and how that money was distributed.
AB146,12 19Section 12 . 16.3085 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB146,4,2220 16.3085 (2) (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.505 (7) (kg), the department
21may award up to 10 annual grants , of up to $50,000 each, annually $75,000 to any
22shelter facility.
AB146,13 23Section 13 . 16.3085 (2) (b) 5. of the statutes is created to read:
AB146,5,224 16.3085 (2) (b) 5. Professional development of case managers, including travel
25expenses necessary for case managers to participate in training for professional

1development. No more than 10 percent of the amount of a grant may be used for the
2purposes described in this subdivision.
AB146,14 3Section 14 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place,
4insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF
AB146,15 5Section 15 . 20.505 (7) (fn) of the statutes is created to read:
AB146,5,86 20.505 (7) (fn) Funding for housing navigators. As a continuing appropriation,
7the amounts in the schedule for grants to continuum of care organizations under s.
816.307 (1m).
AB146,16 9Section 16 . 20.505 (7) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB146,5,1410 20.505 (7) (h) Funding for the homeless. All moneys received from interest on
11real estate trust accounts under s. 452.13 for grants under s. 16.307 (1), and all
12moneys received under ss. 704.05 (5) (a) 2. and 704.055 (2) (b), for grants to agencies
13and shelter facilities for homeless individuals and families under s. 16.308 (2) (a) and
14(b).
AB146,17 15Section 17 . 49.175 (1) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:
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