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Housing navigator grants
This bill requires DOA to provide grants to continuum of care organizations for
hiring housing navigators to engage in activities that include the following:
1. Acting as a liaison with landlords, rental property managers, and homeless
assistance programs.
2. Recruiting new landlords.
3. Identifying affordable housing for program participants.
4. Mediating landlord-tenant issues.
Of the funds accepted by the governor under the federal American Rescue Plan
Act of 2021, the bill requires the governor to allocate $300,000 in each fiscal year of
the 2021-23 fiscal biennium for the housing navigator grants.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB604-ASA1,1
1Section 1. 16.3087 of the statutes is created to read:
AB604-ASA1,3,3 216.3087 Pay for performance grant requirements. (1) Definitions. In
3this section:
AB604-ASA1,3,54 (a) “Eligible grant” means a grant awarded under s. 16.306 (2), 16.307, 16.308
5(2) (a), or 16.3085 (2).
AB604-ASA1,3,66 (b) “Grant recipient” means all of the following:
AB604-ASA1,3,87 1. An organization specified in s. 16.306 (1) (d) or (e) that receives a grant under
8s. 16.306 (2).
AB604-ASA1,3,99 2. An organization that receives a grant under s. 16.307.
AB604-ASA1,3,1110 3. An organization specified in s. 16.308 (1) (b) 4. or 7. that receives a grant
11under s. 16.308 (2) (a).
AB604-ASA1,3,1212 4. A shelter facility that receives a grant under 16.3085 (2).
AB604-ASA1,3,15 13(2) Performance payments. (a) For each eligible grant the department awards
14to a grant recipient, the department shall withhold between 10 and 50 percent of the
15amount of the eligible grant for at least 6 months after the award, subject to par. (b).
AB604-ASA1,3,1816 (b) The department may pay the amount of an eligible grant withheld under
17par. (a) only if the grant recipient demonstrates that it has met one or more of the
18following performance objectives, as determined by the department:
AB604-ASA1,3,2019 1. Increase the number of homeless individuals and families securing
20permanent housing.
AB604-ASA1,3,2221 2. Increase the number of homeless individuals securing part-time or full-time
22employment.
AB604-ASA1,3,2423 3. Reduce the number of homeless individuals and families returning to
24homelessness after participation in programs offered by the grant recipient.
AB604-ASA1,4,4
1(c) For purposes of par. (b) and to the extent permitted under federal law, the
2department shall give priority to grant recipients awarded grants under ss. 16.306
3(2) and 16.3085 (2) who have made demonstrable commitments to improving
4outcomes in connection with the performance objectives specified in par. (b).
AB604-ASA1,2 5Section 2. 16.311 of the statutes is created to read:
AB604-ASA1,4,6 616.311 Structured camping facilities. (1) Definitions. In this section:
AB604-ASA1,4,77 (a) “Political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county.
AB604-ASA1,4,98 (b) “Public property” means any real property, other than county fairgrounds,
9that is owned, leased, or occupied by a state agency or a political subdivision.
AB604-ASA1,4,1310 (c) “State agency” means an association, authority, board, department,
11commission, independent agency, institution, office, society, or other body in state
12government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, except
13the legislature and the courts.
AB604-ASA1,4,1614 (d) “Structured camping facility” means public property that the department
15under sub. (2) (a) or a political subdivision under sub. (2) (c) 1. designates for use
16under this section.
AB604-ASA1,4,19 17(2) Designation of structured camping facilities. (a) Subject to par. (b), the
18department may designate any public property for use as a structured camping
19facility.
AB604-ASA1,4,2220 (b) Except as provided in par. (c), the department may not designate the public
21property of a political subdivision for use as a structured camping facility without the
22approval of the political subdivision.
AB604-ASA1,5,223 (c) 1. If a resident of a political subdivision petitions the political subdivision
24to designate public property of the political subdivision as a structured camping

1facility, the political subdivision may make that designation and shall provide the
2department with notice of the designation.
AB604-ASA1,5,73 2. If a political subdivision fails to designate public property of the political
4subdivision as a structured camping facility within 12 months after a petition is filed
5with the political subdivision under subd. 1., the department may designate public
6property of the political subdivision as a structured camping facility in response to
7the petition without the approval of the political subdivision.
AB604-ASA1,5,13 8(3) Use of structured camping facilities. (a) The department may assign to
9a homeless individual or family a specific location at a structured camping facility
10for the purpose of allowing the individual or family to set up temporary residence at
11the facility. The department may allow homeless individuals and families assigned
12to a structured camping facility to bring camping equipment and other personal
13items onto the facility.
AB604-ASA1,5,1714 (b) The department shall condition temporary residence at a structured
15camping facility under par. (a) on the completion of mental health or substance use
16evaluations, as prescribed by the department, and may expel individuals who fail to
17comply with department instructions.
AB604-ASA1,5,2018 (c) The department shall provide for public safety at each structured camping
19facility and shall ensure that potable water and adequate sanitary facilities are
20available at each structured camping facility.
AB604-ASA1,3 21Section 3. 943.135 of the statutes is created to read:
AB604-ASA1,5,23 22943.135 Unauthorized camping on public property; trespass. (1) In this
23section, “public property” has the meaning given in s. 16.311 (1) (b).
AB604-ASA1,6,3 24(2) No person may set up a temporary habitation on a public property that is
25not designated as a recreational camping area or as a structured camping facility

1under s. 16.311 unless the temporary habitation is consistent with the normal,
2customary, or temporarily designated usage of the public property. A person who
3violates this subsection is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.
AB604-ASA1,6,7 4(3) A person who has set up a temporary habitation on a public property that
5is designated as a structured camping facility under s. 16.311 violates sub. (2) if the
6person does not comply with instructions or conditions provided by the department
7of administration.
AB604-ASA1,4 8Section 4. Nonstatutory provisions.
AB604-ASA1,6,99 (1) Grants for housing navigators.
AB604-ASA1,6,1910 (a) From the moneys allocated under par. (b ), the department of administration
11shall make equal grants to each continuum of care organization in this state
12designated by the federal department of housing and urban development. All grant
13funds shall be used to hire housing navigators to engage in activities that include:
14acting as a liaison with landlords, rental property managers, and homeless
15assistance programs; recruiting new landlords; identifying affordable housing for
16program participants; and mediating landlord-tenant issues. The department of
17administration shall ensure that the grant funds are expended to fill housing
18navigator positions that are reasonably balanced among the geographic areas served
19by each continuum of care organization.
AB604-ASA1,6,2420 (b) Of the moneys the governor accepts from the federal government under s.
2116.54 pursuant to section 602 of the federal Social Security Act as amended by the
22federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2, the governor shall allocate
23$300,000 in each fiscal year of the 2021-23 fiscal biennium for the grants under par.
24(a).
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