Chapter 234

234.04(1) (1) The authority may make or participate in the making of construction loans to eligible sponsors of housing projects for the construction or rehabilitation of housing for persons and families of low and moderate income. Such loans shall be made only upon the determination by the authority that construction loans are not otherwise available from private lenders upon reasonably equivalent terms and conditions.

234.04(2) (2) The authority may make or participate in the making and enter into commitments for the making of long-term mortgage loans to eligible sponsors of housing projects for occupancy by persons and families of low and moderate income, or for the making of homeownership mortgage loans or housing rehabilitation loans or loans for the refinancing of qualified subprime loans under s. 234.592 to persons and families of low and moderate income, an applicant under s. 234.59 or 234.592, or other eligible beneficiaries as defined in s. 234.49. The loans may be made only upon the determination by the authority that they are not otherwise available from private lenders upon reasonably equivalent terms and conditions. The authority may not make a loan to a person whose name appears on the statewide support lien docket under s. 49.854 (2) (b), unless the person provides to the authority a payment agreement that has been approved by the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and that is consistent with rules promulgated under s. 49.858 (2) (a). The authority may employ, for such compensation as it determines, the services of any financial institution in connection with any loan.

234.04(3) (3) The authority may make or participate in the making and enter into commitments for the making of loans to any banking institution, savings bank, savings and loan association or credit union organized under the laws of this or any other state or of the United States having an office in this state, if the authority first determines that the proceeds of such loans will be utilized for the purpose of making long-term mortgage loans to persons or families of low and moderate income, or for the purpose of providing residential housing for occupancy by persons or families of low and moderate income, or for the purpose of making housing rehabilitation loans.

234.04(4) (4) A loan shall be secured in such manner and be repaid in such a period, not exceeding 50 years, as may be determined by the authority; and shall bear interest at a rate determined by the authority.

234.04 History History: 1971 c. 287; 1975 c. 221; 1977 c. 418; 1979 c. 361 s. 113; 1981 c. 349; 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 27, 359; 1991 a. 221; 1995 a. 404; 1999 a. 9; 2009 a. 2.

234.045 234.045 Workforce housing rehabilitation loan program.

234.045(1) (1) Definition. In this section, “eligible rehabilitation” means an improvement to housing to maintain the housing in a decent, safe, and sanitary condition or to restore it to that condition if the improvement is the removal of lead paint, asbestos, mold, or other internal environmental contamination in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations or constitutes a structural improvement, including any of the following:

234.045(1)(a) (a) Repairing or replacing a heating system, electrical system, internal plumbing system, interior wall or ceiling, roof, window, exterior door, or flooring.

234.045(1)(b) (b) Repairing the foundation.

234.045(1)(c) (c) Repairing or replacing insulation or siding.

234.045(2) (2) Workforce housing rehabilitation loans.

234.045(2)(a) (a) From the housing rehabilitation loan fund, the authority may make a loan to a person applying for the loan to pay for the cost of eligible rehabilitation to the applicant’s home if all of the following apply:

234.045(2)(a)1. 1. The applicant’s household annual income does not exceed 120 percent of the area median family income for the county in which the housing is located, adjusted for family size, as published annually by the federal department of housing and urban development.

234.045(2)(a)2. 2. The applicant’s home is a single-family residence that the applicant occupies as the applicant’s primary residence and that was constructed at least 40 years prior to the date of the applicant’s loan application.

234.045(2)(a)3. 3. The applicant agrees to the terms of the loan, including a requirement to repay the loan by making monthly principal and interest payments so that the loan, including all interest, is fully repaid within the loan term established under subd. 4., a requirement to repay the loan, including all interest, upon the applicant selling or otherwise transferring title to the residence to another person, and all other terms established by the authority.

234.045(2)(a)4. 4. The loan term does not exceed 15 years.

234.045(2)(a)5. 5. The amount of the loan does not exceed $50,000 or 100 percent of the appraised value of the residence after completion of the eligible rehabilitation, whichever is less.

234.045(2)(a)6. 6. The applicant does not have another loan under this section pending with the authority at the time of application.

234.045(2)(a)7. 7. The applicant’s home has not been the subject of a claim for a state or federal historic rehabilitation tax credit, as determined by the authority.

234.045(2)(a)8. 8. The applicant’s home has not received financial assistance from tax increments generated by an active tax incremental district.

234.045(2)(b) (b) The authority may establish an interest rate for any loan made under par. (a) at or below the market interest rate or may charge no interest.

234.045(2)(c) (c) If a loan recipient’s home contains lead paint, asbestos, or mold, the authority’s loan agreement with the recipient shall require the recipient to remediate the hazardous material or condition as required by and in accordance with local, state, and federal laws or regulations.

234.045(3) (3) Policies and procedures. The authority shall establish policies and procedures to administer the housing rehabilitation loan fund and the program under this section. The policies and procedures shall, to the extent practicable, do all of the following:

234.045(3)(a) (a) Incorporate the authority’s policies and procedures for establishing credit underwriting guidelines.

234.045(3)(b) (b) Establish loan repayment requirements.

234.045 History History: 2021 a. 221; 2023 a. 17.

234.05 234.05 Housing development fund; establishment; payments into fund.

234.05(1) (1) There is established under the jurisdiction and control of the authority a revolving fund to be known as the “housing development fund”.

234.05(2) (2) There shall be paid into the housing development fund:

234.05(2)(a) (a) Any moneys which the authority receives as interest on or in repayment of temporary loans made from the housing development fund;

234.05(2)(b) (b) Any moneys transferred by the authority to the housing development fund from other funds or sources; and

234.05(2)(c) (c) Any other moneys which may be made available to the authority for the purpose of the housing development fund from any other source.

234.05 History History: 1971 c. 287.

234.06 234.06 Use of moneys held in housing development fund; temporary loans; grants.

234.06(1) (1) The authority may, as authorized in the state housing strategy plan under s. 16.302, use the moneys held in the housing development fund to make temporary loans to eligible sponsors, with or without interest, and with such security for repayment, if any, as the authority determines reasonably necessary and practicable, solely from the housing development fund, to defray development costs for the construction of proposed housing projects for occupancy by persons and families of low and moderate income. No temporary loan may be made unless the authority may reasonably anticipate that satisfactory financing may be obtained by the eligible sponsor for the permanent financing of the housing project.

234.06(2) (2) The proceeds of the temporary loan may be used only to defray the development costs of the housing project. Each temporary loan shall be repaid in full by the eligible sponsor to the authority concurrent with the receipt by the eligible sponsor of the proceeds of the permanent financing.

234.06(3) (3) The authority may, as authorized in the state housing strategy plan under s. 16.302, use the moneys held in the housing development fund to establish and administer programs of grants to counties, municipalities, and eligible sponsors of housing projects for persons of low and moderate income, to pay organizational expenses, administrative costs, social services, technical services, training expenses, or costs incurred or expected to be incurred by counties, municipalities, or sponsors for land and building acquisition, construction, improvements, renewal, rehabilitation, relocation, or conservation under a plan to provide housing or related facilities, if the costs are not reimbursable from other private or public loan, grant, or mortgage sources.

234.06 History History: 1971 c. 287; 1981 c. 349; 1985 a. 29 ss. 2118, 3202 (14); 1991 a. 39; 2003 a. 33; 2011 a. 32.

234.07 234.07 Limited-profit entity; distributions.

234.07(1) (1) Except as provided in sub. (2), a limited-profit entity which receives loans from the authority may not make distributions, other than from funds contributed to the limited-profit entity by stockholders, partners, members or holders of beneficial interest in the limited-profit entity, in any one year with respect to a project financed by the authority in excess of 6 percent of its equity in such project on a cumulative basis. The equity in a project shall consist of the difference between the amount of the mortgage loan and the total project cost. Total project cost shall include construction or rehabilitation costs including job overhead and a builder’s and sponsor’s profit and risk fee, architectural, engineering, legal and accounting costs, organizational expenses, land value, interest and financing charges paid during construction, the cost of landscaping and off-site improvements, whether or not such costs have been paid in cash or in a form other than cash. With respect to every project the authority shall, pursuant to rules adopted by it, establish the entity’s equity at the time of making of the final mortgage advance and, for purposes of this section, that figure shall remain constant during the life of the authority’s loan with respect to such project. Upon the dissolution of the limited-profit entity any surplus in excess of the distributions allowed by this section shall be paid to the authority. For this purpose surplus shall not be deemed to include any increase in net worth of any limited-profit entity by reason of a reduction of mortgage indebtedness, by amortization or similar payments or by reason of the sale or disposition of any assets of a limited-profit entity to the extent such surplus can be attributed to any increase in market value of any real or tangible personal property accruing during the period the assets were owned and held by the limited-profit entity.

234.07(2) (2) If a limited-profit entity agrees to provide housing for low-income and moderate-income persons until the end of the maximum term of a mortgage that the limited-profit entity gives the authority, a limited-profit entity that receives a loan from the authority may not make distributions, other than from funds contributed to the limited-profit entity by stockholders, partners, members or holders of a beneficial interest in the limited-profit entity, in any one year with respect to a project financed by the authority in excess of 12 percent of its equity in the project on a cumulative basis.

234.07 History History: 1971 c. 287; 1989 a. 346.

234.07 Annotation “Limited-profit entity” has meaning only with reference to WHEDA’s loan to it. The entity terminates when the loan is satisfied and nothing remains to be done except to dispose of what remains in the hands of the entity, the surplus in excess of allowed distributions under sub. (1), which must be returned to WHEDA. WHEDA v. Bay Shore Apartments, 200 Wis. 2d 129, 546 N.W.2d 480 (Ct. App. 1996), 93-1825.

234.07 Annotation The determination of the mortgagor’s equity under sub. (1) is set at closing and may not be changed subsequently if additional costs to the owner are discovered. The limitation of distributions beyond 6 percent of equity prevents distribution of interest on escrowed funds where the limit would be exceeded. Messner Manor Associates v. WHEDA, 204 Wis. 2d 492, 555 N.W.2d 156 (Ct. App. 1996), 95-2642.

234.08 234.08 Notes and bonds; issuance; status.

234.08(1) (1) The authority may issue its negotiable notes and bonds in such principal amount, as, in the opinion of the authority, is necessary to provide sufficient funds for achieving its corporate purposes, including the purchase of certain mortgages and securities and the making of secured loans for low- and moderate-income housing, for the rehabilitation of existing structures and for the construction of facilities appurtenant thereto as provided in this chapter; for the making of secured loans to assist eligible elderly homeowners in paying property taxes and special assessments; for the payment of interest on notes and bonds of the authority during construction; for the establishment of reserves to secure such notes and bonds; for the provision of moneys for the housing development fund in order to make temporary loans to sponsors of housing projects as provided in this chapter; and for all other expenditures of the authority incident to and necessary or convenient to carry out its corporate purposes and powers.

234.08(2) (2) The authority may issue renewal notes, issue bonds to pay notes and whenever it deems refunding expedient, refund any bonds by the issuance of new bonds, whether the bonds to be refunded have or have not matured, and issue bonds partly to refund bonds then outstanding and partly for any other purpose. The refunding bonds shall be sold and the proceeds applied to the purchase, redemption or payment of the bonds to be refunded.

234.08(3) (3) Except as may otherwise be expressly provided by the authority, every issue of its notes or bonds shall be general obligations of the authority payable out of any revenues or moneys of the authority, subject only to any agreements with the holders of particular notes or bonds pledging any particular receipts or revenues.

234.08(4) (4) All notes or bonds shall be negotiable investment securities under ch. 408.

234.08(5) (5) This section does not supersede or impair the power of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to carry out its program responsibilities relating to economic development which are funded by bonds or notes issued under this section.

234.08(6) (6) The authority may reimburse the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation its operating costs to carry out its program responsibilities relating to economic development which are funded by bonds or notes issued under this section.

234.08(7) (7) The authority may, by resolution before issuance, declare any issue of its bonds or notes to be subject to federal income taxation.

234.08 History History: 1971 c. 287; 1981 c. 349; 1983 a. 81, 83; 1985 a. 29; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27 s. 9116 (5); 2005 a. 487; 2009 a. 2; 2011 a. 32.

234.09 234.09 Same; authorization; terms. The notes and bonds shall be authorized by resolution of the members of the authority; shall bear such date or dates, and shall mature at such time or times, in the case of any note, or any renewal thereof, not exceeding 5 years, from the date of issue of such original note, and in the case of any bond not exceeding 50 years from the date of issue, as the resolution provides. The notes and bonds shall bear interest at such rate or rates, be in such denominations of $1,000 or more, be in such form, either coupon or registered, carry such registration privileges, be executed in such manner, be payable in such medium of payment, at such place and be subject to such terms of redemption as the resolution provides. The bonds may be issued as serial bonds payable in annual installments or as term bonds or as a combination thereof. The notes and bonds of the authority may be sold by the authority, at public or private sale, at the price determined by the authority.

234.09 History History: 1971 c. 287.

234.10 234.10 Same; resolution authorizing issuance, contents. Any resolution authorizing any notes or bonds or any issue thereof may contain provisions, which shall be a part of the contract with the holders thereof, as to:

234.10(1) (1) Pledging all or any part of the fees and charges made or received by the authority, and all or any part of the moneys received in payment of mortgage loans and interest thereon, and other moneys received or to be received, to secure the payment of the notes or bonds or of any issue thereof, and subject to such agreements with bondholders or noteholders as may then exist.

234.10(2) (2) Pledging all or any part of the assets of the authority, including mortgages and obligations securing the same, to secure the payment of the notes or bonds or of any issue of notes or bonds, subject to such agreements with noteholders or bondholders as may then exist.

234.10(3) (3) Pledging of any loan, grant or contribution from the federal or state government, any political subdivision of the state or source in aid of such development as provided for in this chapter.

234.10(4) (4) The use and disposition of the gross income from mortgages owned by the authority and payment of principal of mortgages owned by the authority.

234.10(5) (5) The setting aside of reserves or sinking funds and the regulation and disposition thereof.

234.10(6) (6) Limitations on the purpose to which the proceeds of sale of notes or bonds may be applied and pledging such proceeds to secure the payment of the notes or bonds or of any issue thereof.

234.10(7) (7) Limitations on the issuance of additional notes or bonds; the terms upon which additional notes or bonds may be issued and secured; the refunding of outstanding or other notes or bonds.

234.10(8) (8) The procedure, if any, by which the terms of any contract with noteholders or bondholders may be amended or abrogated, the amount of notes or bonds the holders of which must consent thereto, and the manner in which such consent may be given.

234.10(9) (9) Vesting in a trustee such property, rights, powers and duties in trust as the authority determines, which may include any or all of the rights, powers and duties of the trustee appointed by the noteholders or bondholders pursuant to s. 234.20 and limiting or abrogating the right of the noteholders or bondholders to appoint a trustee under s. 234.20 or limiting the rights, powers and duties of such trustee, in which event s. 234.20 shall not apply.

234.10(10) (10) Any other matters, of like or different character, which in any way affect the security or protection of the notes or bonds.

234.10 History History: 1971 c. 287.

234.11 234.11 Same; validity and effect of pledge. Any pledge made by the authority shall be valid and binding from the time when the pledge is made; the moneys or property so pledged and thereafter received by the authority shall immediately be subject to the lien of such pledge without any physical delivery thereof or further act; and the lien of any such pledge shall be valid and binding as against all parties having claims of any kind in tort, contract or otherwise against the authority, irrespective of whether such parties have notice thereof. Neither the resolution nor any other instrument by which a pledge is created need be recorded.

234.11 History History: 1971 c. 287.

234.12 234.12 Same; personal liability of members of authority. Neither the members of the authority nor any person executing the notes or bonds shall be liable personally on the notes or bonds or be subject to any personal liability or accountability by reason of the issuance thereof.

234.12 History History: 1971 c. 287.

234.135 234.135 Same; purchase; cancellation.

234.135(1) (1) The authority may purchase any notes or bonds of the authority. The authority may hold or sell, in whole or in part and separately or together with other notes or bonds of the authority, notes or bonds purchased under this subsection.

234.135(2) (2) Subject to such agreements with noteholders or bondholders as may then exist, any notes or bonds purchased and held by the authority under sub. (1) may, upon the affirmative designation of the authority, be canceled, in whole or in part, at the time specified in the authority’s designation.

234.135 History History: 2017 a. 277; 2021 a. 238 s. 45.

234.14 234.14 Same; liability of state. The state shall not be liable on notes or bonds of the authority and such notes and bonds shall not be a debt of the state. All notes and bonds of the authority shall contain on the face thereof a statement to such effect.

234.14 History History: 1971 c. 287.

234.15 234.15 Capital reserve funds.

234.15(1g) (1g) In this section, “capital reserve fund requirement” means, as of any particular date of computation, an amount of money, as provided in the resolutions of the authority authorizing the bonds with respect to which a capital reserve fund is established, which amount shall not exceed the maximum annual debt service on the bonds of the authority for that fiscal year or any future fiscal year of the authority secured in whole or in part by the capital reserve fund.

234.15(1r) (1r) The authority shall establish one or more special funds to secure its bonds, referred to in this chapter as capital reserve funds, and shall pay into each such capital reserve fund any moneys appropriated and made available by the state for the purposes of such fund, any proceeds of sale of notes or bonds, to the extent provided in the resolution of the authority authorizing the issuance thereof and any other moneys which are made available to the authority for the purpose of such fund from any other source. 

234.15(2) (2) All moneys held in any capital reserve fund, except as otherwise specifically provided, shall be used, as required, solely for the payment of the principal of bonds of the authority secured in whole or in part by such fund or of the sinking fund payments mentioned in this section with respect to such bonds, the purchase or redemption of such bonds, the payment of interest on such bonds or the payment of any redemption premium required to be paid when such bonds are redeemed prior to maturity; but, if moneys in such fund at any time are less than the capital reserve fund requirement established for such fund as provided in this section, the authority shall not use such moneys for any optional purchase or optional redemption of such bonds. Any income or interest earned by, or increment to, any capital reserve fund due to the investment thereof may be transferred by the authority to other funds or accounts of the authority to the extent such transfer does not reduce the amount of such capital reserve fund below the capital reserve fund requirement for such fund.

234.15(3) (3) 

234.15(3)(a) (a) The authority shall not at any time issue bonds, secured in whole or in part by a capital reserve fund if upon the issuance of the bonds, the amount in the capital reserve fund will be less than the capital reserve fund requirement of the capital reserve fund, unless the authority, at the time of issuance of the bonds, deposits in the capital reserve fund from the proceeds of the bonds to be issued, or from other sources, an amount which, together with the amount then in the capital reserve fund, will not be less than the capital reserve fund requirement for the capital reserve fund. The annual debt service for any fiscal year is the amount of money equal to the aggregate of all of the following:

234.15(3)(a)1. 1. All interest payable during the fiscal year on all bonds secured in whole or in part by the capital reserve fund outstanding on the date of computation.

234.15(3)(a)2. 2. The principal amount of all bonds described in subd. 1. outstanding on the date of computation which mature during the fiscal year, plus

234.15(3)(a)3. 3. All amounts specified in any resolution of the authority authorizing any of the bonds described in subd. 1. as payable during the fiscal year as a sinking fund payment with respect to any of the bonds which mature after the fiscal year.

234.15(3)(b) (b) The annual debt service calculation made under par. (a) shall be calculated on the assumption that the bonds will after the date of computation cease to be outstanding by reason, but only by reason, of the payment of bonds when due, and the payment when due and application in accordance with the resolution authorizing those bonds, of all of the sinking fund payments payable at or after the date of computation. However, in computing the annual debt service for any fiscal year, bonds considered to have been paid in accordance with the defeasance provisions of the resolution of the authority authorizing the issuance thereof shall not be included in bonds outstanding on the date of computation.

234.15(4) (4) To assure the continued operation and solvency of the authority for the carrying out of the public purposes of this chapter, the authority shall accumulate in each capital reserve fund an amount equal to the capital reserve fund requirement for such fund. If at any time the capital reserve fund requirement for any capital reserve fund exceeds the amount of such capital reserve fund, the chairperson of the authority shall certify to the secretary of administration, the governor and the joint committee on finance the amount necessary to restore such capital reserve fund to an amount equal to the capital reserve fund requirement in respect thereto. If such certification is received by the secretary of administration in an even-numbered year prior to the completion of the budget compilation under s. 16.43, the secretary shall include the certified amount in the budget compilation. In any case, the joint committee on finance shall introduce in either house, in bill form, an appropriation of the amount so certified to the appropriate capital reserve fund of the authority. Recognizing its moral obligation to do so, the legislature hereby expresses its expectation and aspiration that, if ever called upon to do so, it shall make such appropriation.

234.15(5) (5) In computing the amount of any capital reserve fund for the purposes of this section, securities in which all or a portion of such capital reserve fund is invested shall be valued at par, or if purchased at less than par, at their cost to the authority.