Chapter 234

234.94 234.94 Definitions. In this subchapter:

234.94(1) (1) “Capital participation instrument” means:

234.94(1)(a) (a) Any of the following or an option or other right to acquire any of the following:

234.94(1)(a)1. 1. Common or preferred capital stock.

234.94(1)(a)2. 2. Convertible securities.

234.94(1)(a)3. 3. Evidences of long-term or short-term indebtedness.

234.94(1)(a)4. 4. Warrants.

234.94(1)(a)5. 5. Subscriptions.

234.94(1)(b) (b) Royalties or other lawful derivations of a capital participation instrument listed under par. (a).

234.94(2) (2) “Community development corporation” means any of the following:

234.94(2)(a) (a) Any Native American tribal governing body or any business created by the governing body.

234.94(2)(b) (b) A corporation organized under ch. 181 that satisfies all of the following requirements:

234.94(2)(b)1. 1. The corporation is organized to operate within specific geographic boundaries.

234.94(2)(b)2. 2. The corporation permits all adults residing in the area of operation to become members of the corporation and limits voting membership of persons not residing in the area to not more than 10 percent of the total membership.

234.94(2)(b)2m. 2m. The corporation is a nonprofit corporation, as defined in s. 181.0103 (17).

234.94(2)(b)3. 3. The corporation has a board of directors, a majority of whom reside in a target area or are members of a target group.

234.94(2)(b)4. 4. The corporation makes a demonstrable effort to hire low-income or underemployed residents of the operating area.

234.94(2)(b)5. 5. The corporation’s purpose is to promote the employment of members of a target group through projects that meet the conditions specified in s. 234.96 (1) (a) to (d).

234.94(2)(b)6. 6. The corporation demonstrates a commitment to involving residents of target areas or members of target groups in projects.

234.94(2)(b)7. 7. The corporation petitions the authority for designation as a community development corporation.

234.94(3) (3) “Community development finance company” means a corporation or a limited partnership organized for profit under s. 234.95.

234.94(4) (4) “Cost of a project” means costs associated with the design, planning and implementation of a project that, in accordance with sound business and financial practices, are appropriate charges to the project. The costs may include, but are not limited to, the costs of planning and design, options to buy land, feasibility or other studies, seed money, construction, working capital and any other costs determined by the company to be necessary to the purposes of this chapter.

234.94(5) (5) “Primary employment” means work that pays at least the minimum wage as established under s. 104.035 (1) or under federal law, whichever is greater, offers adequate fringe benefits, including health insurance, and is not seasonal or part time.

234.94(6) (6) “Project” means a commercial, industrial or real estate business or other economic activity that is located in a target area or directed toward a target group and that has the purpose to create or preserve jobs for low-income people.

234.94(7) (7) “Target area” means a contiguous geographic area in which 50 percent or more of the households have income that is less than 80 percent of the statewide median household income.

234.94(8) (8) “Target group” means a population group for which the unemployment level is at least 25 percent higher than the statewide unemployment level, or a population group for which the average wage received is less than 1.2 times the minimum wage as established under s. 104.035 (1) or under federal law, whichever is greater. No population group is required to be located within a contiguous geographic area to be considered a target group.

234.94 History History: 1981 c. 371; 1983 a. 106, 538; 1987 a. 399 ss. 419, 420g, 421, 422, 441, 441m; Stats. 1987 s. 234.94; 1997 a. 27, 79; 1999 a. 85; 2015 a. 55.

234.95 234.95 Community development finance company.

234.95(1) (1) The community development finance company is the corporation organized for profit under ch. 180, or limited partnership organized under ch. 179, which was created under s. 233.05 (1), 1985 stats. The chairperson of the authority, or his or her designee, is a director of the community development finance company. The shareholders of the community development finance company shall elect 4 other people to the company’s board of directors. To the extent practicable, 3 people elected to the board of directors shall have substantial business and financial experience and one person shall represent a community development corporation. If the community development finance company is organized as a limited partnership its general partner shall, to the extent practicable, have substantial business and financial experience.

234.95(2) (2) The community development finance company shall issue stock or partnership interests. The community development finance company shall invest funds it receives from the sale of stock or partnership interests by purchasing capital participation instruments under s. 234.96.

234.95 History History: 1981 c. 371; 1983 a. 106; 1987 a. 399 s. 430; Stats. 1987 s. 234.95.

234.96 234.96 Community development project participation.

234.96(1) (1) The community development finance company may purchase a capital participation instrument of a project. The community development finance company may require that the project meet any of the following conditions:

234.96(1)(a) (a) The project shall be located in a target area and be reasonably expected to contribute to the redevelopment and economic well-being of a target area or target group, other than by increasing or maintaining employment that is not primary employment, or be reasonably expected to increase or maintain threatened primary employment.

234.96(1)(b) (b) The project plans conform to all applicable environmental, zoning, building, planning or sanitation laws.

234.96(1)(c) (c) The project will be of public benefit and for a public purpose and, if the purpose is other than to maintain primary employment, the benefit of the project, including increasing primary employment and the provision of capital, will primarily accrue to a target area or target group.

234.96(1)(d) (d) There is a reasonable expectation that the project will be successful.

234.96(1)(e) (e) Private industry has not provided sufficient capital required for the project or sufficient employment opportunities in the project’s area.

234.96(1)(f) (f) The purchase is necessary to the successful completion of the proposed project because funding for the project is unavailable in the traditional capital markets, or because credit has been offered on terms that would preclude the success of the project.

234.96(1)(g) (g) Provision has been made by contract for adequate reporting of financial data by the project to the community development finance company. Those provisions may include a requirement for an annual or other periodic audit of the project’s financial records.

234.96(1)(h) (h) The community development finance company will not own more than 49 percent of the voting stock in any enterprise as a result of the purchase.

234.96(1)(i) (i) The proceeds of the purchase will be used solely in connection with the costs of the project.

234.96(1)(j) (j) The community development corporation will maintain sufficient control over the project to ensure that public benefit and public purposes are maintained. Control over the project is sufficient if:

234.96(1)(j)1. 1. The project is conducted by a subsidiary which is completely owned by the community development corporation;

234.96(1)(j)2. 2. The community development corporation owns a majority of the voting stock of the corporation conducting the project; or

234.96(1)(j)3. 3. Binding commitments have been made for reporting to the community development corporation so that the community development corporation retains sufficient control to ensure that benefits under par. (c) will accrue to the intended beneficiaries.

234.96(1)(k) (k) Provision has been made by contract to provide that if the community development finance company desires to dispose of the capital participation instrument, other than through a public offering made in compliance with applicable federal securities law, the community development corporation or its nominee may, within 90 days after receiving notice of the proposed disposition, purchase the capital participation instrument at the price and on the terms specified in the notice. The contract shall provide that the community development finance company may dispose of the capital participation instrument only for terms not more favorable than specified in the notice and only after the community development corporation notifies the authority that it will not purchase on or after the expiration of the 90-day period. The community development finance company may include a provision permitting it to extend the period during which the community development corporation may exercise its option by not more than 90 days.

234.96(1)(L) (L) The community development corporation is able to manage its project responsibilities.

234.96(1)(m) (m) The total investment by the community development finance company in any one community development corporation will not exceed 20 percent of the total amount of its investable funds in community development corporations.

234.96(1)(p) (p) The project will not result in a substantial increase in unemployment in the area of original location of any business or establishment relocated as part of the project.

234.96(2) (2) The findings made by the community development finance company under this section are conclusive.

234.96(3) (3) If 25 percent of the membership of the community development corporation or an equal number of adult members of the target group or adults residing in the target area of the project, if any, sign a petition requesting a public hearing and file the petition with the community development corporation, the community development finance company may only purchase capital participation instruments through the community development corporation after the community development corporation holds a public hearing on the desirability of the project. The public hearing shall be held as close as practical to the proposed project site, prior to commencing the project. The community development corporation shall record the names and addresses of all persons appearing for or against the project.

234.96 History History: 1981 c. 371; 1983 a. 106; 1987 a. 399 s. 431; Stats. 1987 s. 234.96.

234.97 234.97 Sale or purchase of stock or interest. Subject to s. 234.96 (1) (h), the authority shall do all of the following:

234.97(1) (1) Use any funds received from the sale of community development finance company stock or partnership interest to purchase additional stock or partnership interests.

234.97(2) (2) Use funds received from contributions, gifts or grants under s. 234.03 (32) to purchase community development finance company stock or partnership interests or make grants or loans to community development corporations.

234.97 History History: 1987 a. 399.

234.98 234.98 Transferred assets. The assets and liabilities transferred from the Community Development Finance Authority under 1987 Wisconsin Act 399, section 3011 (2) (a) shall be separate from all other assets and liabilities of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. The outstanding obligations or liabilities of the Community Development Finance Authority shall be paid only from the assets transferred to the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority from the Community Development Finance Authority under 1987 Wisconsin Act 399, section 3011 (2) (a).

234.98 History History: 1987 a. 399; 2001 a. 104.