SB185: Bill Text

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Senate BILL 185

March 10, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Bernier and Darling, cosponsored 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. Referred to Committee on Housing, Commerce and Trade.

SB185,1,7 An Act to renumber 16.303 (1); to amend 16.303 (2) (intro.), 16.303 (3) (a), 16.303 (3) (b), 16.304 (1) (a), 16.307 (2), 16.307 (2m), 16.3085 (2) (a), 20.505 (7) (h) and 49.175 (1) (f); and to create 16.303 (1g), 16.303 (1r) (am), 16.306 (1) (f), 16.307 (1m), 16.3085 (2) (b) 5. and 20.505 (7) (fn) of the statutes; relating to: grants to homeless individuals and families, grants to defray housing costs and for diversion programming, housing navigator grants, homeless case management 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:

SB185,1 Section 1 . 16.303 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 16.303 (1r).

SB185,2 Section 2 . 16.303 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:

SB185,2,7 16.303 (1g) In this section, “diversion programming” means short-term intervention that supports persons or families of low or moderate income in identifying immediate, safe housing arrangements, other than a temporary shelter, including by utilizing conflict resolution and mediation skills to reconnect the individuals or families to their support systems.

SB185,3 Section 3 . 16.303 (1r) (am) of the statutes is created to read:

SB185,3,8 16.303 (1r) (am) From the appropriation under s. 20.505 (7) (b), subject to sub. (2), make grants or loans to agents designated under s. 16.304 to assist persons or families of low or moderate income in obtaining and participating in diversion programming. The department shall ensure that the funds for the grants or loans are reasonably balanced among geographic areas of the state that correspond to the geographic areas served by each continuum of care organization designated by the federal department of housing and urban development, consistent with the quality of applications submitted.

SB185,4 Section 4 . 16.303 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB185,3,11 16.303 (2) (intro.) In connection with grants and loans under sub. (1) (1r), the department shall do all of the following:

SB185,5 Section 5 . 16.303 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB185,3,14 16.303 (3) (a) The department may make grants or loans under sub. (1) (1r) (a) directly or through agents designated under s. 16.304.

SB185,6 Section 6 . 16.303 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB185,3,17 16.303 (3) (b) The department may administer and disburse funds from a grant or loan under sub. (1) (1r) (a) or (am) on behalf of the recipient of the grant or loan.

SB185,7 Section 7 . 16.304 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB185,3,20 16.304 (1) (a) Award grants and loans under s. 16.303 (1) (1r) and (2) subject to the approval of the department.

SB185,8 Section 8. 16.306 (1) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

SB185,3,22 16.306 (1) (f) A federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state.

SB185,9 Section 9 . 16.307 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB185,4,8 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.

SB185,10 Section 10 . 16.307 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB185,4,13 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.

SB185,11 Section 11 . 16.307 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB185,4,18 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.

SB185,12 Section 12 . 16.3085 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB185,4,22 16.3085 (2) (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.505 (7) (kg), the department may award up to 10 annual grants , of up to $50,000 each, annually $75,000 to any shelter facility.

SB185,13 Section 13 . 16.3085 (2) (b) 5. of the statutes is created to read:

SB185,5,2 16.3085 (2) (b) 5. Professional development of case managers, including travel expenses necessary for case managers to participate in training for professional development. No more than 10 percent of the amount of a grant may be used for the purposes described in this subdivision.

SB185,14 Section 14 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

SB185,15 Section 15 . 20.505 (7) (fn) of the statutes is created to read:

SB185,5,8 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).

SB185,16 Section 16 . 20.505 (7) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB185,5,14 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).