Supportive Housing Webinar Series Kicks Off Tuesday Feb. 23

WHEDA, CSH join forces in first-of-its-kind effort to promote housing for state’s most vulnerable residents

A four-part webinar series on supportive housing gets underway starting Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 9:30 a.m.

The free, 90-minute interactive sessions are open to all through a first-of-its-kind initiative by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and Corporation for Supportive Housing to expand the supply of affordable, supportive housing in Wisconsin. Participants may choose a single event or attend all four sessions.

In Wisconsin, residents with mental health needs, physical challenges and substance use recovery are among those facing great difficulties in finding affordable housing. The shortage of affordable, supportive housing affects rural and urban communities alike.

Housing is critical to the health and wellness of individuals and by connecting affordable housing with supportive services, WHEDA and CSH aim to create lasting benefits for communities statewide. On any given day in Wisconsin, more than 4,700 elderly residents, 2,100 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, 740 child welfare involved families and 420 transitional aged youth are in need of supportive housing, based on CSH data.

The webinars will connect developers, community service providers and other housing professionals with training focused on the basics of supportive housing, integrated housing models, supportive services and property management. The sessions include content to build understanding of the racial disparities and institutional barriers that affect housing for people facing challenges of homelessness, disabilities and poverty.

For details and to register for the free, 90-minute events, follow the links below.

In addition to the training opportunities, WHEDA and CSH will implement a statewide survey to better understand areas of greatest need for supportive housing and the biggest challenges in meeting those needs. WHEDA also will initiate a first-of-its-kind Wisconsin Supportive Housing Institute to provide technical assistance to developers and supportive housing providers as they navigate the complex process of developing affordable housing with access to supportive services. The institute is expected to reduce the timeline for supportive housing by improving planning and development.

To provide additional financing for housing with supportive services, WHEDA increased the preference scoring for these housing projects in the 2021-22 round of federal and state tax credit applications through the Qualified Allocation Plan.