Falk Unveils Plans to Increase Affordable Housing

September 18, 2003
Sharyn Wisniewski (608) 267-8823
County Executive

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk today announced plans for use of $1.83 million in federal funds that Dane County receives to help create affordable housing opportunities, and to stimulate community development around the county. “We’re helping young families afford a first home. We’re helping seniors modify their homes to allow them to keep living there. And, we’re broadening the choices people have for affording to live here in Dane County,” said Falk. Dane County receives annual Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) of $1,258,000 and HOME grants in the amount of $575,000 from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. The CDBG program provides grant funding to assist low-income persons in the areas of housing, economic development, community facilities, and public services. The HOME program funds affordable housing activities only including construction of housing, acquisition of land, and homebuyer downpayment programs. Falk took steps in 1999 to qualify Dane County as an “urban” county eligible to receive this funding. Communities outside the City of Madison (which has its own CDBG program) can choose to participate in the county’s CDBG and HOME programs. A total of 49 communities participate with Dane County in the Urban County Consortium. Falk today unveiled the first-year round of funding, and the five-year long-range plan that guides use of the funds in Dane County. The Dane County CDBG Commission reviewed the grant proposals and made recommendations on the projects to fund. A Resolution authorizing the plan and funding will be submitted to the Dane County Board tonight. The site of today’s announcement was the home of Kevin and Mindia Guest who, together with their three children ages 3, 6 and 9, in 2002 moved into a single-family home on East Badger Road in the Town of Madison. They received first-time homebuyer counseling and downpayment assistance to help purchase the home, which had been extensively updated through Operation Fresh Start, a program, funded in part by Dane County HOME dollars, that employs young people to rehabilitate homes. “The five of us had been living in a small, two bedroom duplex. This house is a dream come true,” said Mindia Guest. The Guests were two of the over 900 graduates of Dane County’s “First Time Homebuyers Class,” since 2000. Besides downpayment assistance, funding in 2004 will cover home modifications for seniors, single family home rehabilitation, home-buyer counseling, homeless case management, fair housing education, site improvement for affordable housing development, housing assistance for disabled citizens, and commercial and downtown revitalization. Following are the projects, and funding amounts, that will be submitted as a Resolution to the Dane County Board of Supervisors tonight, September 18. CDBG Dane County Human Services/Construction/rehabilitation of youth and senior centers $100,000 Dane County Planning and Development/Commercial Revitalization Loan Fund (CRLF) 254,550 Dane County Office of Equal Opportunity/Fair housing education 12,000 Dane County Planning and Development/CDBG program administration 193,600 Dane County Planning and Development/Better Urban Infill Development Program (BUILD) 58,000 Project Home/Single family home rehabilitation 67,500 Village of Cambridge/Downtown commercial facade rehabilitation 25,000 City of Stoughton/Downtown commercial facade rehabilitation 25,000 Independent Living/Home Modification Program for seniors 55,000 Independent Living/Eviction prevention for seniors 47,626 Dane County Housing Authority/Counseling and downpayment assistance for first-time homebuyers 139,724 WI Women's Business Initiative/Small business development education 30,000 Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin/Homeless Case Management 50,000 Wisconsin Partnership for Housing Development/Loan guarantee for site improvements at the Uplands 200,000 Total CDBG $1,258,000 HOME Dane County Housing Authority/Downpayment assistance forfirst-time homebuyers 104,250 Dane County Planning and Development/HOME program administration 57,500 Operation Fresh Start/Single family home rehabilitation 70,000 Movin' Out/Downpayment assistance for first-time homebuyers 152,000 Habitat for Humanity/Real property acquisition 105,000 Housing Development/Community Housing Development Organization Set-aside 86,250 Total HOME $575,000