Milwaukee homeowners on track to tap into $92M housing assistance for overdue bills. Here's what you need to know

The City of Milwaukee is on track to approve a contract with the state to allow homeowners who have experienced economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic to tap into a $92 million statewide, federally funded housing assistance program.

Wisconsin Help for Homeowners, announced by Gov. Tony Evers in early March, would allow residents who live in a single-family home, duplex, condo or factory-built home to apply for financial help in paying for overdue bills such as mortgage payments, property taxes, and utilities.

Households must have an income at or below 100% of the area median income to be eligible for up to $40,000 in housing assistance.

After the program launched on March 7, the state has distributed more than $4 million to homeowners, assisting roughly 800 unique homeowners across Wisconsin, according to the Department of Administration's Office of the Secretary.

To date, the program has received 13,000 applications, which are in various stages of being processed, and is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Earlier this year, it was announced that $18 million had been allocated to help low-income Wisconsin households pay their water bills. Federal funding has extended to struggling renters as well after Mayor Cavalier Johnson announced that the city had earmarked $61 million for rental aid in 2022.

A city committee recommended authorizing the contract on Wednesday and will be sent before the Common Council during their June 21 meeting.

Who can apply?

Applicants must be a Wisconsin homeowner with their primary residence a single-family home, duplex, condo, or factory-built home. Applicants must also show that they have suffered financial hardship after Jan. 21, 2020. Vacation homes, rentals, cabins, and second homes are not eligible for assistance.

According to the state's Department of Administration, financial hardship is considered as one or more of the following:

• Job loss, loss of wages, or fewer paid hours at work.

• If you are self-employed, and your business is no longer supplying you with income or your income has been reduced.

• Independent contractors or gig workers who have not been able to earn fees, or whose fees have been reduced.

• Have become sick or have been advised by a governmental or medical professional to self-quarantine.

• Have had to leave a job or reduce work hours in order to care for a person who is sick.

• Have had to leave a job or reduce work hours to care for dependents whose ordinary situations (such as school or daycare) have been disrupted.

• Increased household costs, including the cost of fuel and utilities.

• Had an unexpected COVID-related medical or funeral expense.

• Had unexpected child-care or elderly care expenses.

Residents do not need to have had COVID-19 in order to qualify for financial assistance. Having received help with utilities or financial support for house payments does not disqualify applicants from getting help from the program. Homeowners also do need to have an income in order to apply.

What can the aid be used for?

This program can provide aid for expenses including but not limited to utility bills, mortgage and interest payments, real estate taxes, as well as condominium, association and lot fees.

Eligible funding will be sent directly to financial institutions, local treasurers, utility companies and/or other entities in order to pay off a homeowner's overdue bills. The funds are not taxable income.

How do homeowners apply?

Homeowners can apply online through the state's application portal at the Wisconsin Help for Homeowners website at homeownerhelp.wi.gov or by calling 1-855-246-6394. Applicants can also request a hard copy of the application paperwork by calling that same number or reaching out to their regional contact program.

For Milwaukee County homeowners, the regional program contact is the Social Development Commission. They can be reached by phone at 414-906-2740 or through their website cr-sdc.org.

Applicants residing outside of Milwaukee County must apply to their respective regional contact, which can be found on the Wisconsin Help for Homeowners website.

The program portal provides application information in English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali. Further help can be provided by calling 1-855-246-6394.

Wait times can vary for an application to be processed. Hours of operation for the call center fielding applications is 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Times will vary for regional contact programs.

Are residents who are undocumented, a non-citizen or have no Social Security number eligible to apply?

While homeowners will be asked to provide their Social Security number, the Department of Administration confirmed that they do not have to supply it in order to move forward with their application.

The applicant's legal status is also not asked for during the application process, according to a department spokesperson.

Can a landlord apply?

Yes, but only as long as the landlord is the owner-occupant and the property a 1-to-4 unit residential property — meaning a property that has fewer than five individual dwelling units.

Contact Vanessa Swales at 414-308-5881 or vswales@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Vanessa_Swales.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Homeowners could get up to $40K for overdue bills, mortgage payments