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Redevelopment Authority awards $50,000 grant to Habitat for homeowner preservation program
Summary
The authority approved a $50,000 grant from the affordable housing rehabilitation program to fund 10 homeowner repair projects administered by Habitat for Humanity; households must meet income limits at or below 80% of area median income and projects must be in the City of Waukesha.
The Redevelopment Authority unanimously approved a $50,000 grant from the affordable housing rehabilitation program to Habitat for Humanity to fund 10 critical home-repair projects through the organization’s home preservation program.
Staff said the authority originally allocated $50,000 to Habitat in 2021 (funding deployed in 2022) and that the current request would replicate that structure: the city’s $5,000-per-home contribution is used alongside Habitat’s donations, volunteer labor and other funding to extend the impact of local dollars. "We took $50,000 from the affordable housing rehab fund and gave it to Habitat in the form of a grant so we wouldn't be getting paid back to make 10 loans for critical home repairs," staff explained.
Program rules and conditions: applicants must be owner-occupants and meet the income limit (at or below 80% of area median income), with lower-income households prioritized. Staff said the majority of past projects supported major deferred maintenance needs such as new roofs, windows and grading repairs; the program is intended to fund essential repairs that preserve habitability and insurance coverage rather than discretionary upgrades.
Staff noted the affordable housing rehab fund balance is about $247,000 and that, if the rehab fund is drawn down further, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program income could be used to support additional loans for households near 80% of county median income.
Members moved and seconded the recommendation, and the motion passed unanimously. Staff said they will continue tracking project-level leverage and report back with disbursement requests when Habitat submits vetted project lists.
