The U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) was created to provide federal assistance to states to produce decent and affordable housing opportunities for very low- and low-income households. The Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources (DEHCR) allocates HOME funding to support the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program in HOME non-entitlement areas in Wisconsin. Contracts are awarded to applicant agencies on a two-year funding cycle to provide rent assistance to individuals and households that have incomes at or below 60 percent of the County Median Income (CMI) and are experiencing housing instability including homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
Applicant agencies have the flexibility to develop community specific TBRA programs and further define their target population(s). TBRA programs must comply with HOME regulations such as occupancy and income requirements, habitability and payment standards, and administrative provisions. Applicant agencies who are awarded funding are subject to performance indicators, such as participation levels, affirmative outreach efforts, and availability of suitable housing. As with all HUD HOME programs, the TBRA program requires a best effort to provide 25 percent match. Eligible match items cannot include a client's portion of the rent or any federal funding sources.
Eligibility
Governmental entities and private, not-for-profit agencies in Wisconsin are eligible to apply. In addition, non-stock, not-for-profit corporations organized under Chapter 181 or religious societies organized under Chapter 187 and housing authorities are eligible.
All applicant agencies must be located outside of HOME entitlement areas and be in good standing (no unresolved monitoring findings, no outstanding required reports, no major audit finding, etc.) with the Department of Administration and DEHCR. These HOME entitlement areas include the cities of Eau Claire, Green Bay, Kenosha, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, and Racine and the counties of Dane, Jefferson, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Rock, Washington, and Waukesha. Applicant agencies must also be registered with the Federal System for Award Management (SAM) and cannot be on the SAM debarred contractor list.
All applicant agencies who receive HOME TBRA funds will be subjected to a monitoring visit conducted by DEHCR staff at least once during the contract period.
Eligible Services
The term of rent assistance with HOME TBRA funds may not exceed 24 months; however, contracts can be renewed, subject to the availability of HOME funds. Rent assistance must not exceed the difference between the client's rent and 30 percent of the client's household income.
Security Deposit Assistance
The maximum amount of security deposit assistance per client is equivalent to two months' rent for the unit. Security deposit assistance must be provided to clients as a grant, not a loan.
Utility assistance can only be provided to clients who are also receiving rent assistance. Utility deposit assistance can be provided for the following utilities: electricity, water, gas, and trash. Utility deposits are for a one-time move-in cost and are not to be used to pay for monthly or delinquent utility bills.
Grantees must adopt the utility allowance schedule that their local PHAs utilize to cover the following utilities: heat, electricity, water, sewer, and trash. Phone, internet, and cable are ineligible utility expenses.
Grantees can charge whichever is less to TBRA program funds: $50 per inspection ($35 per re-inspection) plus mileage reimbursed at the current federal rate or the actual staff or contractor costs of performing the inspection.
Grantees can charge whichever is less to TBRA program funds: $50 per income determination or the actual staff cost of completing the income determination. If income determinations are conducted outside a grantee's office, they may charge whichever is less for mileage reimbursement: the current federal rate or the rate at which the grantee reimburses for mileage.
Grantees may use up to ten percent (10%) of their total award for operation costs to support housing assistance activities, including staff salaries and administrative expenses.
Application
The next TBRA application period for agencies to apply will be available in spring 2026.
Program Forms
Monitoring
DEHCR General Monitoring Questionnaire
DEHCR TBRA Monitoring Questionnaire - Lead Agencies
DEHCR TBRA Monitoring Questionnaire - Direct Grantees
DEHCR TBRA Client File Checklist
Client Files
Contact Information
If an individual and/or household is in need of rent assistance, please go to DEHCR's main webpage for a list of resources located by county.
TBRA Program Manager - Dana Wallace
Telephone: (608) 261-7013
Mailing Address: Department of Administration
Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources
P.O. Box 7970
Madison, WI 53707-7970
