Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program (TBRA)

​​​​​​​Overview

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 throughout Wisconsin. Contracts are awarded to applicant agencies on a two-year funding cycle to provide rent assistance to households that have incomes at or below 60 percent of the county median income (CMI) and are experiencing housing instability such as homelessness or at risk of homelessness. 

Applicant agencies have 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

The following entities located in Wisconsin are eligible for the TBRA program:

  • County or municipal governing body or governmental agency
  • Federally recognized American Indian tribe, band, or tribal agency
  • Community action agency, as defined under s. 49.265(2), Stats.​
  • Private nonprofit organization, as defined under s. 108.02(19), Stats.​
  • Nonstock corporation that is organized under ch. 181​ and that is a nonprofit corporation, as defined in s. 181.0103(17), Stats.​ 
  • Housing and community development authoirty
  • Religious society organized under ch. 187​ ​

All applicant agencies must be located outside of HOME entitlement areas and be in good standing (no unresolved monitoring findings, no outstanding reports, no major audit findings, etc.) with the Department of Administration and DEHCR. 

HOME Wisconsin Map.jpg

HOME entitlement cities or counties are not part of the State's TBRA service area. HOME entitlement cities are represented in purple and HOME entitlement counties are represented in green on the map. 

HOME Entitlement Cities:

  • Eau Claire
  • Green Bay
  • Kenosha
  • La Crosse
  • Madison
  • Milwaukee 
  • Racine ​​

HOME Entitlement Counties:

  • Dane
  • Jefferson
  • Milwaukee
  • Ozaukee
  • Rock
  • Washington
  • 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 

Rent Assistance 

  • 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 adjusted 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​ 

  • 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.

HQS Inspections​ 

  • 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.

Income Determinations​ 

  • 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. 

Administration​​ 

Grantees may use up to 10 percent 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 

Client Files 

Reference Materials  

Documents 

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
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