The Rental Housing Development (RHD) Program provides funding to help eligible housing organizations create affordable rental housing across Wisconsin. Whether you're a nonprofit, a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO), or a for-profit developer partnering with one of these groups, you may qualify for support.Funds may be used for acquisition, rehabilitation, and new construction activities. To qualify, projects must serve households at or below 60% of the County Median Income (CMI). Projects will be subject to rent and income limits for a set period.
Applications are accepted on the first Monday of each month, from February through November. All eligible housing organizations are welcome to apply. If you're applying as a CHDO, be sure to include full certification documentation with your submission.
Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO)
A Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) is a special designation for nonprofit housing developers that meet criteria set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The CHDO designation may provide particular benefits to the organization as it develops and/or operates housing. An organization, which is designated as a CHDO can potentially qualify for special project funds, operating funds, and technical assistance associated with a project, and may be eligible to retain project proceeds.
To qualify as a CHDO, an organization must:
- Include in its charter, resolutions, or by-laws, a statement that among its purposes is the development of decent housing that is affordable to low- and moderate-income persons.
- Be community-based, with at least one-third of its board representing low-income residents.
- Be created by a public body provided the nonprofit is not controlled by the public body, therefore, no more than one-third of the board may be public officials.
- Meet requirements to maintain accountability to low-income community residents.
- Show a demonstrated history and capacity for carrying out housing development in the geographic area that the organization serves.
Interested in becoming a CHDO?
Submit documentation verifying your legal status, organizational structure, development capacity, and any relationships with for-profit entities when submitting your RHD application.
This program is administered by the Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources within the Wisconsin Department of Administration, and is funded by HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program.
