Evers signs five bills expanding safe, affordable housing access 

Gov. Tony Evers today signed five bipartisan bills to help expand access to safe, affordable housing for working families, according to a press release.

Assembly Bill 264, now 2023 Wisconsin Act 14, will create a residential housing infrastructure revolving loan fund program. It will allow residential housing developers to apply to the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) for a loan to cover the costs of installing, replacing, upgrading, or improving public infrastructure related to workforce housing or senior housing.

Assembly Bill 265, now 2023 Wisconsin Act 15, will create a main street housing rehabilitation revolving loan funding program. It will allow owners of rental housing to apply to WHEDA for a loan to cover the costs of an improvement to workforce housing to maintain it in a decent, safe, and sanitary condition or to restore it to that condition.

Assembly Bill 266, now 2023 Wisconsin Act 16, establishes a new procedure for certiorari review of local land use decisions regarding residential development, providing that the new procedure for certiorari review is the only review available for a decision of a political subdivision regarding an application for approval.

Assembly Bill 267, now 2023 Wisconsin Act 17, will make various modifications to the Workforce Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program administered by WHEDA.

Assembly Bill 268, now 2023 Wisconsin Act 18, will create a commercial-to-residential conversation revolving loan fund program under WHEDA. It will allow developers to apply to WHEDA for a loan to cover the costs of converting a vacant commercial building to workforce housing or senior housing and require the housing associated with a conversion loan to be new residential housing for rent or for sale, consisting of 16 or more dwelling units.