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Wisconsin Legislature: SB1179: Bill Text
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SB1179: Bill Text
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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-6624/1
MDE:skw&wlj
2025 SENATE BILL 1179
March 19, 2026 - Introduced by Senators
L. Johnson
,
Spreitzer
,
Smith
,
Wirch
,
Hesselbein
and
Larson
, cosponsored by Representatives
Haywood
,
Bare
,
Prado
,
Sinicki
,
DeSmidt
,
Stubbs
,
Doyle
,
Neubauer
,
Goodwin
,
Joers
,
Taylor
,
Kirsch
,
Sheehan
,
Mayadev
,
Snodgrass
,
Subeck
,
Moore Omokunde
,
Arney
,
Emerson
,
Miresse
,
Johnson
,
Phelps
,
Rivera-Wagner
,
Palmeri
,
Madison
,
Fitzgerald
,
Roe
,
Hysell
,
Brown
,
Udell
,
Tenorio
,
Andraca
and
Vining
. Referred to Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry.
SB1179,1,2
1
An Act
to create
20.490 (7) and 234.663 of the statutes;
relating to:
a home
2
repair program and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill directs the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority to establish a home repair program for the following purposes:
1. To ensure that residential housing units are fit for human habitation; free from defective conditions or health and safety hazards, including asbestos, mold, pests, and lead; and free from conditions preventing the installation of measures to improve energy or water efficiency and lower utility costs.
2. To implement energy efficiency measures.
3. To make residential housing units accessible for individuals with disabilities.
The bill requires WHEDA to award grants, not to exceed $25,000 per residential housing unit, to homeowners with annual household incomes of less than 100 percent of the area median income, and interest-free loans, not to exceed $25,000 per residential housing unit, to landlords that, in a landlord’s capacity as a landlord, have an ownership stake in no more than five properties and no more than 15 residential housing units, which the landlord rents for use as affordable housing. In the bill, “affordable housing” is defined in part as housing for occupancy by individuals whose annual household income does not exceed 100 percent of the area median income. Under the bill, WHEDA must prioritize awarding grants to homeowners with disabilities and homeowners with children five years of age or younger, and WHEDA may not award a grant or loan for a residential housing unit that was constructed more than 40 years nor less than 10 years before the homeowner or landlord applied for the grant or loan.
Under the bill, if a homeowner sells a residential housing unit within four years after receiving a grant under the bill, the homeowner is immediately liable to WHEDA for a portion of the grant amount. If a landlord sells a residential housing unit within four years after receiving a loan under the bill, the landlord is immediately liable to WHEDA for the unpaid remainder of the loan amount.
WHEDA may contract with a county or a nonprofit organization to administer the program in the bill and must provide annual reports to the Joint Committee on Finance and relevant standing committees of the legislature on certain information about the program.
The program created under the bill is funded by a portion of the amount transmitted to this state by counties in this state from the real estate transfer fee collected from the conveyance of real property from one person to another.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB1179,1
1
Section
1
.
20.490 (7) of the statutes is created to read:
SB1179,2,4
2
20.490
(7)
Housing programs.
(g)
Home repair program
. Fifty percent of
3
the moneys transmitted to the state under s. 77.24 for the program under s.
4
234.663.
SB1179,2
5
Section
2
.
234.663 of the statutes is created to read:
SB1179,2,6
6
234.663
Home repair program.
(1)
Definitions.
In this section:
SB1179,2,8
7
(a) “Affordable housing” means rental housing to which all of the following
8
apply:
SB1179,3,2
9
1. The estimated annual housing costs, as defined in s. 16.301 (3), do not
10
exceed, or are not expected to exceed, 30 percent of 100 percent of the area median
11
income, with family size determined using the federal imputed income limitation,
12
as defined in
26 USC 42
(g) (2) (C), and the utility-related costs if not included in the
1
rent equal the utility allowance determined by the federal department of housing
2
and urban development.
SB1179,3,4
3
2. The housing is for occupancy by individuals whose annual household
4
income does not exceed 100 percent of the area median income.
SB1179,3,7
5
(b) “Area median income” means the area median family income in the county
6
in which the housing is located, adjusted for family size, as published annually by
7
the federal department of housing and urban development.
SB1179,3,10
8
(c) “Eligible homeowner” means an individual whose annual household
9
income does not exceed 100 percent of the area median income and who is any of the
10
following:
SB1179,3,11
11
1. An owner of record and occupant of a residential housing unit.
SB1179,3,13
12
2. An owner and occupant of a manufactured home who leases a space in a
13
manufactured home community.
SB1179,3,16
14
3. An equitable owner and occupant of a residential housing unit who can
15
demonstrate an ownership interest in the residential housing unit by establishing
16
that the individual is any of the following:
SB1179,3,17
17
a. A party to a contract to purchase the residential housing unit.
SB1179,3,19
18
b. An owner of record of the residential housing unit prior to a fraudulent
19
conveyance of the residential housing unit.
SB1179,3,21
20
c. A trust beneficiary holding a partial ownership interest in the residential
21
housing unit.
SB1179,3,24
22
(d) “Eligible landlord” means a landlord that, in the landlord’s capacity as a
23
landlord, has an ownership stake in no more than 5 properties and no more than 15
24
residential housing units, which the landlord rents for use as affordable housing.
SB1179,4,2
1
(e) “Habitability concern” means a condition that prevents a residential
2
housing unit from being any of the following:
SB1179,4,3
3
1. Fit for human habitation.
SB1179,4,5
4
2. Free from defective conditions or health and safety hazards, including
5
asbestos, mold, pests, and lead.
SB1179,4,7
6
3. Free from conditions preventing the installation of measures to improve
7
energy or water efficiency and lower utility costs.
SB1179,4,8
8
(f) “Manufactured home” has the meaning given in s. 101.91 (2).
SB1179,4,11
9
(g) “Residential housing unit” means a dwelling unit used or intended to be
10
used as an occupant’s primary residence. “Residential housing unit” includes
11
manufactured homes.
SB1179,4,14
12
(2)
Establishment of program
. The authority shall establish and
13
administer a home repair program to award grants under sub. (3) and loans under
14
sub. (4) for all of the following purposes:
SB1179,4,16
15
(a) To ensure that residential housing units are free from habitability
16
concerns.
SB1179,4,17
17
(b) To implement energy efficiency measures.
SB1179,4,19
18
(c) To make residential housing units accessible for individuals with
19
disabilities.
SB1179,4,22
20
(3)
Grants to homeowners
. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.490 (7)
21
(g), the authority shall award grants of up to $25,000 per residential housing unit to
22
eligible homeowners for activities specified under sub. (5) (a) 2.
SB1179,5,2
23
(b) The authority shall prioritize awarding grants under par. (a) to eligible
1
homeowners with disabilities and eligible homeowners with children 5 years of age
2
or younger.
SB1179,5,5
3
(c) The authority may not award a grant under par. (a) for a residential
4
housing unit that was constructed more than 40 years nor less than 10 years before
5
the eligible homeowner applied for the grant.
SB1179,5,8
6
(4)
Loans to landlords
. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.490 (7) (g),
7
the authority shall award loans of up to $25,000 per residential housing unit to
8
eligible landlords for activities specified under sub. (5) (a) 3.
SB1179,5,9
9
(b) The authority may not charge interest on any loan awarded under par. (a).
SB1179,5,12
10
(c) The authority may not award a loan under par. (a) for a residential housing
11
unit that was constructed more than 40 years nor less than 10 years before the
12
eligible landlord applied for the loan.
SB1179,5,15
13
(5)
Administration requirements; the authority
. (a) The authority shall
14
establish policies and procedures to administer the program under sub. (2),
15
including all of the following:
SB1179,5,17
16
1. Policies and procedures for accepting applications for grants under sub. (3)
17
and loans under sub. (4).
SB1179,5,19
18
2. Specifying standards for repair and rehabilitation activities conducted by
19
eligible homeowners using grant funds awarded under sub. (3).
SB1179,5,21
20
3. Specifying standards for repair and rehabilitation activities conducted by
21
eligible landlords using loan funds awarded under sub. (4).
SB1179,5,23
22
4. Specifying any additional requirements for eligible homeowners or eligible
23
landlords that the authority deems necessary.
SB1179,6,2
24
(b) The authority may establish policies and procedures specifying standards
1
for the work performed using grant funds and loan funds awarded under this
2
section.
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