Wisconsin Help for Homeowners Legal Services

This program recently ended; see below for information about its positive impact for people in Wisconsin.

The coronavirus pandemic caused unprecedented disruptions in the lives of millions of Wisconsin residents. The resulting job loss, illness and other challenges caused many homeowners to fall behind on their mortgages. In partnership with the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP), WisTAF developed and administered the civil legal aid component of the Wisconsin Help for Homeowners (WHH) program, using federal pandemic recovery funds from the American Rescue Plan Act Homeowner Assistance Fund. Homeowners facing the loss of their home were referred for legal assistance by a network of community action programs through the state.

From the program's launch in 2022 through the sunset in 2025, WisTAF's WHH grantees served more than 1,000 people, saving nearly 400 homes from being lost in at least 65 of Wisconsin's 72 counties. WisTAF grantees achieved monetary outcomes for their clients that totalled more than $110.9 million, leveraging funding of only $1.6 million -- in other words, for every $1 invested, an impact of nearly $72 was achieved for clients alone. (In some cases, there were likely also positive economic impacts for lenders, and in all cases, savings for clients would also have a positive multiplier effect for Wisconsin's economy.)

The following agencies provided legal services to eligible homeowners through this program: