MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) announced that over $50 million has been spent by the State to help eligible Wisconsin residents avoid eviction and homelessness. The Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance (WERA) program provides eligible households up to 15 months of assistance with existing or overdue rent and utility bills, including internet costs. WERA was expanded by Governor Tony Evers in July to help renters cover their housing-related costs and stay in stable housing during the pandemic. Funds continue to assist Wisconsinites who may be at risk of eviction.    

“Making sure that people have a safe place to live is one of the most basic but important things that we can do, and it was a top priority for my administration as communities across our state battled the coronavirus pandemic,” said Governor Tony Evers. “These investments represent more than 13,000 families we’re working to help support so they won’t have to choose between putting food on the table or a roof over their heads. I’m grateful to everyone who continues to work to get the word out to families and individuals who are eligible for assistance.”

The Aug. 3 eviction order from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was enacted to address the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19. The order now encompasses all 72 counties in Wisconsin due to high transmission risk across the state.  

“Even as we reach this milestone, the need has not evaporated,” said DOA Secretary Joel Brennan. “It’s more important than ever to make sure that hard-working Wisconsinites are not losing a place to live just as the risk from the COVID-19 Delta variant intensifies, and that people know this help exists. We are grateful to our local agency, government and nonprofit partners, including the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association, the Wisconsin Council of Churches, and the United Way, who are supporting this effort. We also want to remind Wisconsinites who’ve been impacted by the pandemic and struggling to pay rent, to call 2-1-1 to get connected to help. You might qualify for rental assistance even if you haven’t qualified for similar programs in the past.”

Using the Wisconsin Eviction Data Project, DOA is identifying Wisconsinites at risk of eviction to allow WISCAP agencies to proactively reach out to potentially eligible households and offer support and resources.