Facebook image
Skip navigation
Back

Who We Are

 

Our Vision

All people in Wisconsin have an affordable place to call home.

Our Mission

We help Wisconsin thrive by expanding access to affordable housing choices.

What we do

We use our financial strength and expertise to improve access to affordable housing options and expand economic prosperity for everyone in Wisconsin. We work collaboratively with others and leverage our collective resources to expand equitable and sustainable housing where people want to live, work, raise a family, and thrive.

Our Strategic Priorities

We put people first.

We do what only we were created to do.

We protect housing as a core human need.

How we do it

We use our vital resources to make affordable housing possible and act beyond expectation to ensure housing for generations because everything we do is about helping people prosper.

Our Strategic Goals

BE the authority on housing in Wisconsin.

INCREASE housing choices for people across the state.

CENTER human experience in operations and decisions.

 

WHEDA History

  • 1972
    Wisconsin Legislature creates state housing authority and appropriates $250,000 to start operations.
     
  • 1973

    Program operations begin.

  • 1974

    First bond offering raises $27 million for multifamily loans.

  • 1975

    First housing authority to market bonds to finance Section 8 housing.

  • 1976

    First housing authority to have newly constructed units in occupancy.

  • 1977

    First housing authority to coordinate housing with HUD and Farmers Home Administration.

  • 1978

    Authority-financed developments required to have units designed for people with disabilities.

    1978 Initiates requirement on all WHFA-financed developments to have units designed for the physically disabled.

  • 1979

    Repays $250,000 in initial seed money appropriated by the state.

  • 1980

    Issues first bonds for homeownership and single family rehabilitation loans.

    1980 Wheda Project

  • 1981

    Receives $75 million in additional bonding authority for housing rehabilitation loans.

  • 1982

    Sells $100 million in mortgage revenue bonds to support first-time home buyers.

    1982 WHEDA Project

  • 1983

    Mission expands to include business and agriculture financing.

  • 1984

    WHEDA Foundation begins grant program to support non-profit housing providers.

  • 1985

    Launches the CROP loan guarantee to help cash-strapped farmers.

  • 1986

    Offers loan program to support women- and minority-owned businesses.

    1986 WHEDA Projects

  • 1987

    Becomes first and only Wisconsin entity to administer federal housing tax credits.

  • 1988

    Offers a first-of-its-kind drought relief loan guarantee for farmers.

  • 1989

    Begins administering federal Section 8 rent vouchers.

  • 1990

    Surpasses $2 billion in total assets.

  • 1991

    Offers long-term financing along with federal housing tax credits.

    1991 WHEDA Project

  • 1992

    Leads the nation with over 4,500 single family loans financed by mortgage revenue bonds.

  • 1993

    The Wisconsin Preservation Trust is formed to help preserve Section 8 units as affordable.

    1993 WHEDA Project

  • 1994

    First housing authority to offer 97% LTV mortgages with private mortgage insurance.

  • 1995

    State Legislature permanently extends CROP financing for farmers.

  • 1996

    Introduces FARM loan guarantee to help farmers expand operations.

  • 1997

    Lindsay Heights partnership begins for Milwaukee neighborhood redevelopment.

    1997 WHEDA Project

  • 1998

    Provides temporary housing grants for flood and tornado victims.

  • 1999

    Closes more than $52 million in multifamily loans.

    1999 WHEDA Project

  • 2000

    Secures mortgage revenue bonding and tax credit programs with legislation to increase caps.

  • 2001

    First housing authority to launch an online mortgage application system.

  • 2002

    Closes more than $100 million in multifamily loans.

    2002 WHEDA Project

  • 2003

    Increases African American mortgage lending by 27%.

  • 2004

    First housing authority to be awarded federal New Markets Tax Credits.

  • 2005

    Record year with over $560 million in mortgage lending.

  • 2006

    Invests $4 million in Milwaukee's Metcalfe Park Neighborhood lease-to-purchase program.

    2006 WHEDA Project

  • 2007

    Awards housing tax credits on Tribal land.

  • 2008

    Launches WisconsinForeclosureResource.com to help homeowners.

  • 2009

    Receives $139 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to advance housing.

  • 2010

    First housing authority to offer a mortgage product in partnership with Fannie Mae.

  • 2011

    Awarded $22.4 million in State Small Business Credit Initiative funds.

    2011 WHEDA Project

  • 2012

    Commits $100 million to Transform Milwaukee initiative.

  • 2013

    Announces Tax Advantage Mortgage Credit Certificate program.

  • 2014

    Launches no-fee loan guarantee to help Milwaukee small businesses.

  • 2015

    Introduces Veterans Affordable Loan Opportunity Rate mortgage program.

  • 2016

    Receives $5.47 million Capital Magnet Fund grant to increase affordable housing.

    2016 WHEDA Project

  • 2017

    Forms LISC partnership to expand small business financing resources.

  • 2018

    Begins administering the state housing tax credit program.

  • 2019

    Helps over 3,700 individuals and families achieve homeownership.

    2016 WHEDA Project

  • 2020

    Commits $10 million to rural affordable workforce housing.

    2020 WHEDA Project

  • 2021

    Forms CSH partnership to advance supportive housing.

    2021 WHEDA Project

  • 2022

    Finances first-of-its-kind supportive housing projects for farmworkers and Veterans.

  • 2023

    Administers new loan products through the Bipartisan Housing Legislation Package to increase affordable housing options.

#50YearsofWHEDA