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Vacancy-to-Vitality Competitive Loan

The Vacancy-to-Vitality Loan helps convert vacant commercial buildings into workforce or senior housing. These conversions can be expensive due to structural changes needed to redesign the floor plate for housing, zoning and regulatory changes or construction costs. These projects expand housing without new land use and often have lower infrastructure demands and shorter development timelines than projects on empty land.

Total funding: $100 million
Funding awarded as of fall 2025: $13,319,559 

 

Upcoming Important Dates

Late April

Competitive application cycle scheduled to open

Late May

Spring Competitive applications due to WHEDA

June, 2026

Spring award announcement

 

Assembly Bill 194, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 237, makes certain modifications to the Infrastructure Access, Restore Main Street, and Vacancy-to-Vitality loan programs created in the 2023-25 Biennial Budget. WHEDA has begun updating loan term sheets and award plans to reflect these changes. The Spring Cycle applications will open in late April with final submissions due in late May. Award announcements are expected in June 2026.

Sign up for emails related to Competitive Loan Products on our email sign-up page. Make sure to check the box labeled "Competitive Loan Products" before submitting the form.

Please submit questions about the Vacancy-to-Vitality competitive loan to home@wheda.com

 

Vacancy-to-Vitality Application Materials

  • Vacancy-to-Vitality Loan Example Application (Revision Coming Soon)
  • Vacancy-to-Vitality award plan (Revision Coming Soon)
  • View the Vacancy-to-Vitality Loan program term sheet (Revision Coming Soon)

Loan program resources

 

2025 Fall Award Cycle Winners

Project Name Project City Project County Program Total Units Loan Amount
Madison Dane Vacancy-To-Vitality 93 $1,000,000
Set Aside Housing Type
General Workforce
Madison Dane Vacancy-To-Vitality 177 $1,000,000
Set Aside Housing Type
General Workforce

 

2025 Spring Award Cycle Winners

Click the name of the project to see more information.

Project Name Project City Project County Program Total Units Loan Amount
Madison Dane Vacancy-to-Vitality 76 $1,000,000
Set Aside Housing Type
General Workforce
Chippewa Falls Chippewa Vacancy-to-Vitality 27 $562,807
Set Aside Targeting
General Workforce
South Milwaukee Milwaukee Vacancy-to-Vitality 20 $756,752
Set Aside Targeting
General Workforce