Affordable Housing in Milwaukee, WI

This page collects the specific programs, agencies, phone numbers, and rules that apply in Milwaukee and Milwaukee County — not generic Section 8 advice. Two things to know up front: HACM's Project-Based Voucher lists are currently OPEN (rare and worth acting on), and Milwaukee has a unified one-stop walk-in clinic at the Rental Housing Resource Center for eviction prevention, mediation, and rent help. Wisconsin state law (Acts 76 and 317) preempted most local tenant ordinances, so the protections below are mostly state-level. The named resources below are where to start.

Emergency Help Tonight in Milwaukee

If you need a safe place to sleep tonight or are facing an imminent eviction, these are the local resources to contact first:

• Milwaukee Rescue Mission — emergency shelter for men (Cross Trainers Academy), women, and children (Joy House). milmission.org
• Salvation Army of Milwaukee County — Emergency Lodge for families and individuals, plus other corps locations across the county
• Hope House of Milwaukee — emergency shelter for men, women, and families on the south side
• St. Ben's Community Meal and The Gathering of Southeast Wisconsin — daytime meal sites and outreach connections
• Pathfinders Wisconsin — emergency shelter and services for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness
• Walker's Point Youth & Family Center — youth shelter and runaway services
• St. Catherine Residence — long-term affordable housing for women
• Sojourner Family Peace Center — DV shelter and 24-hour crisis line: 414-933-2722. Largest Family Justice Center model in the country. Bilingual advocates
• Milwaukee Continuum of Care — Coordinated Entry — call Impact 2-1-1 to access the County's coordinated shelter system
• Impact 2-1-1 — free 24/7 information line at 211 or (414) 773-0211 for shelters, food, financial assistance, and social services

For a full walkthrough of finding shelter the first night, see our emergency housing tonight guide.

Section 8 in Milwaukee: HACM Status and How to Apply

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in Milwaukee are administered by the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM). There's a separate Housing Authority of Milwaukee County for areas outside the city limits. Current status (May 2026):

• The Tenant-Based Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) waitlist is closed as of May 2026. Watch hacm.org/programs/housing/apply-for-housing
• However, the Project-Based Voucher (PBV) waitlists ARE OPEN until further notice. PBV is tied to specific HACM-affiliated properties — this is the most accessible path right now. Apply through the HACM portal
• Public Housing through HACM — separate program with site-specific waitlists for HACM-owned communities
• Housing Authority of Milwaukee County — separate authority for areas outside the City of Milwaukee. Run separately from HACM
• Other special programs: Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), HUD-VASH for veterans, Mainstream vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities — separate referral processes
• Apply to neighboring authorities too: West Allis Housing Authority, Waukesha County, Racine, Kenosha, and the Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority (WHEDA, statewide) run separate lists
• Status check: call HACM at (414) 286-5677 if you've already applied and need to verify your position on the list

For the national application process, see our step-by-step Section 8 guide and how to find your PHA.

Emergency Rental Assistance in Milwaukee (Named Programs)

If you're behind on rent or can't pay this month, these are the local programs currently operating in Milwaukee. Funding shifts month to month — always call to confirm current availability:

• Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center (RHRC) — walk-in clinic — Milwaukee's one-stop shop for eviction prevention, mediation referrals, legal aid connections, and case management. (414) 895-RENT (7368) · 728 N. James Lovell Street · walk-in Monday–Friday 9 AM–4 PM. renthelpmke.org
• Community Advocates Rental Assistance — has historically distributed Milwaukee's rental help. As of January 7, 2026, Community Advocates paused new applications for direct rental assistance due to limited funding. Eviction prevention services continue through the RHRC. communityadvocates.net
• Mediate Milwaukee — landlord-tenant mediation referred through the RHRC; can be a faster path to a settlement than court
• Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee — Eviction Defense Project (EDP) — free legal representation for low-income tenants facing eviction. lasmilwaukee.com
• Legal Action of Wisconsin — additional free legal services for low-income tenants statewide
• Catholic Charities of Milwaukee — emergency financial assistance, food, immigration legal services. Spanish and Hmong language services
• St. Vincent de Paul Society of Milwaukee — one-time emergency rental and utility help through local parish conferences
• Salvation Army of Milwaukee County — eviction prevention and utility assistance at corps across the county
• Hunger Task Force — food assistance, plus referrals to other emergency programs

WERA and federal pandemic-era programs have ended

Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance (WERA) closed long ago, and Milwaukee County's pandemic ERA programs have also wound down. Current paths are the RHRC walk-in clinic and the named nonprofits above. Don't waste time on old 2021–2023 application portals.

Utility assistance: WHEAP

Wisconsin's LIHEAP is called the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP). In Milwaukee, you apply through the Social Development Commission (SDC) or other community partners. Heating help runs October 1 through May 15. Apply through SDC or call 211.

Tenant Rights in Milwaukee & Wisconsin

Wisconsin has a landlord-friendly framework, and state law has preempted most local tenant ordinances. Knowing the state-level rules is essential:

• Wisconsin Act 76 (2014) and Act 317 (2018) preempted local tenant protections: these state laws nullified many city-level tenant ordinances Milwaukee and Madison had passed, including local source-of-income protections. The state framework is now the controlling law
• No statewide source-of-income protection: Wisconsin does not have a statewide law preventing landlords from refusing Section 8 vouchers. Milwaukee's prior local ordinance was preempted by Act 76. Finding a landlord who already accepts vouchers is part of the work — HACM can provide a list of participating landlords
• 5-day notice to vacate for nonpayment on tenancies under 1 year (Wis. Stat. §704.17(1)); 14-day notice on tenancies of 1+ years (§704.17(2)). Among the shorter notice periods in the country
• Notice to end month-to-month: 28 days from either party (Wis. Stat. §704.19)
• Security deposit return: within 21 days of move-out with itemized deductions (Wis. Stat. §134.06). Wisconsin does not cap deposit amounts
• Warranty of habitability: Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection administers landlord-tenant rules at ATCP 134, which require code compliance and habitable conditions
• Limited retaliation protections: Wisconsin's explicit anti-retaliation protections are narrower than many states. Federal Fair Housing Act protections still apply if the retaliation is for protected reporting
• Self-help eviction is illegal: Wis. Stat. §704.05(2) prohibits lockouts, utility shutoffs, and removal of belongings. The landlord must use the Wisconsin small claims process
• Fair housing: discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability is illegal under federal law. Wisconsin's Open Housing Law (Wis. Stat. §106.50) adds marital status, sexual orientation, and lawful source of income — but Act 76 limited municipalities' ability to enforce stricter local SOI rules. The state Equal Rights Division handles complaints

For free legal help: Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee — Eviction Defense Project and Legal Action of Wisconsin. For state-level details, see our Wisconsin housing resources. If you experience discrimination, see how to file a housing discrimination complaint. Note: Wisconsin's Open Housing Law does include lawful source of income — but enforcement against private landlords has been limited under Act 76; the Equal Rights Division is the place to start a complaint.

Other Housing Programs in Milwaukee

• Public housing: HACM owns public-housing communities across Milwaukee, including high-rise senior properties and family communities. Application is separate from Section 8 — ask at hacm.org/programs/housing/apply-for-housing
• LIHTC (Tax Credit): Milwaukee has substantial LIHTC inventory. Search HUD's LIHTC database for properties in Milwaukee County. See how to find LIHTC housing
• HUD-VASH (veterans): combines a voucher with VA case management. Milwaukee-area veterans are referred through the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. See how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Rapid Rehousing & Permanent Supportive Housing — coordinated through the Milwaukee Continuum of Care. Access via Impact 2-1-1
• Take Root Milwaukee — coalition that supports homeownership for first-time buyers
• WHEDA (Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority) — statewide homebuyer programs, down-payment assistance, and rental development financing. wheda.com
• HUD-approved housing counseling: find a counselor through the HUD counselor locator — Housing Resources Inc. and ACTS Housing cover Milwaukee

Next Steps

Not sure which program is right for you? Our Where to Start tool asks a few quick questions about your situation — emergency vs. long-term, family vs. individual, employed vs. on benefits — and routes you to the right combination of programs. It takes about two minutes.

Two strong first moves in Milwaukee: walk into the Rental Housing Resource Center at 728 N. James Lovell Street any weekday 9 AM–4 PM (or call 414-895-RENT), and check HACM's Project-Based Voucher waitlists at hacm.org — those are open right now, which is unusual. If you have an eviction case filed, contact Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee's Eviction Defense Project for free representation.