Madison, WI – Representative Jon Plumer (R-Lodi) is proud to support a series of bipartisan bills that attempt to end homelessness in Wisconsin. After the work that has been done by the Interagency Council on Homelessness, various members of the Assembly and Senate crafted several bills that were passed on the Assembly floor today called “A Hand for the Homeless”.
This package includes new programming and $3.75 million in funding by the Joint Committee on Finance, which doubles the state’s current commitment to homelessness prevention. Specifically, Rep. Plumer’s bill, AB 124 allocates $500,000 each year over the biennium to the homeless prevention program. It also allocates $300,000 each year over the biennium for diversion programming. The funds will be used to provide short-term intervention that are to be used to provide short-term intervention that supports a person in identifying and connecting with immediate, safe housing arrangements in the person’s support system, rather than using a temporary shelter. The grants and loans under the program are to be reasonably balanced among the Continuum of Care organizations that serve the geographic areas of the state.
The funding for the “A Hand for the Homeless” package was approved by the Joint Committee on Finance in the state’s budget. All eight bills passed out of the Assembly with bipartisan support, and now head to the State Senate.
Rep. Plumer commented, “I am thrilled that AB 124 and the rest of this package of bills has been passed today by the full Assembly. Homelessness is present throughout the entire state, not just urban areas. We have the ability to work toward ending homelessness in Wisconsin and I am proud to be part of the effort. I look forward to these bills passing the State Senate and arriving on Governor Evers’ desk.”
