Rent For Success Program    

Rent for Success traditional-setting classes are cancelled until further notice for public safety. Watch the calendar in the right column of this page for scheduled dates & times. More details may be obtained at (414) 286-8444
 

Wisconsin State COVID-19 FAQs

 

 

Governor-Ordered Temporary Ban: on Pay Notices and Evictions (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!)

• Notice: it DOES NOT say that you cannot be evicted for 60 days for "Imminent threat of serious physical harm" to another.

Governor orders landlords to avoid entering tenant's units unless under an emergency. (Emergency Order #12, See Item 3)

 

Gobernador Orden De Emergencia #12: Orden Mas Seguro En Casa

 

Gov. Tony Evers announced the launch of a $25 million Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program for Wisconsinites who have experienced income-loss as a result of the COVID-19 panmdemic.

 

How recent decrees and orders affect tenant-landlord business (video) (*You can FF to 3:45)

---

Tenant Tips from Community Advocates:

 

 

---

 

For  links to resources in the Milwaukee Area during the Corona Virus Outbreak. Brought to you by: 

the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin:

 

• Tenant Resources Guide (a collection of helpful links and information)

 

• The U.S House and Senate have passed $2.2 trillion COVID-19 Economic relief plan. Follow this link to a condensed version of that thousand-page document.

 

Also:

For Food Assistance:

• Hunger Task Force resources for those in need of groceries, as well as a free stockbox for 60+ seniors meeting income requirements

• List of MPS schools offering free meals to students

• The Milwaukee County Department on Aging is offering home delivery and some meal pick up options

For financial and miscellaneous assistance:

• FAQ for applying for Wisconsin Unemployment Benefits

• 211 resources to connect with local nonprofits and government services

• How to apply for FoodShare benefits

• How to apply for SNAP support and other Wisconsin benefits services

To donate or support the community:

• Hunger Task Force webpage for donating (To prevent potential spread of the virus, HTF is currently requesting monetary donations instead of canned/boxed goods)

• Hunger Task Force webpage for volunteering (Here is a statement on the current need for volunteers in response to the COVID-19 virus)

• United Way donation page

• Volunteer opportunities with United Way during COVID-19 response

• Community Advocates webpage for donations

• A list of local businesses offering giftcard purchases

• The Tandem is accepting donations as it currently provides free community meals only

• Information on the current blood shortage and how to donate blood

Free educational/leisure resources during self-isolation:

• Public library resources, e-books, tutoring, job help, and more

• ZooView.TV livestream of Milwaukee County Zoo animal enclosures

• Milwaukee Art Museum: At Home

• Local gyms offering online workouts, as well as other ways to stay fit at home

 

Stimulus check: If you have not filed your taxes for 2018 or 2019 you are not eligible. Individuals would get $1,200 and married couples would get $2,400

● Parents would get an additional $500 per child under 17

● Payments will be phased out for individuals making over $75,000 and no payments will be given for individuals making over $99,000.

● Payments will be phased out for couples making over $150,000 and no payments will be given for individuals making over $198,000

● People on Social Security are also eligible for these payments

● Those who didn’t earn anything are also eligible, although I’m not sure how they’re going to find how to pay them.

 

Unemployment :

https://unemploymentapply.com/WI.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjMC1-pa26AIVQaaWCh3yXAAMEAAYAiAAEgJBFvD_BwE

● The following expansion of unemployment benefits is huge..

● Federal government would give jobless workers an additional $600 a week for up to 4 months on top of current state benefits.

● Extends unemployment benefits by an additional 13 weeks (good through December 31, 2020

● Most states offer 26 weeks, it will now be 39 weeks

● Removes the 1-week waiting period when someone loses their job so they can receive benefits immediately

● Provides unemployment benefits for the first time to self-employed workers and “gig-economy” workers (Uber, AirBnB, etc.)

● Includes unemployment benefits to furloughed workers (so companies don’t have to lay off employees in order for them to receive benefits) This is pretty extensive. Usually, unemployment gives you 50% of what your weekly salary was. This additional $600 payment would give a lot of unemployed people their full salary.

• Whether you have applied for Emergency Assistance in the past year, or not, do so.
• We Energies will not be charging late fees or disconnecting services. This will help provide more money for your budget.
• Are you aware that several local companies are aggressively hiring now? Some of these companies are Amazon, Walmart, Roundy’s (Pick ‘n Save, Metro Market) This URL will redirect you to jobs within Wisconsin area: https://bit.ly/2WMxneH

---

Rent for Success is a free tenant-training program designed to educate and empower renters to make safe, healthy choices in their housing, and to provide helpful resources if anything does go wrong with an arrangement.

Learn how to: Understand Rental Agreements Advocate for yourself, legally Repair your credit Get a free Credit Report Respond to housing violations effectively Find healthy food End a bad tenancy Select the right place to rent

You will receive: Certificate of completion 50-page resource manual to keep (loads of great info!)

---

Eviction Database Website

• DNS worked in partnership with the City Attorney's Office, Legal Action of Wisconsin and the Medical College of Wisconsin to develop the Eviction Database website. Users can view interactive maps and data visualizations to track and monitor city of Milwaukee evictions. 

• Next City article: 
  Housing in Brief: Milwaukee Tenants Can Now View Their Landlord’s Eviction History
   
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article: 
  Milwaukee renters can now easily see a landlord's eviction record before signing a lease

---

Tips to Avoid Housing Rental Scams

• BEWARE - Be cautious of fake online ads on Craigslist and other rental websites. Bring a friend with you when meeting people.
   
• DON’T RENT BEFORE SEEING - Ask to meet the landlord and view the apartment in-person to be sure you are aware of the condition and location of the unit. Make sure the property location matches the address on the written rental agreement.
   
• PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL INFO - Do not give out personal information such as social security numbers or banking information.
   
• WATCH FOR SIGNS - Do NOT sign a lease or move in if the property has been placarded (an orange sticker from the City is posted at the property) or if there are any green boards over doors and windows. Watch for other signs like windows/doors missing locks, no running water or sewage backed-up, non-working/missing furnace, or unstable construction.
   
• VERIFY THE OWNER - Prior to signing a lease agreement, look up the owner of the property to be sure you are dealing with a person who has the rights to rent out the property. View property ownership information (plus code violations, service requests and permit info) online at milwaukee.gov/mymilwaukeehome.
   
• RESEARCH LANDLORD’S REPUTATION - Ask tenants and neighbors, check his/her other properties and look up criminal records on CCAP at https://wcca.wicourts.gov.
   
• NEVER PAY CASH - Always pay security deposit and monthly rent with a personal check, cashier’s check or money order, if possible. If a tenant does pay in cash, request a receipt immediately from the owner or manager.
   
• GET IT IN WRITING AND READ IT - Look closely at the details of your lease agreement to be sure all information matches what you’ve agreed upon and that the property address is correct. Always get and keep a written copy of the rental agreement or lease to help eliminate problems down the road.
   

---

What to do if you think you’ve been scammed:

• File a police report with MPD and provide as much information as possible
• Contact Community Advocates at (414) 449-4777
• Contact Mediate Milwaukee at (414) 939-8800
• Contact Legal Action of Milwaukee at (414) 278-7722
• Contact Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee at (414) 727-5300
• Contact Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic at (414) 288-6912

---

Rental scams in the news:

• Milwaukee 'scamlord' pretends to be with government to try to seize people's homes
• Special Report: Home rental scam making a comeback, targeting people across southeast Wisconsin
• “They’ll never see that money again:” Police warning renters about property scams
• Mom hit by rental home scam shares warning
• Beware This Milwaukee-Area Craigslist Swindle
• Dream rental turns into house of horror for woman conned by bogus landlord

---

By law, landlords/property owners:

• MAY NOT advertise or rent condemned property
• MUST disclose to a new tenant known housing code violations (e.g. structural, plumbing, electrical issues, etc.) in writing, and when they will be fixed
• MAY NOT rent a dwelling unit if the heating facillity device cannot maintain a minimum temperature of 67° when the outside temperature is -10° or above (Unvented space heaters ARE NOT ALLOWED!)
• MUST disclose who pays which utilities, and how those fees are determined for each tenant (e.g. 50/50, 33/33/33, 60/40)
• MUST disclose who cuts the grass and removes the snow
• MUST provide a name and phone number for themselves and/or their property manager, and where rent gets paid
• MUST provide a Check-In/Check-Out sheet at move-in (it is due back on a date of the landlady's choosing--not less-than SEVEN DAYS from date of receipt--or damage may be faulted to the tenant).
• MUST Provide a written Lead Disclosure Statement, AND a copy of the EPA "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home" brochure to all dwelling units if the building is built before 1978.

---

State Statutes and Legislative Documents for Landlords/Tenants

• Chapter 66: General Municipality Law (66.0104 Prohibiting Ordinances that Place Certain Limits or Requirements on a Landlord, etc.)
• Chapter 101.145 Smoke Detectors 
• Chapter 704: Landlord and Tenant (Severablity of Rental Agreements, Requirements for Rental Agreements in-writing, and Termination, etc.)
• Chapter 799: Procedure in Small Claims Actions (Court and Evictions, etc.)
• Chapter 942.08: Invasion of Privacy (Outdoor surveillance cameras, etc.)
• ATCP 125: Manufactured Home Communities (Fair Trade Practices)
• ATCP 134: Landlord/Tenant Rules (Promises to Repair, Prohibited Rental-Agreement Provisions, etc. NOTE: this link has not-yet been updated to reflect some recent changes, to include Credit-Check fee for a prospective tenant is now < $25)