Milwaukee County

Milwaukee County's Department of Health and Human Services - Housing Division, operating as Economic Development- Housing Cdbg, functions as a federal grant recipient providing homelessness services, affordable housing, and transit support to residents of Milwaukee County through direct administration of HUD and Department of Transportation formula and project grants. The entity is a U.S. local government division that operates as a child entity under Milwaukee County Department of Administration and has secured 183 total awards (99% as prime recipient) worth $1.08 billion in combined obligated funding since 1999.

The Housing Division's core grant portfolio concentrates on homelessness intervention and prevention across the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program (CFDA 14.267), which anchors the majority of recent awards. Representative CoC awards include a $720,261 project grant effective January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026; a $1,038,640 award dated October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026; and a $540,991 project grant obligated August 1, 2025 through July 31, 2026. Under these awards, the Housing Division delivers permanent supportive housing for persons with disabilities, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, supportive services, and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) administration, funded through HUD's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development. The Housing Division also administers Community Development Block Grants (CFDA 14.226) and Home Investment Partnerships Program funding (CFDA 14.239) for owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, homebuyer assistance, rental housing acquisition and construction, and tenant-based rental assistance to low- and very low-income households. A $7.75 million Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant (CFDA 14.905) awarded March 1, 2025 through March 1, 2029 supports lead abatement activities in privately-owned rental and owner-occupied housing in low-income and minority neighborhoods.

Beyond housing, the Housing Division administers Federal Transit Administration formula grants (CFDA 20.507) supporting Milwaukee County Transit System operations, bus fleet replacement, and capital facility improvements. A $31.5 million FTA award dated September 3, 2025 funds the procurement of seventy clean diesel buses; a $10 million operating grant awarded May 30, 2023 covers wages, salaries, fuel, and maintenance through March 30, 2030. The division also received a $1 million Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative grant (CFDA 16.812) from the Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance, awarded October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2027, to provide safe housing and wraparound services for individuals exiting the Community Reintegration Center.

Customer concentration is heavily weighted to HUD's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, which accounts for 104 of 180 awards in the recent portfolio (58% by count), and the Federal Transit Administration, which holds 72 awards (40% by count). The two agencies together represent 98% of the division's active award footprint. Eight awards face ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, creating recompete exposure for the division's recurring CoC, HOME, ESG, and FTA funding cycles. The Housing Division operates primarily through formula grant allocations rather than discretionary procurement and does not hold positions on federal GWACs, IDIQs, or other multi-award vehicles. Activity remained consistent over the past five years — averaging 14 awards annually from 2022 to 2024 — with one award recorded in the first six months of 2026, reflecting the alignment of most awards to HUD's and FTA's annual allocation calendars.