A new program is being launched to reduce homelessness in Brown County. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A new program is being launched to reduce homelessness in Brown County.
The goal is to create a support system between high-barrier tenants and landlords.
It’s all thanks to a $220,000 grant through Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and mechanical engineering company, Tweet Garot.
Homelessness continues to be a growing problem in Brown County. Between January 2022 and January 2025, the number of people facing homelessness grew by 15%.
Now, this three-year pilot program led by the Salvation Army of Greater Green Bay is trying to help solve the issue.
“There’s a lot of people that have barriers to renting properties, and there’s a lot of landlords that have properties that need to be filled, but there’s a lot of risk with certain types of renters, and so we want to come in and fill that gap,” Major Catherine Fitzgerald of Salvation Army of Greater Green Bay said.
Many people may experience homelessness because of certain barriers in place, keeping them from renting. They may have poor credit, a short rental history or a previous eviction.
The new “Tenant Success Fund” creates a support system between high-barrier tenants and landlords who are trying to rent out space.
“It’s sort of a voucher for tenants who maybe haven’t had the best success in the past and need a second chance. So really, the Salvation Army’s team will walk alongside them,” Greater Green Bay Community Foundation Senior Vice President of Community Impact Amber Paluch said.
During the pilot run, there will be enough funding for 10 tenants, either individuals or families.
$7,000 per household is put into the Tenant Success Fund, and it’s there as a safety net if landlords need it to cover issues like damaged property, missed rent and more.
There will also be tenant education courses, along with landlord check-ins, to help create strong relationships — and most importantly, trust.
“Being able to have that in place can really just ease that strain and allow the working through of an issue in a more seamless fashion,” Paluch said.
The program also puts existing properties to use, rather than starting from scratch and building new. The hope is this new idea sets tenants and landlords up for success, while ending homelessness.
“This is our community, these are our neighbors, these are our friends, these are people that we get to visit with every day, and there’s so many that are ready to take the next step,” Fitzgerald said.
The initiative is expected to launch by early 2026.
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