Resources

Links

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access (IDEA)
Link: www.ap.buffalo.edu/idea
Located at the State University of New York at Buffalo, the center offers many resources including "Bright Ideas," a gallery of useful products.

Center for Self-Determination
Link: www.self-determination.com
Working collaborative that promotes self-determination for individuals with disabilities. Offers publications, links to related national and state-level organizations.

Center for Universal Design
Link: www.design.ncsu.edu/cud
An affliate of the North Carolina State University in Raleigh, CUD is a national research, information and technical assistance center that evaluates, develops and promotes universal design in housing, public and commercial facilites, and related products. Site offers many publications and numerous links.

Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
Link: www.c-c-d.org
A coalition of 100 disabilities organizations advocating for public policy that ensures self-determination, empowerment and inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of U.S. society. Site contains link to Opening Doors, a publication covering housing issues.

Fannie Mae Foundation
Link: www.fanniemaefoundation.org
The Fannie Mae foundation has ceased substantially all of its day-to-day operations. Fannie Mae, the foundation's funder, is consolidating its philanthropic initiatives into the Office of Community and Charitable Giving. Consult the foundation's website for more information.

Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago
Link: www.fhlbc.com
Assists member financial institutions through its community investment and affordable housing programs. Offers opportunities for nonprofits to team with member banks to secure financing for affordable housing projects. Lists member lenders.

HomeWords
Link: facstaff.uww.edu/homewords
A resource center for those working in direct service to homeless families and children. Topics include parenting while homeless, helping clients plan for the future, and the relationship between advocacy and service provision. Offers links to topic-related information.

HUD Milwaukee Office
Link: www.hud.gov/local/mil
Community Planning and Development Wisconsin page provides dropdown menu of audience groups leading to resources for nonprofits, home buyers, people with disabilities, elected officials and more.

HUD's Online Library
Link: www.hud.gov/library
Directs visitor to "bookshelf 1" (the most-frequently used HUD pages); also gives links to housing publications.

IndependenceFirst
Link: www.independencefirst.org
As a member of the National Council on Independent Living, provides advocacy, independent living sktills training, information, referral and peer support programs to people with disabilities, their families, businesses and others. Serves Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties.

Knowledge Plex
Link: www.knowledgeplex.org
Gathers information from a wide variety of sources on topics related to housing and community development. Timely information on "hot topics" in the field. Also includes a toolkit for overcoming community resistance to affordable housing.

Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Link: www.lisc.org
A good general-purpose site for housing and community development information.

Movin' Out, Inc.
Link: www.movin-out.org
Movin' Out serves Wisconsin households having a member with a permanent disability. Services include information, comprehensive housing counseling, and gap financing.

National Coalition for the Homeless
Link: www.nationalhomeless.org
Site includes information on legislative and policy issues, legislative alerts, and fact sheets on various aspects of homelessness.

National Resource Center on Homelessness and Mental Illness
Link: www.nrchmi.samhsa.gov
Covers the full range of issues related to homelessness and mental illness, with significant content on housing.

U.S. Census Bureau
Link: www.census.gov
Offers statistical data from the 2000 census, plus ongoing data updates.

U.S. Department of Justice
Link: www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada
U.S. Department of Justice page offering information and technical assistance related to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

University of Wisconsin Applied Population Laboratory
Link: www.wisstat.wisc.edu
This site offers a new way to access Bureau of Census data on housing. Users can create housing profiles by county, city or township; profiles include comparison to 1990 data. Family demographics also available. To begin, click on "analysis tools."

WHEDA
Link: www.wheda.com
Site of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, which allocates federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits in Wisconsin and makes lower-interest loans for home purchase, rental housing development and housing rehabilitation. Also includes resources for prospective home buyers.

WIFrontDoor Housing
Link: www.wifrontdoorhousing.org
Front Door is a database designed by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce for use by housing consumers, landlords and human service agencies. It provides a free listing service for affordable housing providers and allows tenants to search for available housing options.

Wisconsin Community Action Program Association
Link: www.wiscap.org
Site provides information on the programs offered by Wisconsin's CAP agencies. Resources include contact information for regional CAPs.

Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities
Link: www.wcdd.org
The council is a planning and advocacy body working to influence the direction of programs and policies affecting individuals with developmental disabilities. Numerous publications available, also the parent organization of Disability Advocates Wisconsin Network (DAWN) and related Wisconsin-based and national organizations.

Wisconsin Division of Housing & Community Development Housing Programs
Link: www.commerce.state.wi.us/housing
Located in the Department of Commerce. Provides information on using the HOME program in Wisconsin, plus information on home ownership assistance programs including CDBG (Community Development Block Grant), HCRI (Housing Cost Reduction Initiative), HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS) and LHOG (Local Housing Organization Grants).

Wisconsin Division of Intergovernmental Relations
Link: www.doa.state.wi.us/dir
Division includes the Comprehensive Planning Office, which offers information on the Smart Growth planning process, planning elements and planning grants.