Brown County, part of the Balance of State Continuum of Care (CoC), has seen an 8% decrease in homelessness from 453 in 2025 to 416 in 2026, according to the January 2026 Point in Time count. However, the recent Notice of Funding Opportunity Continuum of Care Competition for Fiscal Year 2026 released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) may not effectively address the root causes of homelessness.

Challenges in Addressing Homelessness

The HUD notice redirects CoC programming away from Permanent Supportive Housing and toward Transitional Housing programming, with addiction and mental health treatment as an objective for housing services. This shift may not adequately address the needs of the chronically homeless population, which accounts for nearly 19% of Brown County’s homeless population. Furthermore, the minimum wage in Wisconsin has not changed since 2009, leaving rental options out of reach for many, including the estimated 35% of the population in Brown County who are renters.

Service providers in Brown County are working diligently to meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness by offering opportunities for permanent housing, transitional housing, and emergency shelter. However, the new HUD guidelines may put additional pressure on these providers, who are already struggling to meet the demands of a vulnerable population.

A Call to Action

To effectively address homelessness, it is essential to increase access points for mental health and addiction treatment, expand public healthcare, and address the root causes of homelessness, such as the lack of affordable housing and stagnant minimum wage. By working together as a community, we can make a positive impact and help our neighbors in need.

Original reporting: Wisconsin Watch — read the source article.