GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – A new pilot program led by the Salvation Army is launching in Green Bay to help reduce homelessness by connecting individuals with troubled rental histories to landlords and stable housing.
The goal is to assist people who may be struggling to find housing due to past credit issues or evictions.
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“So many individuals in our community are just looking for that little bit of help going forward,” said Dennis Buehler, president and CEO of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation. “Sometimes they’ve had a troubled renting history, maybe a credit problem or an eviction — and that’s stopping them from finding stable housing. We’re really trying to bridge that gap.”
The Salvation Army has received support from several organizations, including the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, and views the initiative as one step toward broader solutions for affordable housing in the region.
“We’re really just at the first days of this, but we are optimistic about how this can be just one part of a bigger solution,” Buehler said. “We understand that in Northeast Wisconsin, this is going to go well beyond one program. We need more affordable housing, more shelter support — but this is a complementary solution for those on the edge.”
Participants are referred through the Housing Coalition and paired with landlords willing to give them a second chance. Organizers say some landlords are open to the idea — especially when case management support is involved.
“We know they have the pick of the litter right now — there are renters everywhere who don’t have evictions on their backgrounds,” said Becky Darrow, director of social services for the Salvation Army of Greater Green Bay. “That’s a safe choice. But by working with our case management support, they’re allowing someone who has that on their background to get a fresh start.”
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The pilot is starting small, currently helping 10 families, but there’s hope to expand it.
“With only two case managers, you can’t serve a hundred households,” Darrow said. “It’s going to start small, but just being given the opportunity to start the pilot and show people this can be successful — we are really excited.”
