Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation:

• Brownfield Site Assessment Grant
• Brownfields  Grant  Program
• Community Development Investment  Grant 
• Idle Sites Redevelopment Program
• Historic Preservation Tax Credit (With WI Historical Society and DOR)

Wisconsin  Department of Natural Resources:

• Wisconsin Assessment Monies
• Wisconsin Ready for Reuse Loan and  Grant Program
• Dry Cleaner Environmental  Response Fund
• Petroleum Environmental Cleanup  Fund  Award
• Stewardship  Program

• Opportunity Zones:
• The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act established Opportunity Zones to spur private investment in distressed communities throughout the U.S. This program encourages investment in some of our nation’s most economically challenged communities through tax incentives.  The tax incentives encourage private investment to accelerate economic growth and job creation.Opportunity Zone MapFAQ about Opportunity ZonesCensus Tract Data for Berlin

City of  Berlin residents can apply for the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block  Grant (CDBG)  to offer housing rehabilitation program for community’s ability to conserve, rehabilitate, and improve residential properties occupied by low-to-moderate (LMI) residents. The City of Berlin is part of Juneau County Housing Authority and can apply for the funds through them. Click here. 

CDBG Residential Rehabilitation Brochure

CDBG Homeowner Application

CDBG Rental Application

CDBG Income Limit

United State Department of Agriculture Rural Development:

• Housing Preservation & Revitalization Demonstration Loans & Grants
• Housing Preservation Grants
• Multi-Family Housing Direct Loans
• Multi-Family Housing Rental Assistance
• Single Family Housing Direct Home Loans
• Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants

Tax Incremental Finance (TIF) is a financing option that allows a municipality (city, village or town) to fund infrastructure and other improvements, through property tax revenue of newly developed property. A municipality identifies an area, the tax incremental district (TID), as appropriate for a certain type of development. The municipality identifies projects to encourage and facilitate the desired development. Then as property values rise, the municipality uses the property tax paid on that development to pay for the projects. After the project costs are paid, the municipality closes the TID. The municipality, school(s), county, and technical college are able to levy taxes on the value of the new development.

Types of TID:

• Blight
• Rehabilitation
• Conservation
• Industrial
• Mixed-Use
• Environmental Remediation

City of Berlin Tax Increment Districts and Plans

• Tax Increment District #15 Project Plan
• Tax Increment Financing Feasibility Study

TID #15 Funding Options:

• TID Facade Improvement Program Information
• TID Facade Improvement Program Application
• TID Building Improvement Program Information
• TID Building Improvement Program Application
• TID Program Release Form – REQUIRED FOR BOTH PROGRAMS

NEW – TID Affordable Housing Loan Program:

The City of Berlin’s TID Affordable Housing Loan Program is a housing stock renewal loan program that is intended to improve the quality, functionality, affordability and attractiveness of homes in Berlin. The program was created by the City of Berlin’s Common Council. Most of Berlin’s housing stock was constructed many years prior and although most of the homes have been well maintained, many of them no longer meet the needs of today’s households, particularly young families with children.

Funds from the program will be available in the form of a loan with 2% interest over the life of the loan. Loans will be funded using TID funds from a closing TID district in the city. The primary goals of the program include rejuvenating existing and aging housing stock to make it more attractive to buyers, especially young families, and well as working to close the income gap through a program making repairing a property in the Berlin community more accessible to all.

TID Affordable Housing Information Sheet
TID Affordable Housing Loan Application

For more information on the above programs, please contact our Planning & Development Director Tim Ludolph at (920) 361-5156 or tludolph@cityofberlin.wi.gov.