Housing Navigation Services

Housing Solutions for Every Journey

Housing Navigation Services

Beginning January 2024, Housing Navigation Services will transition from Catholic Charities to Urban Triage. Housing Navigation Services is now an initiative of Urban Triage – created in partnership with Dane County – to provide compassionate, caring, and culturally conscious services to individuals and families experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness. We want to ease this often stressful navigation by addressing your personal needs, preferences, and barriers to achieving housing.

Our staff uses an individualized approach with each person or family to determine the level of assistance needed when crafting a personalized housing plan. Additionally, resources such as employment and training, benefits, and overall health services are factored in for client success.

One-on-one Housing Navigation services will be accessible only for unhoused (i.e. in shelter or outdoors) residents of Dane County who are not currently enrolled in another case management or outreach program that provides navigation services.

Housing Navigation can be contacted by email at housingnavigation@urbantriage.org, phone at (608) 299-4128 ext. 1, or at The Beacon during walk-in hours listed below.

Service Locations

The Beacon

615 E Washington Avenue
Madison, WI  53713

Directions to The Beacon

Urban Triage - Downtown Office

147 S Butler Street
Madison, WI  53713

Directions to Urban Triage Downtown Office

Services Provided

Housing Navigation staff focus on the following services:

  • Identify barriers to housing and help develop a progress plan to overcome those barriers.
  • Assist with the application process when looking for housing in a private market.
  • Guide individuals and families with subsidized housing applications and opportunities.
  • Help make connections to transitional housing programs, if needed.
  • Quick Move-In Funds, if applicable.

In-person housing navigation services will only be provided to people experiencing homelessness who are using shelter or living outside and not enrolled in another program. Those using shelter or living on the street have always been the priority population to be served by Housing Navigation. With limited resources available, it will be a requirement to only serve those using shelter or on the street for the provider to have enough time and capacity to provide specialized one-on-one services. There will also be extra funding (Quick Move-In Funds) for those using the shelter or living outside (arrears, security deposit, and/or first month’s rent - up to $3,000 max per individual).

For individuals who are doubled up (staying with others/not on the lease or self-paying in a hotel), or facing housing insecurity (individuals in housing who need to move to a different apartment), they can still access the resources available on the existing Housing Navigation website. These resources will be transferred to the website Urban Triage launches in the first quarter of 2024. Instead of referring people who are doubled up or housing insecure to the general housing navigation e-mail and phone number, it would be better to refer clients directly to the housing navigation website.

If people are looking for help with eviction prevention, that resource remains the same: https://www.danecountyhomeless.org/homelesspreventionservices. If people are in eviction proceedings and need help, they should also reach out to the Tenant Resource Center: https://eddp.tenantresourcecenter.org/

Quick Move-In Funds

Quick Move-In Funds (QMIF) will be available and launched by the end of January. QMIF can cover arrears, security deposit, and/or first month’s rent - up to $3,000 max per individual. The contract with the County was recently executed, so we are waiting for the funds to be processed so they can be accessed. Reach out to a Housing Navigation specialist for any QMIF requests. QMIF processing time will take 7-10 business days as documents will need to be obtained and applications reviewed. Funds are scheduled to be distributed every Friday.

Housing Resource List

The Housing Resource List is in the process of being revised. In the meantime, the latest version for March 2024 is provided, including some vacancies and other affordable housing resources. 

THIS LIST IS NOT SUBSIDIZED OR EMERGENCY HOUSING: Fair Market Rates (FMR) have been established by HUD to identify affordable housing options. Many apartments in this document fall within FMR rates for the Dane County, WI HUD Metro FMR area. This document is designed to assist individuals who are searching for affordable housing. This list is not intended to be an all-inclusive vacancy and resource listing for Dane County. 

DISCLAIMER: Urban Triage and Housing Navigation Services are not responsible for the conditions, terms of leases, or quality of management services of the units on this list. You are responsible for inspecting and obtaining information about the housing and management services you are interested in. The majority of this list is comprised of ads from MadisonProperty.com and Craigslist websites.

Below are the housing resources by available bedrooms for March 2024:

0-1 Bedrooms

2-3 Bedrooms

4+ Bedrooms

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