As of January 1, 2016, due to funding cuts from Dane County, the Tenant Resource Center no longer provides this service.  Contact Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin at:

Call: (855) 510-2323
E-mail: help@danecountyhomeless.org

More information on navigating their services here.

For more information on the services the Tenant Resource Center provides, visit our programs page.  Click here for more information about what service cuts mean to you.

We hope you like our new website!  We are very excited about it!  Not just because it looks cleaner, is easier to navigate and hopefully you will find the information you need quicker .  . . but because we have better access and control over our website, which means we can update it more often and make sure it is up to date.

Also, the website will help us collect data easier and make it easier to communicate with you!

So, it may take a week or two for us to get everything all straightened out . . . so be patient with us.  In the mean time, explore and let us know what you like and what you don't like.  What do you need?  What can't you find?  We are working hard to make sure it works for you - so let us know what you think!

As Wisconsin's coronavirus outbreak worsens, Gov. Tony Evers announces a temporary statewide ban on evictions and foreclosures effective 3.27.2020 for 60 days

Emergency Order #15

Landlords are prohibited from serving any notice terminating a tenancy unless it is for an imminent threat of serious physical harm to another person.

(see order to read it in it's entirety)

NO PROVISION in this order should be constructed as relieving an individual of their obligations to pay rent, make mortgage payments, or any other obligation an individual may have under a tenancy or mortgage.

We strongly encourage tenants to continue paying rent as you can. Not paying rent in Wisconsin is a legitimate reason to file for eviction. If you can not pay rent due to income lose, please communicate with your landlord ASAP. If you need assistance in how to have that conversation (and document it), please don't hesitate to call (608.257.0006) our Housing Counselors to help you navigate your situation. 

Although we have had to temporarily close our offices to walk-ins we are still providing all services via call back service. Please call 608.257.0006 to get answers to your questions about Wisconsin Tenant-Landlord law, requesting assistance for eviction prevention, mediation and general assistance related to housing security - we are returning calls ASAP. 

We need your help now more than ever to ensure that our mission "For Housing Justice in Wisconsin" continues to be a reality. 

Donate now to the  HOUSING CRISIS FUND

Please donate as you can so that we can continue to provide mediation services, housing counseling (answering any and all tenant-landlord law questions), eviction prevention financial assistance and case management throughout our community. We have an immediate need for the following:

• Donations (to be used for emergency rent, utility and storage)
• Gas cards
• Grocery cards
• Bus passes
• Computers, tablets, cell phones (that have internet capability)

Our mission remains the same as it has for the last 40 years:

• Real Life, Real Solutions
• Keeping Families Safe in their Homes
• Unlocking the Doors to Affordable Housing

The Tenant Resource Center is a nonprofit, membership organization dedicated to promoting positive relations between rental housing consumers (tenants) and providers (landlords) throughout Wisconsin. By providing information and referrals, education about rental rights and responsibilities, and access to conflict resolution, we empower the community to obtain and maintain quality affordable housing.

Our Programs

Click here for a printable brochure with information about our programs.  All our services are free and for Wisconsin clients unless otherwise noted.

• Housing Counseling: We give free information on rental rights and responsibilities to tenants and landlords statewide who call, email or drop by our offices. We have sample letters, forms, and brochures on most major topics. Services are available in English and Spanish.
  • Note: This service was previously available statewide. Unfortunately, due to recent funding cuts, this service is only available for those living in the City of Madison and Dane County. Want to help us restore this service statewide? Visit our Help TRC page for more information.
• Campus Office: We offer services especially for UW Madison students.  We have an office at the Student Activity Center (hours vary by semester) and give presentations around campus. Contact us if you are interested in a campus presentation.
• Community Outreach and Education:  We provide outreach and education through a brochure series and local workshops. We give informative presentations around Wisconsin, are available for media interviews and participate in community coalitions. Contact us if you are interested in working with us in any of these capacities. A fee is required for these workshops outside Dane County.
• Housing Law Seminars: We teach biannual Housing Law Seminar series for landlords and service providers throughout Wisconsin. A participation fee is required. 
• Eviction Clinic: 
  • We provide free information about tenant and landlord rights/responsibilities, relevant housing laws, and basic information about the court process to tenants and landlords at eviction court in Dane County. Services are available before the eviction hearing or mediation. Please note that our housing counselors are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice or represent anyone in court.
  • If tenants are evicted, we help those tenants look for housing, make a plan so they don't end up in a homeless shelter, and help them understand what services might be available to in Dane County.
  • If tenants enter into a payment plan at court, we can work with those tenants for up to three months to help make sure they meet that agreement.
  • Limited funds may be available for nonpayment of rent for those who have been homeless in the past 5 years, have a large family (5 or more) or who need an accessible unit.
• Housing Mediation Service: We administer a program in which certified mediators facilitate negotiations between tenants and landlords during the Small Claims Court eviction hearings each week in order to prevent homelessness. Mediators are also available for Dane County out-of-court mediations. Mediation services are only for Dane County residents (free service at Small Claims Court for evictions, fees for out-of-court mediation).
• Homeless Services: We offer assistance finding housing, including limited case management, eviction prevention services and rapid rehousing services. These services are only available through direct referral from the Dane County Coordinated Entry system.

Looking to connect with us about our programs or services? Please contact our Executive Director, Robin Sereno: <Robin@TenantResourceCenter.org>

Our Staff

• Abbey V., Housing Case Manager, Rapid Re-Housing (Spanish)
• Debra P., Program Director, Mediation
• Kora S., Housing Case Manager
• LaToya G., Housing Specialist
• Luke S., Program Director, Tenant Services
  
• Matt K., Finance Director 
  
• Melinda D., Program Director, Tenant Services 
  
• Molly W., Program Director, Housing Services (Spanish)
  
• Niko M., Bilingual Housing Counselor (Spanish)
• Robin S., Executive Director
  
• Sarah B., Housing Specialist
• Sawyer J., Housing Counselor
• Rose M., Housing Case Manager
• Zachary O., Housing Case Manager, Rapid Re-Housing

Our Volunteers

Housing Counselors

• Caitin 
• Erik 
• Gordon
• Jamada
• Jane
• Jasmin
• Joan
• John
• Jonathan
• Justin
• Larissa
• Maggie
• Maria
• Mary
• Matt
• Wenda

Office Assistants

• Drew
• Scott
• Susan
• Stacy

Mediators

• Allison
• Danielle
• Howard
• Sue

Our Board of Directors

• Andrea Singletary, president
• Laura Dixson-Kruijf, vice-president
• Paris Foster, treasurer
• Zeb Patek, secretary
• Crystal Banse
• Joan Kemble
• Anders Zanichkowsky
• Enzo Ciarletta
• Erin Lethlean

Interested in serving on our Board of Directors? Fill out our Board Member Application and return it to board@tenantresourcecenter.org

Our Funding

The TRC is funded by:

 AND of course, we are funded by the extraordinary ordinary people who see our value and then send us a few of their hard-earned dollars. Please consider donating if you are able.