Dane County CORE

Anyone wishing to review the status of an application that has already been submitted to see if there are any open tasks and that all information is up to date should log into Neighborly by clicking the button below. For further information on the Dane CORE Program as a whole and to find CORE specific documentation examples please visit danecore.org

If you are in need of additional funds further than those currently approved within your application, you can submit an additional funds request after a payment has been made requesting further assistance. To request additional funds, you must email cac@cacscw.org requesting that an AFR be opened so you can request assistance for past due rent, utilities, internet, and/or water. It is important that you not submit more than one application per address as it can delay processing as all funds for a unique address must be requested within the same application.

If you are in need of a security deposit, please complete a new application in neighborly for your security deposit request if you have not done so already. Use the address you are moving to in section B and the new landlord contact information in section F. Once your application is submitted, email cac@cacscw.org and rhiannont@cacscw.org with the following information:

  • Case ID number
  • Your move in date
  • The address you are moving to
  • The new landlord contact information
  • Has security deposit been paid (or partial security deposit)?
  • Will you utilize any subsidies?

We are not automatically alerted to security deposit requests so please email to notify us of your application. At this time, we are now able to process security deposits that have had an application or holding fee that has been paid as well as the full security deposit with forward rent and expedited processing.

apply or review application here

Dane CORE

CAC processes emergency rental assistance payments once per week and will continue until funds are exhausted. Our policy is to process applications in the order they are fully submitted. The average application takes 45 business days to start the review process once the application is successfully submitted. To ensure your application is processed in a timely manner please:

  • Carefully review your application and attach all required documents
  • Ensure that you and/or your landlord reply to all information/document requests from the application reviewer and respond as soon as you are able. Communication is most likely to be in the form of an email or a task request
  • Processing time can be delayed if the reviewer does not receive all documentation needed

Once an emergency rental assistance payment is made you will be notified via email and it will show approved/paid within the neighborly system.

To check the status of your application:

  1. Click the orange button above to access the application portal.
  2. Login with your username and password.
  3. Click on ‘status’ to view information about your application’s processing status.

Please note CAC is not able to assist with login problems. You must click the blue ? in the bottom right corner of neighborly to create a ticket to receive login assistance.

Dane CORE is a partnership between Dane County, the City of Madison, Urban Triage, Tenant Resource Center, Community Action Coalition and other community partners. The goal of the partnership is to assist eligible households in need of rental and utility assistance with funding to ensure those bills can be paid.

Are you behind on your rent because of the pandemic, either directly or indirectly?

You are not alone. Many people are experiencing financial hardship right now.

Rental assistance is available to households meeting all the following criteria:

  • You or someone in your household owes rent to your current or former landlord, or know for certain you won’t be able to pay your rent next month.
  • You experienced financial hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic, either directly or indirectly. This includes receiving unemployment or having a significant reduction in income, incurred significant costs, or experienced financial hardship during the period of the COVID-19 public health emergency which remains ongoing.
  • You are at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, including owing past rent.

Your household income at or below 50 percent of their county’s median income.

Up to 18 months of rental arrearages and/or rental assistance

Applications submitted after 9/15/2022 can assist with the following:

  • Program benefits will be available only to those with household incomes at or below 50% of the County Median Income.
  • The program will provide assistance only for past-due (unpaid) rents.
    • Only arrears accrued since July 1, 2021 will be eligible.
  • Assistance will not be available for forward/future rent payments unless paired directly with security deposit assistance.
  • Utility and housing energy payments and arrearages including water, electricity, gas and internet.
    • Utilities covered by the landlord within rent will be treated as rent.

At least one or more individuals in the household meets the following criteria:

  • Qualifies for unemployment or has experienced a significant reduction in income, incurred significant costs, or experienced financial hardship during the period of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
  • Demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability;
  • Has a household income at or below 50 percent of their county’s median income.

Applications are reviewed in the order they are submitted. Once submitted, applications cannot be edited unless reopened by an administrator. Please email cac@cacscw.org to have your application reopened.

The status of the application can be checked at any time by logging into the Neighborly portal. The status will say, “under review” once an application is assigned a reviewer. It may say this for several weeks given the high volume of applications we are processing. If more information is needed from the tenant or landlord, an email or task will be sent. After the initial review is complete it will show, “approved pending payment.” A final review will happen before payment is mailed to the landlord. At this point, the status will say, “paid.”

Both tenant and landlord can submit applications at the same time. There is no need to wait for an invitation email.

Landlords can also see the status of tenant applications once the two are linked together by our staff.

If tenant and landlord applications need to be linked or if a submitted application needs to be edited, please send an email to cac@cacscw.org including names, the five-digit case ID numbers, and sections that need to be edited.

All funds for each individual address must be applied for within the same original application. Do not submit a duplicate application as this will slow down the review process.

  • If you are in need of additional funds further than those currently approved within your application, you can submit an additional funds request after a payment has been made requesting further assistance. To request additional funds, you must email cac@cacscw.org requesting that an AFR be opened so you can request assistance for past due rent, utilities, internet, and/or water. It is important that you not submit more than one application per address as it can delay processing as all funds for a unique address must be requested within the same application. 

If you are in need of a security deposit, please complete a new application in neighborly for your security deposit request if you have not done so already. Use the address you are moving to in section B and the new landlord contact information in section F. Once your application is submitted, email cac@cacscw.org  and rhiannont@cacscw.org  with the following information:

  • Case ID number
  • Your move in date
  • The address you are moving to
  • The new landlord contact information
  • Has security deposit been paid (or partial security deposit)?
  •  Will you utilize any subsidies?

We are not automatically alerted to security deposit requests so please email to notify us of your application. At this time, we are now able to process security deposits that have had an application or holding fee that has been paid as well as the full security deposit with forward rent and expedited processing.

If your landlord or utility company does not receive the check within 7-14 business days after an approval email they should email cac@cacscw.org with the name of tenant, address, and case number so we can look further into the issue.

If an overpayment has been sent you should mail back the overage noting for which tenant/address to apply the overage

Check can be mailed to:

CACSCW
Attention: Finance
4101 East Towne Blvd.
Madison, WI 53704

Yes.

No mortgage payments are not an eligible expense. We urge all landlords to work directly with their tenants.

Persons who would like to file a note of grievance regarding the CORE 2.0 program or CORE 2.0 staff are asked to complete the following steps:

Email the Housing Director at andreas@cacscw.org with the following information:

  1. Name
  2. CORE Application Number
  3. As much detail as you would like to include regarding the situation
  4. How you would like to be contacted:
    – Phone number
    – Email
    – Mailing Address

If the grievance is regarding the Housing Director

Email the Associate Director at meghanm@cacscw.org with the following information:

  1. Name
  2. CORE Application Number
  3. As much detail as you would like to include regarding the situation
  4. How you would like to be contacted:
    – Phone number
    – Email
    – Mailing Address

Any and all grievances will be reviewed with the Executive Director, and a response will be provided in writing, within 7 business days. Any grievances that are not responded to within 7 business days, after receipt of delivery, please reach directly out to the Executive Director, directly at aduddy@cacscw.org. Any grievances filed regarding the Executive Director will be reviewed and responded to by Community Action Coalition’s Board President.

Program Status

Data as of April 7, 2023

Total Households Served:
9,698

Total Dollars Distributed:
$65,200,849.95

Application Processing Time:
Assigned a reviewer around 45 business days