SEATTLE—January 15, 2006—Seattle Housing's Family Self-Sufficiency program recently received $311,770 in grant awards from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and $3,500 from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission. These awards will help fund FSS staff positions, materials and services, including the coordination of home ownership education training and counseling.
“We greatly appreciate receiving these competitive grant funds,” said John Forsyth, community services administrator. “The funding allows us to provide support to FSS participants who, through their own self-determination, are able to move off public assistance, gain long-term employment and meet their self-sufficiency goals.”
The FSS program provides public housing and Section 8 residents opportunities to accumulate savings by establishing and accomplishing self-directed goals related to education, employment and home ownership. Participants are given five years to participate in the program and work toward accomplishing their set goals. The FSS staff provides support, information and resources necessary to assist each person participating in the program with accomplishing their goals.
An escrow account is established for participants and monthly deposits are credited to the account when their rent increases due to increases in earned income. So rather than SHA absorbing the rent increase, the increase goes into the client’s escrow (savings) account. Interim withdrawals from the savings account are available to assist participants in their efforts to accomplish their goals. When the program requirements are completed, the balance in the savings account is given to the participant.
Of the 59 FSS graduates during SHA’s last fiscal year, 57 increased their income from employment. Thirty-three who entered FSS with no income from wages had employment income when they graduated and 37 left TANF and obtained employment. Fourteen more than doubled their household income, 10 more than tripled it and 19 more than quadrupled it. Seven FSS participants became homeowners last year.