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2002 9th Avenue East
Bradenton, Florida 34208
Tel: (941) 748-5568
General Information | Family Self-Sufficiency | Community Service
Family Self Sufficiency --- A Hand Up - Not A Hand Out

Background
The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program was enacted through the Cranston-Gonzales National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, Section 554. The Bradenton Housing Authority administers the FSS Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Regulations covering this program are found at 24 CFR 984.

What is FSS?
Its purpose is to promote the development of local strategies to coordinate the use of public housing and Section 8 assistance with other pubic and private resources to enable eligible families to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency.

The FSS Program is designed to enable unemployed, underemployed or undereducated very low-income families to achieve economic independence from welfare and rental assistance and increase their earned income potential. Participants receive assistance in removing and/or overcoming barriers that prevent them from engaging in job-training programs, educational programs and employment opportunities.

Who can apply for FSS?
The FSS Program is voluntary and open to all current BHA public housing or Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Rental Assistance participants.

How Does the FSS Program Work?
Participation in the FSS Program is voluntary for families who are interested in improving their quality of life. The FSS case manager will assist each FSS Program participant to help them:
  • Identify career goals
  • Identify the barriers which prevent the achievement of those goals
  • Identify the steps that the participant needs to take to achieve those goals
  • Provide counseling and moral support.
Participants will be provided with technical assistance to help them move from dependency to self-sufficiency. The FSS case manager meets regularly with each participant to monitor his/her progress.

Why enroll in FSS? What benefits are there for participants?
The FSS Program is designed to offer educational opportunities and job training as well as supportive services needed to assist participants in their goals towards self-sufficiency.

The FSS Program offers participants the opportunity to increase their earned income (money derived from employment) and become economically independent of rental assistance and welfare assistance. The objective of the FSS Program is to assist participants in increasing their educational or vocational skill level and thereby increasing their ability to compete in today's job market. Each participant develops his/her own individual goals. For many families that may mean completing an educational or vocational training program, or for some, obtaining a higher paying job.

Each FSS participant prepares a five-year plan that includes employment goals and identifies training or education needs. The BHA FSS staff will work with the house hold to identify, locate and arrange for the services they need to accomplish their goals. Once the goals to become self-sufficient are identified, the family signs a five year contract of participation and makes a commitment to become employed, to increase their earned income and be free of all welfare assistance for 12 months prior to contract completion. Goals may be attained in less than five years.

Services included are child care assistance, education, and counseling on parenting, money management, housing and home ownership. A contract is signed by the participant and the Authority, indicating their commitment to work toward the goal of permanent employment and self-sufficiency.

FSS Participants Escrow Accounts
As FSS participants succeed in raising their family income contributed toward their Section 8 or Public Housing, rent payment also increases. HUD regulations allow a percentage of this rent increase to be deposited into an interest bearing escrow account.

If the family meets its goals within five years or sooner and is not receiving any public assistance, they can receive the funds in their escrow account.

The availability of an escrow account is established when the participant begins work and their rent increases as a result of their employment.

The Contract of Participation contains the participant's personal goals to be completed while in the program. At the signing of the contract, the portion of the rent paid by the participant is frozen. When the participant becomes employed or advances in employment, his/her rent increases according to HUD program guidelines, but all increases in the portion of the rent which the participant is responsible for and pays is redirected into the participant's escrow account. As the participant earns more income and pays higher rent amounts, the escrow account increases.

Once the participant completes his/her contract goals, they receive their escrow account balance. The escrow may be used for down payment on a home or any self-sufficiency related goals.

Example: If the Housing Authority deposited $200 per month for four years into the family's escrow account or savings account, the savings account would total $9,600 plus interest. That amount would be available to the family when it achieved its goal to become self-sufficient. The money could be used in any way that the family chooses ~ possibly as a down payment on a home.

Interested?
If you are interested in participating in the FSS Program, please contact Resident Services at the Bradenton Housing Authority - 2002 9th Avenue E, Bradenton, FL 34208 (941) 748-5568 ext 230.

For more information save or print the Family Self Sufficiency Brochure - PDF or Word Document
The Housing Authority of the City of Bradenton does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, familial status, age, religion or handicap, in compliance with the Fair Housing Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
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