Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS)-Presentation

Presentation - FSS
Pdf Summary
The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program, overseen by HUD and supported by the National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), is designed to help low-income families receiving HUD housing assistance achieve economic independence and reduce reliance on government subsidies. It accomplishes this by coordinating local public and private resources, offering supportive services, and incentivizing program participation through escrow accounts that grow with participants' increased earnings.<br /><br />The program is mandatory for certain PHAs and voluntary for others, with funding primarily through HUD grants for FSS Coordinators and administrative fees. Effective program management requires a HUD-approved Action Plan, created collaboratively with community stakeholders and reflecting local goals, family demographics, recruitment strategies, services offered, and program policies. A Program Coordinating Committee (PCC) comprising representatives from housing authorities, participants, service providers, and local agencies is vital for securing resources and overseeing program implementation.<br /><br />Key components include case management and client assessment, focusing on strengths and barriers to employment and self-sufficiency, with Individual Training and Service Plans (ITSPs) developed collaboratively to set realistic, measurable goals. The Contract of Participation (CoP) formalizes family obligations and program terms, including welfare independence and employment requirements.<br /><br />Escrow accounts track increases in rent due to earned income growth, incentivizing participants. Escrow credit calculations follow HUD regulations, with PHAs required to maintain interest-bearing escrow accounts and provide annual statements. Program participants can also leverage homeownership options via the Housing Choice Voucher program.<br /><br />Reporting requirements mandate detailed tracking of enrollments, progress, escrow balances, and graduations in HUD’s PIC/IMS database. Portability rules govern participants moving between jurisdictions. Graduations occur upon goal completion and contract fulfillment, with forfeiture provisions for non-compliance. HUD monitors program effectiveness via the Family Self-Sufficiency Achievement Metric (FAM), combining earnings growth, graduation rates, and participation rates.<br /><br />This comprehensive training guides FSS staff through regulations, program design, case management, goal setting, escrow handling, reporting, and evaluation, equipping them to run compliant, effective FSS programs.
Keywords
Family Self-Sufficiency Program
HUD
NAHRO
low-income families
economic independence
escrow accounts
Public Housing Agencies
case management
Individual Training and Service Plans
Housing Choice Voucher