Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS)-Participant Guide

Participant Guide - Family Self-Sufficiency

Pdf Summary

This document is a training guide on HUD’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program. It explains the program’s purpose: helping low-income families increase earned income, achieve economic independence, and reduce reliance on welfare and housing assistance.<br /><br />Key updates from the 2022 final rule are emphasized throughout, including changes to escrow calculation, expanded program applicability, revised definitions, updated ITSP and Contract of Participation forms, and new requirements for Action Plans. The guide also notes HUD oversight concerns from an OIG audit, such as incomplete action plans, inaccurate escrow calculations, and weak reporting in PIC.<br /><br />The document covers all major FSS program components:<br />- required and voluntary program structures<br />- funding and coordinator staffing rules<br />- Action Plan content and revision requirements<br />- Program Coordinating Committees and recruitment strategies<br />- case management, assessment, and motivational interviewing<br />- goal setting and ITSP development<br />- rent calculation basics<br />- CoP execution, conversion of old contracts to new ones, and portability<br />- escrow account rules and annual reporting<br />- homeownership options under HCV<br />- program reporting through PIC/IMS and the 50058 FSS addendum<br />- graduation, forfeitures, terminations, and extensions<br />- HUD monitoring, SEMAP, and the FSS composite score<br /><br />It also includes practical exercises and sample participant scenarios focused on goal setting, case management, SMART goals, and reviewing HUD form 50058 and the FSS escrow worksheet.<br /><br />Overall, the guide is designed to help PHAs and owners run compliant, effective FSS programs and support participants toward self-sufficiency, graduation, and, when appropriate, homeownership.

Keywords

HUD Family Self-Sufficiency

FSS program

self-sufficiency

escrow calculation

Action Plan

case management

Contract of Participation

PIC reporting

homeownership

SEMAP