Family Self-Sufficiency Program

What is the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program?

The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program is an employment and savings incentive program for low-income families that have Section 8 vouchers or live in public housing. FSS is a HUD program designed to help public housing residents, Housing Choice Voucher participants, and residents of multifamily-assisted housing to increase their earnings, and build assets and financial capability.

How it works.

The Family Self-Sufficiency Program is a voluntary program offered to Section 8 program participants. This Program provides participants with one-on-one assistance in goal setting and strategizing a plan to accomplish your goal(s). Once barriers preventing you from achieving said goal(s) are identified, your FSS Coordinator will assist you in overcoming them by providing referrals to outside agencies. Family Self-Sufficiency Program participants are required to sign a contract committing to their participation in the program.

As participants’ income earnings increase and their rental assistance decreases, NWRHA will place a portion of the rent difference into an interest-earning savings account. Once the participants are successful at meeting their goal(s), they will receive a check for the balance in the savings account.

Service referrals include:

Child Care
Transportation
Education
Job Training and Employment Counseling
Financial Literacy
Homeownership Counseling

A common goal of the FSS program is for participants to no longer be reliant on public assistance. This does not mean that participants or graduates of the program may no longer receive rental assistance.

Preference is given to applicants based on interest and motivation, therefore; prior to an initial interview with the FSS Coordinator, those interested in participating in the FSS Program must complete and return the FSS Program Application & Survey.

For more information or to request an FSS Program Application & Survey be mailed to you, contact Becky at 870-743-6779.