HUD Program Promotes Self-Sufficiency

HUD AWARDS $49 MILLION IN GRANTS TO HELP LOW-INCOME FAMILIES RECEIVE JOB TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT

WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today that public housing agencies across the U.S., Guam and Puerto Rico will receive nearly $49.3 million to provide low-income people with the necessary job training to put them on a path toward self-sufficiency.

Funded through HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency Program (HCV/FSS), the grants allow public housing agencies (PHAs) to work with welfare agencies, schools, businesses, and other local partners to develop a comprehensive program to help participating individuals develop the skills and experience to enable them to obtain jobs that pay a living wage.

"In today's economy, this program is needed more than ever to help families obtain the skills that lead to jobs," said Donovan. "On the heals of President Obama signing the jobs bill that will boost job creation, I'm pleased HUD is providing this funding to local housing authorities that will keep caseworkers on the job to assist families in HUD's voucher program find employment."

Local housing authorities use the funding to hire family self-sufficiency coordinators to link adults in the Housing Choice Voucher program to local organizations that provide job training, childcare, counseling, transportation and job placement. These housing authorities can also hire coordinators to help families get homeownership counseling.

Participants in the HCV/FSS program sign a contract that requires the head of the household will get a job and the family will no longer receive welfare assistance at the end of the five-year term. As the family's income rises, a portion of that increased income is deposited in an interest-bearing escrow account. If the family completes its FSS contract, the family receives the escrow funds that it can use for any purpose, including a down payment on a home, paying educational expenses, starting a business or paying back debts.

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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

HCV FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY 2009 FUNDING

ALASKA	$131,116	NORTH CAROLINA	$1,628,128
ALABAMA	$742,108	NORTH DAKOTA	$201,235
ARKANSAS	$765,627	NEBRASKA	$308,688
ARIZONA	$774,491	NEW HAMPSHIRE	$323,414
CALIFORNIA	$6,267,830	NEW JERSEY	$1,600,629
COLORADO	$615,254	NEW MEXICO	$554,568
CONNECTICUT	$648,316	NEVADA	$417,280
FLORIDA	$2,100,642	NEW YORK	$2,531,924
GEORGIA	$906,867	OHIO	$2,520,197
GUAM	$54,209	OKLAHOMA	$433,952
HAWAII	$574,348	OREGON	$1,583,836
IOWA	$930,884	PENNSYLVANIA	$1,478,680
IDAHO	$481,284	PUERTO RICO	$128,063
ILLINOIS	$1,458,605	RHODE ISLAND	$769,434
INDIANA	$1,255,382	SOUTH CAROLINA	$404,027
KANSAS	$393,733	SOUTH DAKOTA	$144,478
KENTUCKY	$1,202,165	TENNESSEE	$875,531
LOUISIANA	$337,553	TEXAS	$2,469,020
MASSACHUSETTS	$2,099,246	UTAH	$541,955
MARYLAND	$1,247,410	VIRGINIA	$1,271,975
MAINE	$347,189	VERMONT	$336,993
MICHIGAN	$1,097,981	WASHINGTON	$1,121,025
MINNESOTA	$655,885	WISCONSIN	$368,744
MISSOURI	$1,013,785	WEST VIRGINIA	$277,049
MISSISSIPPI	$740,197	WYOMING	$34,000
MONTANA	$173,963

			Total	$49,340,895