EHA Wins Funding for Family Self-Sufficiency Program

The Evansville Housing Authority has been awarded a grant of $116,690 to support two coordinator positions for its Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program in the 2016 fiscal year.

Issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the grant will allow EHA to add an additional services coordinator to its FSS Program.

The FSS Program positions families to become self-sufficient through increased access to education, employment opportunities and referrals to other supportive services. Since 2013, the number of FSS Program participants has grown from 15 to 80 under the direction of EHA’s one FSS Coordinator.

FSS Coordinators provide personal coaching and referrals to EHA residents addressing factors such as life skills, education, job training, employment, home ownership and more. They work with EHA Public Housing residents and Housing Choice Voucher participants.

“We help residents set personal goals and get plugged into the services they need to pursue them,” says TaWanna Copeland, EHA Family Self-Sufficiency Coordinator. “And we make ourselves available for residents to call with questions or concerns — for instance, when they’re applying for a job, or need to make a decision.”

All families living in EHA housing may participate in the FSS program. For the head of the household to be eligible for participation, he or she must be in good standing with rent; agree to seek and maintain suitable employment; and sign a five-year contract agreeing to an Individual Training & Services Plan which outlines his or her goals. As participants’ progress continues, they accrue money in escrow accounts that can be used later for goals such as paying off college tuition or purchasing a home.

“A lot of hard work has gone into building a strong foundation for our Family Self-Sufficiency Program — and that is what helped EHA win this grant,” notes Executive Director Rick Moore. “Being able to bring on a second FSS Coordinator will really help move the program forward in a combined effort to improve the overall quality of life for our residents.”

The FSS Program grant comes on the heels of a $250,000 HUD Emergency Safety and Security grant for adding new lighting and security systems to EHA apartment communities.

Last month, EHA kicked off the $18.2 million Phase 1 refurbishment of public housing apartments under a new HUD program known as RAD (Rental Assistance Demonstration Project). RAD Phase 1 improvements are expected to be completed by June 30, 2017. Projected completion date for the $13.5 million RAD Phase 2 improvements is late 2017.