South Shore Towns Gain HUD Funds

BrocktonPost
BOSTON--The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, today awarded Massachusetts more than $2.5 million to help public housing agencies, including Brockton, Milton, Hingham, Braintree, and Taunton to retain or hire service coordinators to work directly with families who participate in HUD's Housing Choice Voucher program.
The coordinators will assist these voucher recipients to find employment resources and job training opportunities to put them on a path toward self-sufficiency, HUD officials said Thursday, Sept. 22 in a prepared statement.
Across the country HUD has allotted nearly $60 million to housing agencies in 2011.
"In today's economy, it's never been more critical to help families obtain the skills that lead to jobs," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.
"With HUD's help, these housing agencies will be able to assist families in finding employment, increasing their earning potential and putting them on a path to self sufficiency."
Massachusetts
Acton Housing Authority $58,000
Arlington Housing Authority $67,327
Boston Housing Authority $206,040
Braintree Housing Authority $26,982
Brockton Housing Authority $68,680
Chelmsford Housing Authority $63,356
Chelsea Housing Authority $32,779
Commonwealth of Massachusetts $730,429
Fall River Housing Authority $36,664
Framingham Housing Authority $33,485
Gardner Housing Authority $50,762
Gloucester Housing Authority $42,953
Greenfield Housing Authority $63,159
Hingham Housing Authority $67,332
Holyoke Housing Authority $48,680
Leominster Housing Authority $48,250
Lowell Housing Authority $65,558
Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND) $60,639
Malden Housing Authority $56,468
Medford Housing Authority $67,332
Melrose Housing Authority $19,510
Methuen Housing Authority $55,668
Milton Housing Authority $33,364
North Andover Housing Authority $57,857
Plymouth Housing Authority $46,363
Revere Housing Authority $66,600
Somerville Housing Authority $62,392
Taunton Housing Authority $61,248
Wayland Housing Authority $18,200
Winchester Housing Authority $69,000
Worcester Housing Authority $131,300
MA TOTAL $2,516,377

HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency Program supports public housing agencies to retain or hire family self-sufficiency coordinators.
These coordinators in turn link adults in the housing voucher program with welfare agencies, schools, businesses and other local partners to develop the skills and experience to enable them to obtain jobs that pay a living wage.
The local organizations typically provide participating individuals job training, childcare, counseling, transportation, job placement and homeownership counseling.
Participants in the program sign a contract that requires the head of the household to 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 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.
HUD's Family Self Sufficiency Program is a long-standing resource for increasing economic security and self-sufficiency among participants. HUD issued a new report earlier this year that evaluated the effectiveness of the FSS Program. Conducted from 2005 to 2009, the study shows the financial benefits are substantial for participants who complete the program.
This study is the second of a three-part series by HUD that evaluate the effects of the FSS program. The first study found individuals who participated in the FSS program fared better financially than those who did not enroll in the program. HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research will launch the third and final installment to complete the series this year.