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Family Self Sufficiency Program (FSS)
RUPCO offers the Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program. FSS is an incentive program that enables clients participating in RUPCO’s Housing Choice Voucher program (HCV or Section 8) to increase their earned income and reduce their dependance on subsidies.
Once a family is determined eligible to participate, the family and case worker will document immediate and long-term goals that the family will need to take to complete the program and the services and supports necessary to achieve the goals. Goals set by the client and caseworker may include:
- obtaining a degree or certificate
- obtaining reliable transportation to get to work or school
- participating in the homeownership program
- financial education
- gaining full custody of a child
- starting a business to be self-employed
To graduate from the FSS program a client must:
- be entirely off TANF assistance for one year before program completion (excluding HEAP and SNAP),
- retain full-time employment (at least 30 hours a week), and
- maintain healthcare coverage
Upon enrollment in the program, HUD will establish an escrow or savings account in the participant’s name. The escrow account is ideally left to grow; however, a client is permitted to pull from this account up to two times a year if the need for the funds is directly related to a goal such as a course fee, books for school, payment on a debt, or maintenance expenses for a car. The participant will receive the balance of the escrow account upon completion of the program goals.
Over 80 participants have been enrolled in the program in the past two years with 13 participants graduating from the program.
If you are a current Section 8 participant interested in enrolling in the Family Self Sufficiency program, please reach out to your caseworker for additional information by calling 845-331-2140.