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Family Self-Sufficiency Program

Are you ready to make a better life for yourself and your family? The Family Self-Sufficiency Program puts you on a path to becoming self-supporting by connecting you with support for your educational and employment goals.

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Our current clients who are ready and willing to commit to the work of becoming self-supporting are eligible to participate in the Family Self-Sufficiency Program. The program is voluntary and aimed at improving your employability and helping you build a savings account. To start, you complete a contract of participation and are paired with a coordinator to develop an action plan related to your educational and/or employment goals. The action plan outlines the steps, activities or services required to make progress toward the stated goal(s). You will receive regular case management and support from your coordinator related to a variety of topics, including:
  • Physical and mental health
  • Educational programming and training
  • Job training and placement, including résumé writing, skill-building or interviewing techniques
  • Financial matters, credit counseling, household budgeting and management, or debt consolidation
  • Parenting
  • Home ownership

Gradually, you will begin working and earning more income. As this happens, your portion of rent may go up, but we will establish a managed savings (escrow) account for you, and the money in the account will be awarded to you after you have successfully graduated from the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.

You can use the money you’ve saved to support any of your personal goals or endeavors.

You may continue your participation in the Housing Choice Voucher Program after you complete the Family Self-Sufficiency Program however, we hope you will not need assistance at that point.

The type of support your specialists provide you through the program allows you to make a better life for yourself and your family while building a savings account in the process.  People join the FSS Program to learn work skills and improve their ability to get and maintain employment.  Along with the financial incentive is the feeling of pride knowing your family is self-sufficient.  

All families participating in our Housing Choice Voucher Program or Home Ownership Program are eligible for the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.

To learn more about the program and requirements, complete and submit our interest form.

What kind of resources are available?

Your FSS Specialist is knowledgeable about many supportive services in the community. We will assess your needs and refer you to the services you need. Some of the services could include workshops in resume writing, interviewing techniques, completing or adding to your education, job training, job placement, educational programs, career counseling, physical and mental health clinics, household budgeting, credit counseling, debt management and consolidation, home ownership, nutrition, parenting, and many other services. Through collaboration with other providers, we also offer many opportunities unique to FSS participants, such as Life Skills workshops, local daytime retreats, and quarterly newsletters.

What is escrow?

An escrow account is a special savings account created specifically for FSS participants as an incentive reward for attaining self-sufficiency.  It is managed and held by the housing authority.  As an FSS participant, when your earned income increases, the housing authority will compare the rise to your baseline income for the program.  In most cases, the increase will result in a deposit to your escrow account.  The deposits will happen monthly unless your income decreases.

Your account will continue to grow in an interest-bearing account as you continue to earn income.  You will have access to your escrow funds during your time on the FSS program via an interim disbursement.  This means you can borrow money from your escrow account.  Interim disbursements can only be done if the reason you are borrowing money is related to one of your goals set for the program.

Upon completion of the program, you will be written a check for your full escrow balance.  This money will be yours at that time to do whatever you want.  Many people have used their escrow balance to pay off debt, purchase a car, or even put a down payment on a home.  Because your full escrow can be so life-changing, we highly recommend not taking interim disbursements and allowing your account to build and grow for your graduation disbursement.

How do I complete the program?

To complete the program, you must be receiving assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher and have completed all the goals and activities you established with your specialist.  This includes being free of welfare and being employed at least part-time.  Another way you can complete the program is by increasing your income so that 30% of your monthly income is greater than the Fair Market Rent for your family size.  If this happens, you will automatically graduate from the program.  Anyone graduating from the program would be eligible to receive the balance of their escrow account paid out to them.

If you have any questions, you can reach out to us at info@bchousingauthority.org.