Dale
Gray, Public Affairs Officer 400 State Ave., Kansas City, KS 66101-2406 Phone/Fax (913) 551-5542/(913) 551-5469 |
For Release Friday October 24, 2003 |
MARTINEZ ANNOUNCES $376,953 IN GRANTS TO HELP KANSAS FAMILIES
Funding Aimed at Making Families Employable, Self-Sufficient
KANSAS CITY, KS - Housing and Urban Development Secretary
Mel Martinez announced $376,953 in grants today to ten housing authorities
in Kansas that will be used for job training and placement for low-income
citizens.
"This funding will help hundreds of citizens in Kansas find
employment and eventually become economically independent,"
said HUD Secretary Mel Martinez. "HUD is committed to revitalizing
communities through job advocacy, training programs and economic
development."
A total of 771 housing authorities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico will receive $47,688,000 in HUD Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program grants.
The following housing authorities in Kansas will receive funding:
Wichita Housing Authority | $106,991
|
Housing Authority of the City of Atchison | 13,384 |
Salina Housing Authority | 45,000 |
Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority | 32,366 |
Chanute Housing Authority | 14,768 |
Manhattan Housing Authority | 39,271 |
Lyon County/Eckan Housing Authority | 28,863 |
Ford County Housing Authority | 36,865 |
Riley County Housing Authority | 25,000 |
Brown County/NEK-CAP, Inc. | 34,445 |
State total: | $376,953
|
HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency (HCV/FSS) Program provides funds to public housing agencies specifically for the employment of family self-sufficiency coordinators. The FSS coordinators assist adults with job training, childcare, counseling, transportation and job placement programs.
Participants in the job preparedness program, some of whom are
on welfare, sign a contract that stipulates the
head of the household
will get a job and the family will become self-sufficient within
five years. While enrolled in the program, as a family's income
rises, a third of that income goes to an interest-bearing escrow
account.
If a family fulfills the contract requiring employment and independence
from welfare, they can use the escrow
account for down payment on
a home purchase, starting a business, paying back debts and paying
educational expenses. If a family fails to fulfill the contract,
they do not get the funds in the escrow account and may be terminated
from the FSS Program.
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