VANCOUVER, LUMMI NATION & PUYALLUP TRIBAL HOUSING AUTHORITIES WIN TOTAL OF MORE THAN $700,000 IN HUD FUNDS TO PROMOTE JOBS & SELF-SUFFICIENCY AMONG PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS

SEATTLE - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded a total of $717,821 to the Vancouver, Lummi Nation and Puyallup Tribal housing authorities to help public housing residents find jobs and achieve economic and housing independence. The funding will also link the elderly and people with disabilities with supportive services that allow them to maintain independent living and age-in-place.

The Housing Authority of the City of Vancouver was awarded $233,321, the Lummi Nation Housing Authority was awarded $241,500 and the Puyallup Tribal Housing Authority was awarded $243,000 as part of nearly $35 million awarded today to some 110 housing authorities and public housing resident associations under HUD's Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency - Service Coordinators Program (ROSS-SC).

The ROSS program helps public housing authorities (PHAs), resident associations or non-profit organizations by providing three-year grants that enable them hire or retain "service coordinators" who work directly with residents to assess their needs and connect them with education, job training and placement programs and/or computer and financial literacy services available in their community to promote self-sufficiency. For an elderly or disabled resident, the service coordinator arranges supportive services that allow them to maintain their independence.

"These service coordinators will help thousands of public housing residents connect to jobs and opportunities that lead to self-sufficiency and improved quality of life," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.

"In today's economy, linking families to jobs or training opportunities to gain employment will help Washington state families living in public housing create and take advantage of opportunities that will help them achieve their ambitions to become self-sufficient," said HUD Northwest Regional Administrator Mary McBride.

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