Mutual Benefits: AFI Projects and Housing Agency Self-Sufficiency and Homeownership Programs

Focus:

The AFI conference call focused on ways in which AFI Projects could coordinate services with self-sufficiency initiatives offered by local public housing agencies. Several housing programs assist participants to save, improve credit, and purchase homes.

Key Points:

• The Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS) helps participants build savings that may be substantial, while offering financial education and case management as well. FSS savings may be used for almost any self-sufficiency goal, including small business or education, that is included in a participant's plan.
• AFI Projects may choose to enroll FSS participants concurrently or sequentially in their IDA programs, depending on what is most effective for the local circumstances and staffing arrangements.
• AFI Projects and FSS staff may choose to share case management and credit counseling activities or to manage them separately.
• Other housing programs, such as the Section 8 Home Ownership Voucher, may also work together to enable an AFI participant to move to home ownership more easily.
• AFI Projects learned about the New York state-wide model for promoting homeownership.

Presenters:

• James Gatz, Manager, Assets for Independence Program, Office of Community Services
• Anna Oles, Statewide Homeownership Coordinator for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, State Division of Housing and Community Renewal, Albany, NY
• Peggy Martini, Family Self-Sufficiency Supervisor for the Housing Authority of Portland, OR

• Anne Yeoman, Assets for Independence Resource Center

Resources:

• Family Self-Sufficiency Poster (.pdf 97KB)
• Mutual Benefits: AFI Projects and Housing Agency: Self-Sufficiency and Homeownership Programs (.doc 139KB) (.pdf 82KB)

For more information on this topic, please contact the Assets for Independence Resource Center: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/assetbuilding; info@idaresources.org; 1-866-778-6037.