Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) has been awarded $72,000 in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help families reach self-sufficiency.
RRHA CEO Damon Duncan said, “The success of our families is our priority. These resources will go a long way to enable our Family Self-Sufficiency Program to assist even more people in our community.”
The Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program is a program administered by RRHA that is optional for families to participate. The FSS Program empowers families who either live in public housing or receiving Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) assistance by providing a platform to become self-sufficient. Participants enter a five year contract, requiring the head of household to obtain employment and all family members to be free of cash welfare assistance 12 months prior to program graduation. Families enrolled in this program are supported at each level of their growth and development to financial independence. After enrolling, participants meet oneon-one with a program coordinator and get connected with the specific prerequisites they need for advancement. This may include job skills training, financial management education, or other supportive services that are necessary for their progression. Additionally, an interest bearing account is established for them that they receive when they graduate from the program.
Participants must set goals for what they would like to achieve, and implement a service plan. Family Self Sufficiency Coordinator Brett Brooks said, “We put the plan in place and then we ‘work’ the plan. The plan is their roadmap to success and we connect them to every available resource. But ultimately, their success is determined by their efforts.”
Currently RRHA has 96 families participating in the FSS Program. There are more on a waiting list.