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Family Self-Sufficiency Program

How does the Family Self-Sufficiency Program work?

(FSS) Program is a five-year program designed to help public housing and housing voucher families become economically independent. All that’s needed is a desire to become self-sufficient and the willingness to take the steps to make it happen.

The FSS family includes everyone in the household. The head of the household signs a five-year Contract of Participation with NRHA. This contract states the rights and responsibilities of your family and NRHA, outlines the resources and supportive services to be provided to your family, and identifies the activities to be completed by your family.

Once the contract is in place, the family is officially an FSS Program Participant, and is entitled to receive all benefits available to FSS participants. Your counselor helps you access the services you need, offers encouragement, and coaches you over the next five years while you strive to achieve your goals.

The head of the FSS family is required to seek and maintain suitable employment. As a result, your family’s income and therefore your rent will increase. But here’s where the FSS Escrow Account comes in.

NRHA will set up an FSS Account for your family. It’s a savings account that earns interest. When your rent increases as your income rises, a portion of that increase is deposited into your FSS Account. So as your income increases, you’ll be able to watch your savings grow. When your Contract of Participation has been successfully completed, the money in this FSS Account is paid to you.

Completing the contract successfully includes meeting the requirement that all family members must be off welfare assistance for at least 12 consecutive months before the end of the contract and adults are employed.

What services are provided?

Your FSS Counselor will help you determine and find the services you need to become self-sufficient. These may include:

  • Job training
  • Personalized career guidance
  • Education programs, including GED preparation
  • Transportation
  • Child care
  • Parenting skills
  • Personal counseling
  • Support groups
  • Financial aid counseling
  • Credit counseling and repair
  • Homeownership counseling

Also, your FSS Counselor may recommend that you attend special FSS classes or monthly workshops. Some of the topics covered include:

  • Resume preparation
  • Job readiness and employability
  • Self-esteem
  • Educational assessment
  • Virginia Employment Commission registration
  • Personal financial management
Who can participate in the FSS Program?

You don’t have to be receiving welfare assistance to participate. Any current public housing or housing voucher (Section 8) head of household can sign up. If you’re already working and/or attending school, great! The FSS Program can help you achieve the goals you’re already working toward.

How do I know the FSS Program will work for me?

The FSS Program has worked for hundreds of families. People join FSS to learn work skills and improve their chance to get and hold a good job. They join to improve the lives of their family and give their kids a better chance at a good life. And their hard work pays off! FSS families have higher self-esteem, achieve educational goals, and hold better-paying jobs than they did before joining the program.

How can I sign up?

Talk to the Resident Services Specialist in your neighborhood, or call 624-8643, or click here to send an email: gwilliams@nrha.us

NHRA’s Partners in the FSS Programs

Norfolk Community Services Board

Assist families with mental health and substance abuse issues.

STOP Organization

Provides community resources, GED classes, and training for certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant.

Educational Opportunity Center

Assists families with career counseling and financial aid counseling.

Tidewater Community College

Provides education, job fairs, and small-business classes.

Norfolk Division of Social Services

Coordinates financial assistance to families and offers employment assistance programs.

Virginia Cooperative Extension

Provides a variety of workshops, with emphasis on credit repair.

State Department of Social Services, Division of Child Support Enforcement

Enforces child-support obligations.

Consumer Financial Counseling of Tidewater

Provides individual counseling and money-management training; also coordinates homebuyers training provided by Virginia Housing Development Authority.

Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia

Offers information on nutritional cooking.

Virginia Housing Development Authority

Provides homebuyers’ education for FSS curriculum.

NRHA Homeownership Center

Offers a range of homebuyers’ education and resources needed to help families purchase a home.

Local Churches

Supply meeting places for FSS training sessions.

Local Banks

Provide individual services to low-income homebuyers seeking special loan programs and grants.

©2011 Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority  NRHA Webmail

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION - NRHA provides equal housing and employment opportunities for all persons. NRHA does not discriminate against any applicant, resident or employee on the basis of disability, age, race, color, religion, gender, familial status or national origin in the admission, access or operations of programs, services or activities. An internal grievance procedure is available to resolve complaints. Qualified individuals who need communication aids, services or other accommodations to participate in programs and activities are invited to make your needs known to the 504/ADA Coordinator. Please give NRHA at least seven to ten days advance notice to meet your needs.