Economic Self Sufficiency

The Board of Commissioners approved the Economic Self-Sufficiency program in 2007. This program is designed to monitor those families who are not part of the FSS program and have very little income. The purpose of the program is to change the mindset of families participating in the Housing Choice Voucher program to set and achieve goals that will gain substantial income. The Department of Housing and Urban Development does not require families to have an income. This standard inadvertently perpetuates poverty by teaching families that working, or education is unimportant and unnecessary. It is our hope that families will continue to value the importance of working and education and strive to want more for their family. Children learn by modeling, and if the only role model is not working or gaining an education, the message being portrayed is that this is the reality of life. Since its inception, this effort has assisted hundreds of families gain employment and has assisted clients in joining the FSS program.