Family Self-Sufficiency

WHAT IS FSS?

Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) is a program that enables HUD-assisted families to increase their earned income and reduce their dependency on welfare assistance and rental subsidies.

Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) work in collaboration with a Program Coordinating Committee (PCC) to secure commitments of public and private resources for the operation of the FSS program, to develop the PHA’s FSS Action Plan (the FSS policy framework), and to implement the program.

Some of the services coordinated through the program include: child care, transportation, education, job training, employment counseling, financial literacy, and homeownership counseling, among others. Services are generally not provided by the PHA, but rather outsourced to service providers in the community.

An interest-bearing escrow account is established by the PHA for each participating family.

 

HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?

Once an eligible family is selected to participate in the program, the PHA, and the head of each participating family execute a FSS Contract of Participation that specifies the rights and responsibilities of both parties. The term of the FSS contract is generally 5 years, but it may be extended for another 2 years by the PHA for good cause.

The FSS contract also incorporates the family’s individual training and services plan (ITSP). The ITSP is the document that records the plan for the family. That is, the series of intermediate and long-term goals and the steps the family needs to take – and the services and resources they may need to access – to achieve those goals.

 

Tell Us How We are Doing

Take Our Customer Satisfaction Survey

Take the Survey
  • Next Thursday, March 23rd at 7pm there will be a mandatory resident engagement meeting for Samuel Madden. View the… https://t.co/ptMP2b1PPb

    @ARHA39 Mar 15
  • RT @SarahforALX: Honored to vote for the redevelopment of Madden Homes in @AlexandriaVAGov Thank you to all of the partners including @ARHA…

    @ARHA39 Feb 28
  • RT @ACPSk12: Join the ACHS Planetarium on Feb. 21, 2023, at 6 p.m. for Music Under the Stars, during which the planetarium’s dome will refl…

    @ARHA39 Feb 21
  • RT @AlexandriaVAGov: There is a current disruption to the City of Alexandria's 9-1-1 system.

    ***For all emergency calls, please dial o…

    @ARHA39 Feb 11
  • Notice: The Alexandria Department of Community & Human Services (DCHS) offices are moving locations. View the flyer… https://t.co/k5iPTwOdMN

    @ARHA39 Jan 26