Family Self-Sufficiency Action Plan

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Chapter 1 THE FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM AND THE FSS ACTION PLAN INTRODUCTION This chapter provides an overview of the family self-sufficiency (FSS) program and FSS action plan, including the purpose, organization, and required contents of the FSS action plan. Part I: The Family Self -Sufficiency (FSS) Program and FSS Action Plan: This part provides an overview of the family self-sufficiency program and the purpose of the FSS action plan. Part II: Requirements of the FSS Action Plan: This part covers action plan requirements, including development, revision, and contents of the action plan. It also contains information on family demographics, which is part of the required contents of the action plan. PART I: THE FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY (FSS) PROGRAM AND FSS ACTION PLAN 1 -LA. OVERVIEW OF THE FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM The origins of the FSS program are in two pilot projects implemented in 1986 and 1990, Project Self -Sufficiency and Operation Bootstrap, respectively. These projects were set up to test self- sufficiency programs for families with housing subsidies, and both demonstrated that families needed essential services in order to move toward economic self-sufficiency. These services include child care, transportation, medical care, and long-term education and training. In the wake of the successful demonstration of these projects, family self-sufficiency became one of the initiatives under the Homeownership and Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE) program enacted in 1990, and the FSS program was subsequently created under the National Affordable Housing Act the same year. FSS built upon and refined both Project Self -Sufficiency and the bootstrap program. It remained a voluntary program in 1991 and 1992, but became mandatory in 1993 for any new increments of funding issued to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs). The 1993 regulations were further modified by the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (QHWRA). The purpose of the FSS program is to coordinate housing assistance with public and private resources to enable assisted families to achieve economic self-sufficiency. The purpose and basic requirements of the FSS program are further elaborated upon in Chapter 2. This family self-sufficiency program is administered by the Office of Housing & Community Development (OHCD) for the jurisdiction of the County of Hawaii. © Copyright 2017 by Nan McKay & Associates Unlimited copies may be made for internal use. Page 1-1 Model FSS Action Plan 6/1/17