OKLAHOMA CITY – U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson today awarded $584,874 to 7 public housing authorities across the Oklahoma to continue helping public housing residents participating in the Housing Choice Voucher Program and/or reside in public housing to increase their earned income and reduce their dependency on public assistance and rental subsidies. 

Nationally, these grants renew HUD’s support of 689 public housing authorities. Over $74 Million nationwide is being distributed under the program. HUD’s FSS Program helps local Public Housing Authorities to hire service coordinators.

 “One of the most important things we can do as public servants is to help HUD-assisted families achieve their dreams,” said Carson.  “Working with our local partners, HUD is connecting families to educational opportunities, job training, childcare and other resources that allow them to get higher paying jobs and, ultimately, become self-sufficient.”

FSS participants sign a five-year contract that requires the head of the household to obtain employment and that no member of the household will receive certain types of public assistance at the end of the five-year term.  These families have an interest-bearing escrow account established for them. The amount credited to the family’s escrow account is based on increases in the family’s earned income during the term of the FSS contract. If the family successfully completes its FSS contract, the family receives the escrow funds that it can use for any purpose, including debt reduction in order to improve credit scores, educational expenses, or a down payment on a home.

The average household income of FSS participants more than doubled during their time in the program, from $10,000 at the time of entry to more than $27,000 upon program completion.

The Housing Authority of the City of Tulsa received $86,924. The state got a total of $584,874.