Section 8
Family self-sufficiency program
The overall goal of Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority’s Family Self-Sufficiency
Program is to assist Section 8 families in becoming economically independent of any type of
public and/or housing assistance.
The participant is required to enter a five (5) year
contract with the CMHA and will be afforded the opportunity to extend the term of the contract
up to two (2) years if it is determined that “good cause” exists. Within the designated contract
period the participant will be required to successfully complete the requirements of the
contract including goals set by the participant in their individual service plan.
The primary responsibility of the head of household is to seek and maintain suitable
employment after completion of the job training programs listed in the individual training and
services plan.
Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority provides case management; resources and supportive
services to assist the participant complete their goals.
The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program’s objectives are:
Provide FSS opportunities to all Section 8 families that desire to become
economically independent.
Establish working partnerships that will utilize available resources to assure
FSS families maximum usage and minimize any possible duplication.
Address service issues that result as barriers to FSS families becoming
economically self-sufficient.
Provide FSS families with a service plan execution that respects FSS
families and is based on family strengths, needs and realistic outcomes.
Implement a case management system that will encourage and support FSS
families to become self-sufficient.
Explore employment commitments with public and private sector businesses
that provide growth and wage potential.
Provide ongoing evaluation to address program effectiveness.
Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS) Family Selection Procedures
FSS participation will be voluntary. Families will be recruited and selected from current
Section 8 certificates and voucher holders.
Eligibility
Any current Section 8 certificate or voucher holder is eligible
to participate in FSS. Any family with an outstanding debt to Columbus Metropolitan
Housing Authority (CMHA) must have an executed payback agreement and be current in payments to
CMHA to place their name on the FSS waiting list.
Enrollment
CMHA recruits FSS enrollment in the following preference order:
Section 8 certificate and voucher holders that reside in South Linden (Greater Linden Community)
New holders of Section 8 certificates and vouchers.
Families coming up for reexamination.
An objective selection process will be used to enroll FSS families based on their application date.
A waiting list is maintained when the FSS caseload exceeds its program size. The waiting
list will adhere to the same criteria as enrollment.
Program Incentives
CMHA will offer monies held in escrow to those participating
families who have successfully completed the terms of their FSS Contract
of Participation. All Section 8 FSS participant escrow accounts will be
deposited in one savings account maintained by CMHA. CMHA may also offer
a portion of the FSS account to families who have successfully completed certain interim
goals and need a portion of the FSS account to complete their Contract of Participation.
How The Escrow Account Works
The concept of the escrow account is that FSS families continue to pay rent according to their
incomes. The amount of the increase in family rent resulting from an increase in earned income is
escrowed. Because there are other factors that affect the family rent, it will not necessarily
be dollar for dollar. The amounts of the family’s annual income, earned income, and family rent
when the family begins the program will be used to determine the amount credited to the family’s FSS escrow account because of future
increases in earned income.
If during the contract term the family rent becomes less than the family rent on the effective
date of the contract, there is no escrow credit.
The amount escrowed for the family will also depend on whether the family is considered a very low
or low income family
CMHA will give the family a report on the amount in the family’s FSS escrow account at
least once a year.
If the family is participating in the Section 8 program and moves outside CMHA’s jurisdiction
under Section 8 portability procedures, CMHA may transfer the balance of the family’s FSS escrow account
to another housing authority.
CMHA may permit the family to withdraw funds from the FSS escrow account before completion of
the contract, if the family has completed specific interim goals, and needs some of the FSS escrow
account funds to complete the contract (example: to pay for school costs).
CMHA will pay the head of the family the amount in the family’s FSS escrow account, less any amount owed to CMHA, when:
The family has completed the contract, and
At the time of contract completion, the head of the family provides written certification to CMHA that no member of the family is receiving welfare
assistance. Welfare assistance means income assistance from Federal or state welfare programs.
include amounts for health care, child care, food stamps, SSI, SSDI or Social Security.
The family will not receive the funds in its FSS escrow account if:
The contract of participation is terminated;
The contract of participation is declared null and void; or
The family has not met its family responsibilities within the times specified in the
contract of participation.
