Wednesday, February 20, 2019
HUD AWARDS $10.6 MILLION TO HELP LOW-INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS SECURE HIGHER PAYING JOBS
Jobs Plus grants to help families achieve financial self-sufficiency
WASHINGTON – To help low-income public housing residents increase their income and move toward self-sufficiency, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded $10.6 million to four Public Housing Authorities (PHAs). HUD’s Jobs Plus Initiative connects public housing residents with employment, education and financial empowerment services—a proven model to help public housing residents find and keep better paying jobs. Read more about how these local housing agencies will put these funds to work.
HUD Secretary Ben Carson made the grant announcement today in the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles during a site visit of the Nickerson Gardens public housing development.
“These investments help public housing residents reach their dreams,” said Secretary Ben Carson. “The idea is simple-connect families with educational opportunities, job training and other services so they can find better paying jobs and achieve self-sufficiency.”
The amount budgeted for Nickerson Gardens is $3.7 million.
HUD’s Jobs Plus Initiative combines traditional employment, training and job placement services with a rent incentive and a place-based investment in building “community support for work.” The program addresses poverty among public housing residents and creates a culture of work and makes working families the norm.
Jobs Plus services are tailored to residents’ individual needs and are drawn from a menu of on-site and referral services. For unemployed residents, case managers will help identify short and long-term employment goals and create plans to accomplish them. Employed individuals can work with case managers to take the necessary steps to advance in the labor market.
Image from LA Times