THE PATH TO SUCCESS: BUILDING OUR SUCCESS STORIES (B.O.S.S.)
THE B.O.S.S. INITIATIVE
The Family Self-Sufficiency program prepares families to transition from dependency to self-sufficiency. We are “building our success stories” by encouraging and empowering families to set and achieve goals for financial independence, homeownership, and a new outlook on obtaining and sustaining employment. The FSS Coordinator works with HCV/PBV families to encourage new habits and behaviors by strategically setting realistic goals and removing barriers to their success.
FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM
What is FSS?
The Lexington Housing Authority (LHA) Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program is designed to be a stepping stone to assist you in achieving the goal of becoming self-sufficient. Our FSS Coordinators help you map out your journey toward employment, higher education and training goals that will increase and sustain your income.
Our goal is to help you identify barriers that may prevent you from accomplishing your goals. Barriers such as lack of childcare, transportation or money needed for education or training. Your FSS Coordinator connects you to community resources that help to jump start your story of success.
What’s in it for me?
Joining the FSS Program provides additional benefits that aren’t just measured on paper. Participants who have joined and completed the FSS Program speak highly of the personal growth they experience through connecting with community resources and a well-established relationship with the FSS Coordinator. Past graduates have learned conflict resolution strategies, how to maintain employment, how to write a resume, effective communication strategies and more.
As an incentive, participants in the FSS program gain access to an escrow savings account which is established by LHA. The escrow account allows you to save money as your earned income grows. As an FSS participant, you will continue to pay a percentage of your income towards rent just as you did before joining the program. However, if your rental payments increase (as a result of increased earned income), LHA may deposit a portion of your rent in an interest bearing escrow account.
How does the escrow account work?
You may wonder what happens if you get a raise at work. As a participant of the program, you will be entitled to start an escrow or incentive account. As a result of increased earned income, your rent will be raised and part of the rental increase is put into an account each month.
You may use this money to cover educational costs, occupational or job training, a down payment on a new home or emergency car care needed to keep employment. To use escrow money, you must show progress towards meeting your goals. Graduates receive this money upon successful completion of the program.