On Monday, May 16, 2022, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it will publish a rule to implement changes to the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program.
The changes include permanently expanding the definition of an eligible family to include tenants of privately owned multifamily properties subsidized with Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA).
In addition to permanently expanding FSS to multifamily owners and allowing them to compete directly for services funding, the rule also expands eligibility for FSS enrollment to include any adult member of the household—rather than only the Head of Household—to be more inclusive of households where the Head of Household is unable to work or increase work activity due to issues such as health conditions, disabilities, or family care taking responsibilities.
The rule also expands the definition of “good cause” for a FSS client contract extension to include participants who are in active pursuit of a long-term goal that will help them get ahead, such as a college degree, as opposed to only reasons outside of the family’s control. Additionally, among other statutory and regulatory changes, the rule removes administratively burdensome requirements for enrollment and revises graduation requirements.
