The family self-sufficiency program (FSS) is governed by section 23 of the 1937 housing act

The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Public and Indian Housing Office awarded $370,218 to Mississippi Regional Housing Auth on January 1, 2026, under the Family Self-Sufficiency Program (CFDA 14.896). The award funds salaries and fringe benefits for Family Self-Sufficiency Program Coordinators who serve residents of public housing, Housing Choice Vouchers, and project-based rental assistance properties in Jackson, Mississippi, through December 31, 2026.

FSS Coordinators under this award enroll and maintain low-income families in the program, develop individualized training and services plans, and build partnerships with employers and community service providers. For the coordinator position(s) funded by this award, Mississippi Regional Housing Auth must maintain a minimum of 25 participating families during the performance period, with enrollment thresholds increasing by 50 families for each additional coordinator. Over five to seven years of service, participating families are expected to increase earned income, improve employment outcomes, and reduce welfare dependency through coordinator support and guidance.

Mississippi Regional Housing Auth is a nonprofit public housing authority operating as Region 6's Public Housing Authority Division, headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi. The organization acts as the direct recipient and has received comparable annual FSS project grants since 2022. No sub-recipients are identified in this award.

Activities

Funds under FSS grants are used solely to fund salary and fringe benefits for FSS coordinators. Responsibilities of FSS coordinators under the award include, but are not limited to, enrolling, and maintaining families in the program, working with families to prepare individual training and services plans (ITSPS), and building partnerships with employers and service providers in the community. The required number of participating families that a grantee must maintain is outlined in the funding notice and is based on the number of coordinators for which a grantee receives funding. Generally, the grantee must hire/retain one full-time equivalent (FTE) FSS program coordinator for each funded position. For the first full-time FSS coordinator position funded by HUD, programs must serve at least 25 participating families in FSS during the period of performance (the calendar year following the appropriation), and this number increases by 50 families for each additional funded coordinator after the first.

Expected outcomes

Grantees will hire/retain the number of coordinators for which they are funded. These coordinators will serve at least the minimum number of participants required by the grant. Over the 5-7 years of their contract of participation, participants will become employed or improve their employment and wages and meet other individual goals.

Intended beneficiaries

The intended beneficiaries of FSS are families currently residing in public housing (section 9), families currently participating in the housing choice voucher (section 8) program, and those living in project-based rental assistance (PBRA) properties.

Subrecipient activities

The recipient does not intend to subaward funds.