Resident Opportunity and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) - Service Coordinators Program

The purpose of the Public and Indian Housing Resident Opportunity and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) Service Coordinators (ROSS-SC) program is to provide grants to public housing agencies (PHAs), tribes/tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs), Resident Associations (RAs), and tax-exempt nonprofit organizations (including grassroots, faith-based and other community-based organizations) for the provision of a Service Coordinator to coordinate supportive services and other activities designed to help Public and Indian housing residents attain economic and housing self-sufficiency. This program works to promote the development of local strategies to coordinate the use of assistance under the Public Housing program with public and private resources, for supportive services and resident empowerment activities. These services should enable participating families to increase earned income, reduce or eliminate the need for welfare assistance, make progress toward achieving economic independence and housing self-sufficiency or, in the case of elderly or disabled residents, help improve living conditions and enable residents to age in-place. A Service Coordinator ensures that program participants are linked to the supportive services they need to achieve self-sufficiency or remain independent. Funds in this program are not allowed to be used for the direct provision of these services. This program is similar to the Public Housing Family Self- Sufficiency program (PH FSS) however, the PH FSS program is open only to PHAs and tribes/TDHEs, has a requirement of an escrow account for its participants and provides one-year funding. The ROSS SC program is open to nonprofit and Resident Association applicants, provides three-year funding, includes administrative expenses and training as eligible uses of the funds and requires a 25% match by statute. A PHA or tribe may receive grants in both programs.