Page 14 - 2018 NHHFA Annual report
P. 14

ASSISTED HOUSING






























                                            NHFFA Family Self-Sufficiency Program case worker Brooke Rubner met with FSS
                  ew Hampshire              graduate Kareem in Dover before he headed off to work as an apprentice electrician.
                  Housing provides          Photo: Robert Jenkins
            direct assistance to low-in-
            come households, helping
            them obtain decent and          HUD also supports a program in       financial fitness, career and work-
            affordable housing through      which a voucher is used toward       place, computer literacy, buying and
            HUD’s Housing Choice            homeownership. Voucher use for       maintaining a used car, homeowner-
            Voucher (HCV) program.          homeownership mortgage assis-        ship, and more.
            This program helps prevent      tance has allowed hundreds of
            homelessness by offering        participants to purchase their own   FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY
            stable housing for thou-        homes. Many participants graduate    PROGRAM
            sands of Granite Staters.       from the program into financial      The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS)
                                                                                 Program offers financial and
            Through the voucher             independence and no longer need      employment coaching to Housing
            program, a qualified            assistance, freeing up vouchers for   Choice Voucher participants who are
            household pays a portion        the next household on the list. There   working full- or part-time. As their
            of their income toward rent     are currently 158 Housing Choice     household earned income increases,
            and utilities, and NHHFA        Voucher homeowners.                  matching funds are deposited into an
            pays the balance directly to    FINANCIAL EDUCATION                  escrow account for the participant
            the landlord. Our ongoing       AND COUNSELING                       to use upon successfully completing
            challenge is how to assist      Find Financial Freedom (FindFinan-   the program.
            as many households as           cialFreedom.org) offers interactive,
            possible given that there       online training that helps users learn   During FY2018, the FSS Program
            is a limited number of          how to build assets, manage money,   enrolled an additional 55 house-
      FY 2018 NHHFA ANNUAL REPORT  applying for the program,   viduals can receive coaching, and   24 graduates who each received an
                                                                                 holds, for a total of 197 participating
            available vouchers. Due to
                                            improve credit-worthiness, and
                                                                                 in the program. The program had
            the number of households
                                            prepare for homeownership. Indi-
                                                                                 average of $5,590 in escrow funds
            an applicant’s time on the
                                            set up and maintain their household
                                                                                 upon graduation.
            waiting list can stretch to
                                            budget on the secure website. Also
            as long as nine years.
                                            available are online resources on


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