Big federal grant for self-sufficiency program

Lake County Housing Authority has been awarded a $222,561 federal grant for the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development officials announced about 20 Illinois agencies will receive roughly $2.5 million in grants. About $75 million in grants will be awarded to housing authorities nationwide.

The funding will help Lake Count families who receive federal housing vouchers and public housing assistance reduce their dependency on welfare assistance and rental subsidies by providing tools and resources that will assist them in gaining job skills and increasing their earned income.

Enacted in Lake County in 1992, the Family Self-Sufficiency focuses on an employment and savings incentive program for low-income families. The housing authority provides case management services to help approximately 450 participants pursue and maintain employment and financial independence.

An incentive component of the program includes an escrow savings account into which the housing authority deposits a portion of the increased rental charges that a family pays as its income from earnings rise.

Families that successfully complete the self-sufficiency program by reaching their goals at the end of a five-year contract may graduate and withdraw the funds from the escrow account. Most clients relinquish their housing voucher at that time and become self-sufficient.

"These funds will empower families in Lake County by providing educational opportunities, job training, and counseling to help them become financially self-sufficient," said housing authority Executive Director/CEO David Northern.

"Helping people gain the necessary skills to become self-sufficient strengthens our communities in the long term."

Lake County Housing Authority is one of the largest such agencies in Illinois. Established in 1946, it provides housing and housing related services for more than 13,000 residents of Lake County.