FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 17, 2025
CONTACT:
Christine Hunsinger
chunsinger@rihousing.com
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About RIHousing
RIHousing works to ensure that all people who live in Rhode Island can afford a healthy, attractive home that meets their needs. RIHousing provides loans, grants, education and assistance to help Rhode Islanders find, rent, buy, build and keep a good home. Created by the General Assembly in 1973, RIHousing is a self-sustaining corporation and receives no state funding for operations. For more information regarding RIHousing, visit RIHousing.com or follow us @RIHousing on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram.
RIHOUSING, PROVIDENCE HOUSING AUTHORITY CELEBRATE 2024 GRADUATES OF FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM, INITIATIVE THAT LEADS TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE
WARWICK, RI – RIHousing and the Providence Housing Authority (PHA) last night hosted a graduation celebration for their 2024 Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program graduates at the Crowne Plaza, attended by representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Rhode Island field office, FSS program coordinating committee members, and the graduates’ families. The FSS Program, created by HUD specifically to support individuals receiving a Housing Choice Voucher, Project-Based voucher, or living in public housing, is administered by local Housing Authorities across the country.
HUD-assisted residents that join the Family Self-Sufficiency Program are paired with an FSS Coordinator to set financial, educational, and/or employment goals, with the aim of ultimately obtaining financial independence. A unique feature to this program is the escrow savings account: as participants’ incomes and rents increase, HUD matches that rent increase amount, depositing it into an escrow savings account set aside for the participant. Upon graduation, participants receive these funds, which past graduates have utilized for homeownership, purchasing vehicles, starting businesses, and more.
“Many past FSS graduates have gone on to buy their own homes or to otherwise move out of HUD subsidized housing as their incomes have increased,” said Peter Asen, Rhode Island Field Office Director at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. “This independence is a great thing for families participating in the program, but it is also a benefit for another family who will access a voucher or apartment from the waiting list. All the work families put into achieving their goals may also help someone else they may never even meet.”
FSS participants commit to five years of working alongside their coordinator to achieve their goals, a substantial length of time to give over to the program. Throughout those years, participants make incredible strides in their personal and professional lives, culminating in the completion of the program and the reward of their escrow savings.
This celebration was the first time RIHousing or Providence Housing had held such an event. Between the two agencies, 38 participants completed the FSS program in 2024; grads saved more than $500,000 in their escrow accounts.
As the administrator of the program for the capital city, the PHA has a robust number of participants at any given time. RIHousing administers the program in 19 municipalities across Rhode Island; together, the two agencies manage the largest local Housing Authority FSS programs in the state.
“RIHousing is proud to host this graduation event alongside the Providence Housing Authority, allowing us to celebrate the achievements of our FSS participants together,” said Carol Ventura, CEO & Executive Director of RIHousing. “Our graduates spent five years working towards their goals, a significant commitment that deserves recognition. We look forward to continuing to assist Rhode Islanders, providing the resources and support they need to complete the FSS program and gain financial independence.”
“The Providence Housing Authority is proud to join the RIHousing Team to demonstrate our aligned commitment to pair affordable housing and supportive programs of opportunity, such as HUD’s Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program, which creates pathways to brighter futures for residents,” said Melissa Sanzaro, Executive Director of the Providence Housing Authority. “The resilience and perseverance of our FSS graduates, especially through the challenges of the pandemic, reflect the program’s power to transform lives and strengthen communities.”
Graduate Spotlight: Laura
Laura Escotto, a Providence Housing Authority graduate who spoke in front of the group at the celebration last night, exemplifies the ways the FSS program can benefit a person. Laura was born in the Bronx to Dominican parents and moved to Providence at 14; after becoming a mother in the mid-2000s, she dropped out of high school. She realized later on that education was the key to success and began her journey of continued learning and professional exploration. Laura has attended numerous vocational schools and has obtained a number of certificates and licenses, many in the health care field. She’s currently a mom of five, attending the Community College of Rhode Island, pursuing an associate’s degree in human services while working part-time as a Certified Nursing Assistant.
As Laura said to the crowd: “Perseverance is my favorite word.”
The celebration at the Crowne Plaza included dinner, a speaking program, the presentation of completion certificates, activities for children, and the opportunity for professional headshots.
The Family Self-Sufficiency Program accepts new participants on a rolling basis. Participants must have a Housing Choice voucher, Project-Based voucher, or live in public housing or specific subsidized multifamily properties, be over the age of 18, and be interested in working part- or full-time, as being gainfully employed at the time of graduation is required.