Warner, Kaine announce more than $2 million for Virginia public housing residents

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that Virginia localities and organizations in Alexandria, Danville, Chesapeake and Harrisonburg will receive $2,301,433 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grants will help these entities hire or retain service coordinators to assist public housing residents in finding jobs and educational opportunities, and achieving economic and housing independence.

“These funds will strengthen Virginia communities and improve quality of life for public housing residents,” said the Senators. “This investment will help residents obtain higher paying jobs so they can be self-sufficient and regain financial independence.”

The funding, provided through HUD’s Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency – Service Coordinators Program (ROSS-SC) helps grantees hire or retain “service coordinators” who work directly with residents to assess their needs and connect them with education, job training and placement programs, and/or computer and financial literacy services available in their community to promote self-sufficiency.

A list of grant recipients and amounts is included below:

• Can I Live, Inc. (Alexandria) – $940,033
• Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority – $246,000
• Cardinal Village Tenant Association, Inc. (Danville) – $231,000
• Pleasant View Tenant Association, Inc. (Danville) – $231,000
• Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority – $231,000
• Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority – $246,000
• Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority – $176,400

The purpose of HUD’s ROSS-SC program is to encourage innovative and locally driven strategies that link public housing assistance with public and private resources to enable HUD-assisted families to increase earned income; reduce or eliminate their need for welfare assistance; and promote economic independence and housing self-sufficiency. These grants provide funding to hire and retain Service Coordinators who will assess the needs of residents of conventional Public Housing or Indian housing and coordinate available resources in the community to meet those needs. In addition, ROSS-SC grants help improve living conditions for seniors, enabling them to age-in-place.