Lofgren Announces $720,000 in Federal Funding to Assist Santa Clara County Families Living in Public Housing

SAN JOSE, CA – Today, U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-19) announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide the Santa Clara County Housing Authority with $432,432 and the Housing Authority of the City of San Jose with $288,288 under the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program.

"It's no secret that there's an affordable housing crisis in our community, and it requires action from all levels of government," said Rep. Lofgren. "As lawmakers work to ensure that every family in our community can find housing they can afford, we must also provide services that families currently living in public housing need to thrive. These important grants will help local families find the resources they need to meet their long-term financial and employment goals."

Under the FSS program, public housing tenants or recipients of housing vouchers must set long-term financial and employment goals. Next, FSS coordinators help connect families to the services they need to reach those goals, such as transportation, childcare, and employment training. As families meet their goals, the FSS program deposits credits in an escrow account that the family receives after graduating from the program. The escrow account not only provides a financial incentive for families to become financially self-sufficient, but also helps low-income families build savings or meet unexpected expenses. Congress provided $105 million in funding for the FSS program in Fiscal Year 2021, $25 million more than the previous year. Rep. Lofgren voted in favor of the funding package in December 2020.

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