Feds award Lynn housing officials $53G

LYNN – A push to help local residents living in housing paid for with taxpayers’ dollars gain economic independence is getting additional federal support.The $53,000 in family self-sufficiency money awarded to local public housing officials is aimed at supporting current efforts to link public housing tenants with education and job training programs, according to a Friday statement by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.”This is a modest investment that can make a world of difference for families looking to find their path to self-sufficiency,” the statement quoted HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan as saying.Lynn Housing Authority and Neighborhood Development executive director Charles Gaeta said the Authority’s self-sufficiency programs help equip tenants with skills needed to “become independent of government assistance.””It has been a great tool for participants to realize the dream of homeownership by meeting their economic goals,” Gaeta said.The federal money is intended to help local housing authorities hire program coordinators who, according to the HUD statement, “work directly with residents to connect them with local organizations that provide education and job training and placement opportunities.”Self-sufficiency programs also help tenants obtain child care, employment, and other types of counseling and computer and financial literacy education as well as transportation with all resources directed at helping someone get a job and earn an income.”I commend LHAND staff, particularly Sara Johnson and our partner Compass IDA for the success of our present program,” Gaeta said.Compass is part of Compass Working Capital, a non-profit organization based in Lynn and Boston. Compass’ website states that it provides “financial coaching” and assistance in setting up “incentive-based savings plans.”LHAND is one of 13 Massachusetts housing authorities receiving federal self-sufficiency money, according to the statement. All told, $16.3 million in tax dollar spending on self-sufficiency projects is aimed at helping local authorities like Lynn’s hire or keep on the job more than 300 coordinators.According to the HUD statement, tenants participating in self-sufficiency programs sign a five-year contract requiring a family’s head of household to get a job and no longer receive tax dollar benefits at the end of the contract.As individuals secure jobs and family income increases, part of the income is placed by housing authorities in accounts and that savings becomes available to the income-earner and his or her family if the contract obligations are met.Founded in 2010, LHAND’s self-sufficiency program helped 110 people in 2012, according to a published report linked to the agency’s website.”We look forward to assisting others in the year ahead,” Gaeta said Friday.