The Vancouver Housing Authority has been awarded a $216,434 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency announced today.
The VHA received the ROSS – Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency – as part of a package of $28 million in grants announced by the HUD today.
The Puyallup Tribe also won a ROSS grant of $240,000.
“This is money well spent in these economic times,” HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said in a press release announcing the grants. “This funding allows HUD, and our partner local housing agencies, to provide families with more than just affordable housing, but resources that will help them obtain jobs and achieve personal and career goals.”
The funding allows public housing agencies to keep or hire a service coordinator to help residents gain access to education, job training and placement programs. It also allows the agency to connect residents with computer and financial literacy services to promote self-sufficiency.
For the elderly or disabled, the service coordinator arranges supportive services that allow them to maintain their independent lifestyle, the announcement said.
