News
Athens Co. Receives HUD Grant For Self-Sufficiency Program
< < Back toAthens County will be receiving more than $41,000 in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The money will be used to fund the Family Self-Sufficiency Program coordinator for the county.
Executive Director of the Athens Metropolitan Housing Authority Keith Andrews says the program aims to help families get a leg-up rather than a hand-out.
"A family is a housing choice voucher participant, they enroll in the program for five years, and during that five year period we try to connect them with employment and as their income increases we paid their behalf in rental decreases The difference between the two is placed in an escrow account for the family and if they successfully complete the program at the end of the five years, that funding is theirs to do what they wish," said Andrews.
Currently the program serves 29 families, and thanks to these HUD grants, will be able to accept more.
Along with Athens County, eight other applicants will receive funding from HUD.
Out of the eight applicants in Southeast Ohio, the Zanesville Metropolitan Housing Authority will receive the largest grant with the amount of $207,581.
Other grant amounts range between approximately $45,000 and $21,000.