Funding will help public housing residents gain employment and education opportunities
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it will make available $22.5 million to public housing authorities (PHAs) to help families increase their earned income and improve their economic mobility through the Jobs Plus program. HUD’s Jobs Plus program supports work readiness and connects public housing residents with employment, education, and financial empowerment services – part of an evidence-based model proven to help public housing residents find and keep jobs. This program also supports HUD’s Bridging the Wealth Gap agenda which pursues economic justice and asset building for renters.
“Programs like Jobs Plus help individuals and families to reach their goals,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “This funding notice allows public housing authorities to become a resource to their residents so that they can thrive.”
The approach of the Jobs Plus program combines traditional employment, training, and job placement services with a rent incentive and a place-based investment in building community support for work. The program requires PHAs to partner locally with Department of Labor Workforce Development Boards and American Jobs Centers. Additionally, Jobs Plus grantees are required to demonstrate a 25 percent match from community partners, providing wrap-around supportive services to improve employment and earnings outcomes. Cross-agency partnerships are essential to changing the economic prospects of public housing residents. The Jobs Plus program’s place-based model helps residents support each other through the process, cultivating a culture of work and enhancing economic resiliency.
Though the fundamentals of the program have not changed, the program has seen some welcomed changes. Many of the changes bring further clarification to key components of the program, but they also include the allowance of PHAs to meet eligibility with smaller populations of work-able adults than before. PHAs should carefully review the Appendix B that is posted with the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) as it has significantly expanded. Program changes now also require that applicants meet with program leadership to discuss implementation, feasibility, and impact.
The process and eligibility requirements to apply for the HUD’s Jobs Plus Program can be found in the FY2023 Jobs Plus NOFO online. Applications are due August 21, 2023.