In the past, the ROSS grant has included programs such as ROSS-Family & Homeownership
and ROSS-Elderly/Persons with Disabilities. For FY08, these programs have been
combined into one ROSS-Service Coordinators program.
ROSS-Service
Coordinators
The purpose of the ROSS Service Coordinator program is to
provide funding to hire and maintain Service Coordinators who will assess the
needs of residents of conventional Public Housing or Indian housing and coordinate
available resources in the community to meet those needs. "This program works
to promote the development of local strategies to coordinate the use of assistance
under the Public Housing program with public and private resources, for supportive
services and resident empowerment activities. These services should enable participating
families to increase earned income, reduce or eliminate the need for welfare assistance,
make progress toward achieving economic independence and housing self-sufficiency,
or, in the case of elderly or disabled residents, help improve living conditions
and enable residents to age-in-place."
The ROSS program also funds the
Public Housing Family Self-Sufficiency (PH FSS) program. This funding is provided
on a competitive basis for PHAs (ONLY) to hire an FSS program coordinator for
one year.
As a response to the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility
Act of 1998 (the Public Housing Reform Act), ROSS is a redefined and restructured
combination of programs funded in prior years: The Tenant Opportunities Program
(TOP), Economic Development and Supportive Services Program (EDSS), and Public
Housing Service Coordinators.
Eligible Applicants
ROSS
grants may be made to four types of applicants:
- Public Housing Authorities
(PHAs)
- Tribes/tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs)
-
Resident associations (RAs) such as resident management corporations, resident
councils, and intermediary resident organizations
- Nonprofit organizations
supported by residents and/or PHAs
Public
Housing Family Self-sufficiency (PH FSS)
Funding under this program is
made only to PHAs to hire a program coordinator who links residents with training
opportunities, job placement organizations, and local employers. Residents enter
into a contract of participation which outlines their responsibilities towards
completion of training and employment objectives over a five year period or less.
The contract of participation also stipulates PHA responsibilities towards helping
residents achieve their goals. For each participating family that is a recipient
of welfare assistance, the PHA must establish an interim goal that the family
become independent from welfare assistance and remain independent from welfare
assistance at least one year prior to the expiration of the contract. During the
period of participation, residents may earn an escrow credit, based on increased
earned income, which they may use in a variety of ways upon successful graduation
from the program.
Elderly/Disabled Service Coordinator
Program
While formerly funded through ROSS, HUD now provides funding to
eligible PHAs through the Public Housing Operating Fund. PHAs which were recipients
of this grant in 1995 are renewed annually, provided that funding is available
for this purpose through appropriations. PHAs request funding through the Operating
Fund and use the grant to hire Service Coordinators who obtain supportive services
for the elderly and persons with disabilities residing in public housing. The
program's objective is to help this resident population continue to live in place,
independently, without having to move to more expensive assisted care environments.
Grant funds may be used to pay for the Service Coordinator's salary, fringe benefits,
and related administrative costs (i.e., training, office equipment, utilities).
Service Coordinators are responsible for functions such as: working with community
service providers to tailor services to the needs of eligible residents, establishing
a system to monitor and evaluate service delivery and outcomes, and coordinating
with other independent living programs. NOTE: Recipients of the EDSC funds should
consult the NOFA to determine eligibility for the ROSS-SC program. If you are
unsure if you are a recipient of this funding, please contact the PIH Resource
Center at 1-800-955-2232.
More Information
Provided
that funding is made available from congressional appropriations, grant competitions
are announced annually through HUD's SuperNOFA process. Information about how
to apply and deadlines for applying may be obtained by going to the HUD
Grants web site; and looking under "funds
available". Be sure to look at the information on registering and applying
with Grants.gov as well as consult the webcast
schedule for webcasts on the logic model, grants.gov, specific programs and other
NOFA information.
For more information on the ROSS program, please call
1 (800) 955-2232.