2010 Resident Services Training Programs

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The SHA Resident Services Department has formed a partnership with the Manatee Sarasota Workforce Funders Collaborative!

What does this mean to you?

 

• This parnership makes millions of dollars of training funds available to not only Sarasota Housing Authority public housing and housing choice voucher families but to other residents of the Newtown community as well.
• The partnership brings State College of Florida, Manatee Technical Institute and Sarasota County Technical Institute into the community making course offerings that until now have only been available outside of the community accessible to those with limited transportation.
• This partnership will reach out to the local support agencies to make sure that you have all of the resources that you need to be successful in your field.

SHA will be hosting a Career Explo on June 16, 2010 that will give you an opportunity to explore health and other career paths, speak to a guidance counselor about your areas of interest and ability, register for courses that interest you. Please click below for a flyer about the event.

CAREER EXPLO FLYER

Resident Services Department Overview

Sarasota Housing Authority was awarded the 2006 U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) grant for $150,000 to operate self-sufficiency programs.

 

Executive Director, Bill Russell & ROSS Director, Karen Curry accept the 2006 ROSS Grant.

 

 

 

 

The funding supported SHA in designing and implementing programs that would place the resident on a continuum toward acheiving HUD defined self-sufficiency. The programs begin with Education & Training move to Job Skills & Professional Development to Life Skills ending with Homeownership. We understand that not all residents desire home- ownership therefore the option of obtaining a market-rate rental residence is also considered an acceptable finishing point for ROSS Participants.

ROSS GED Students appreciating Ms. Anita Murray their instructor.

 

 

 

In February 2009, the program was awarded two additional grants $116,000 from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice and $5,000 from BB&T Bank in Atlanta. The additional funding will allow the ROSS Program to expand its services to Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher participants as well as public housing residents. This fabulous news comes at a critical time for public housing residents who are being relocated due to Phase II of the Janie Poe redevelopment project.

Career Coach Nina Insinna of SCTI presenting at the ROSS Open House in March 2008.

 

 

 

An additional program was added to the Sarasota Housing Authority's ROSS Program in May 2009. The department applied for and was awarded the 2008 U.S. Department of HUD Public Housing Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program grant. The grant provides for the salary of an FSS Coordinator to develop 5-year self-sufficiency plans with residents. The FSS Coordinator will also link the resident with resources either in the community or within the ROSS Program which will help them acheive the goals in their plans. The most attractive benefit of the FSS Program is that increases in rent prompted by increases in earned income while on the program are escrowed. Once the resident completes their 5-year plan the escrowed funds are released to them.

Derold McIver, Vice President & Community Development Specialist withBB&T Bank Atlanta presenting a Credit Repair Class in August 2009.

 

In 2010, the SHA ROSS Department was renamed the Resident Services Department. With the successful completion of the HUD ROSS grant, it was determined that the department would refocus on providing Case Management services and working on strategic partnerships to continue and expand training program.

The deparmtent was also given a goal of working more closely with our youth and strenghtening the youth programs. Case manager, Todd Bellamy is focusing on that area of the program. While Senior Case Manager, Homeownership Manager and FSS Program Coordinator Ken Waters will continue to focus on meeting the goals of his areas.

The BB&T Bank Bus visits the ROSS Center in April 2009 for our Homeownership Fair. Also in attendance were Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill and the Community Housing Trust.