Resident Services Offered by
Sarasota Housing Authority

Sarasota Housing Authority’s Resident Services Department provides opportunities for residents to identify and work towards their life goals. The ultimate goal of the Resident Services Department is to help lead families to self-sufficiency. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) a family is self-sufficient when:

• The head of household has obtained employment and
• All family members are free of cash assistance for 12 months
  or
• 30% of the monthly adjusted income meets or exceeds the fair market rental rate for their current unit.
  

Sometimes these goals are difficult to obtain alone. It may be the birth of a new baby, an unexpected illness or some other unforeseen circumstance that causes our residents to fall upon difficulty. The Resident Services Department supports the residents through advocacy, coaching, and even serving as role models. The objective is to identify a family’s goals and assets, and assist them in overcoming barriers in their way.

The most common barriers that we have identified are:

• lack of education
• difficulty finding affordable childcare
• difficulty finding sufficient wages
• overcoming a criminal background
• transportation issues.

To help remove such barriers, SHA recently applied for and was granted a federal grant from the U.S. Department of HUD for Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS). This $150,000 grant has funded self-sufficiency programs at SHA for our residents for three years. The timing of this grant is perfect as SHA works to counsel and assist families preparing for relocation as a result of the planned redevelopment of SHA’s family sites in Newtown. SHA’s vision is to transform our residents’ lives as well as to transform our housing stock and the community.

The Resident Services staff includes an administrative assistant and computer instructor, two case managers who are led by our Director of Resident Services.

The Resident Services department includes an on-site classroom and large meeting room for program sessions and other meetings with a computer lab with 6 computers with internet access and a printer; an on-site day care center for our residents to help them attend classes or return to work; and our Resident Services offices which are located at 1731 Gore Ct. The hours are 8am to 6pm Monday through Thursday, and from 8-12 on Fridays. The computer lab is available to residents during office hours. Case managers can be seen by appointment.

The Resident Services Department engages local educational institutes as well as non-profit service organizations in on-site programs and classes that are developed to assist residents toward their self-sufficiency goals. Our partners are listed below:

Education Partners

Sarasota County Technical Institute · State College of Florida

Manatee Technical Institute

Non-Profit Partners

Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice

Jobs Etc./Suncoast Workforce Board · Manasota Goodwill Industries

Women's Resource Center · Children First

Habitat for Humanity

The Resident Services Department is constantly expanding its program offerings to meet the needs of the resident population. This year through a partnership with the Manatee Sarasota Workforce Funders Collaborative and Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice, the Resident Services Department will be offering several trianing program that lead to living wage career opportunities. Some of these courses include:

Licensed Practical Nurse · Pharmacy Technician · Construction Helper

Patient Care Technician ·Dental Assistant/Hygenist

We are always looking for partner employers, guest speakers and other community leaders to assist in this very worthwhile and rewarding mission. If you would like to assist or make donations to the ROSS Program, please feel free to call (941) 316-8311 or e-mail us.