Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today congratuled the City of Tucson and the Housing Authority of the City of Yuma on receiving $138,000 and $249,500 grants, respectively, from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funding comes through HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher – Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program.

The program helps eligible individuals acquire skills and experience to obtain a living wage, then offers them an escrow savings account. Public housing agencies work with welfare agencies, schools, businesses, and other local partners to help FSS participants access services including:

·         child care

·         transportation

·         education and training

·         home-ownership counseling

“This is exactly the sort of program we need to be protecting for the public good while we create jobs and help people get back on their feet,” Grijalva said. “Investments in public skills and economic self sufficiency pay for themselves many times over, and it would be foolish to reduce this support in Southern Arizona where it means so much to the community.”

For more information, call Albert Elias at the City of Tucson at (520) 791-4171 or Michael Morrissey at the Housing Authority of the City of Yuma at (928) 782-3823.