Sen. Collins Announces More Than $600,000 for Three Maine Housing Programs
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that Bath Housing Authority, Ellsworth Housing Authority, and the Housing Authority of the City of Brewer have been awarded a total of $604,161 through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) grant program.
“Maine’s housing authorities provide a vital service to seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income individuals and families,” said Senator Collins. “As the Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, I am committed to ensuring that the housing needs of vulnerable individuals and families are met. By supporting resident services coordinators, this grant will help connect participating Mainers with additional resources and promote their health, independence, and overall wellbeing.”
The funding is awarded as follows:
- Bath Housing Authority: $217,679
- Ellsworth Housing Authority: $211,482
- Housing Authority of the City of Brewer: $175,000
The purpose of the ROSS Service Coordinator program is to provide funding to hire and maintain Service Coordinators who 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 promotes 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 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.
In September 2016, Senator Collins chaired a Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee hearing to review the effectiveness of housing assistance programs.
