Public Housing FSS Escrow Account
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This subject includes information about benefits paid to participants in the Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program.
Policy
The Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program promotes employment and increased savings for public housing residents to end dependence on public assistance.
The Public Housing FSS Escrow Account program is run the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
When an FSS participant’s rent is increased due to earned income, the Public Housing Authority opens an escrow account for the participant. The Public Housing Authority deposits the amount of the rent increase into the account each month upon receipt of the participant’s rent payment.
The FSS escrow account funds are disbursed to the participant at any of the following times:
●Before the completion of the FSS program, for the purposes related to the goal of the FSS contract, such as any of the following:
●Home ownership
●Higher Education
●Job Training
●Start-up expenses involved in self-employment
●Upon successful completion of the FSS program
Funds received for a Public Housing FSS escrow account before the completion of the FSS program are not countable unearned income.
Funds received upon the successful completion of the FSS program are received in a lump sum. (See Lump Sum for instruction on budgeting)
Countable income is used to determine an income budget. (See Income Budgeting to see how FAA determines the income budget.) FAA needs to know about income that is both countable and not countable to determine whether a budgetary unit’s income is exceeding their expenses. (See Income Eligibility for more information about how FAA uses countable and not countable income.)
Procedures
When the participant is present, have them sign the Authority to Release (FAA‑1765A) form to contact any companies or businesses involved. The FAA-1765A can be faxed or emailed to the participant's employer when it is not possible to use the Application for Benefits (FAA-0001A) or the HEAplus Authority to Release signed statement.
Verification
System interface and the case file(g) must be reviewed before verification is requested. No additional verification is needed when AZTECS interface or HEAplus hubs have verified the information.
The participant has the primary responsibility for providing verification. (See Participant Responsibilities – Providing Verification for additional policy.)
For NA, all of the following income is required to be verified before eligibility is determined:
●Reported on a new application, during the interview of a new application, or changes reported before the eligibility determination of a new application.
●Changes after an eligibility determination of a new application (e.g., a renewal application, mid approval contact, etc.) and any of the following apply:
The source of the income has changed.
The income is questionable(g) or unclear(g).
The reported income amount has changed by $51 or more.
The previous verification in the case file is more than 59 calendar days old.
For CA, all income is required to be verified before determining eligibility.
Examples of verification that can be used for Public Housing FSS Escrow Account include, and are not limited to, any of the following:
●Agency or payer providing the income
●Assistance payments records
●Bank records
●Signed statement from the agency or payer providing the income
●Collateral Contact
●Participant statement verification when one of the following occur:
Obtaining documented or collateral contact verification may cause harm or undue hardship(g) for the participant.
When all of the following occur:
●Other attempts to obtain the verification have failed. This includes documented and collateral contact verification.
●The participant has requested assistance from FAA.
●The worker has evaluated the request for assistance and cannot obtain the verification from another acceptable source.
●The participant statement is not questionable(g).
AZTECS Keying Procedures
Key the OX Unearned Income Code in the INC TYPE field on UNIC.
Document the case file(g) thoroughly to support keyed codes, amounts, and frequencies. See the AZTECS Data Entry Guide for instructions on keying the AZTECS income screens.
NOTE Documentation must support determinations of eligibility and benefit level. Document in sufficient detail to ensure that any reviewer can assess whether the determination is reasonable and accurate. Include specific information regarding the reason the income is determined to be normal. (See Budgeting Income Documentation Requirements for additional information.)
Legal Authorities
AAC R6-12-503(42)
A.R.S 46-292-P01
24 CFR 984.305(c)
7 U.S.C 2014 (d)(1)
7 U.S.C 2014 (d)(9)
last revised 10/02/2023