THE DANDELION CONNECTION
Volume 4 Issue 1
(716) 847-0655 ext. 216 January/February, 1996
Copyright 1996, Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc
FAMILY SELF SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM AND SECTION 8 SUBSIDIZED HOUSING
Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) is the employment and training program within Rental Assistance Corporation of Buffalo's (RAC) Section 8 department. This article gives a general description of both FSS and Section 8 and how to get into these programs. The main qualifying factor for inclusion to the FSS program is that the participant must be receiving Section 8 rental assistance through the RAC. Therefore, Section 8 will be addressed first.
What is Section 8?
The Section 8 Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and provides rental assistance to low-income families, the elderly, or disabled. Section 8 comes in several forms, most commonly known are the Certificate and Voucher Program. The goal of these programs is to ensure decent, safe and sanitary housing in privately owned buildings. Each program is slightly different, but both assist with decent and affordable housing.
Who Is Eligible?
Three possible qualifiers for eligibility are: paying more than 50% of gross monthly income toward rent and utilities; involuntarily displaced i.e. city purchases building and all tenants must relocate; or are homeless living in a shelter.
Housing:
Any type of rental housing from single
family home to high rise is eligible.
Application
Process:
Applications may be obtained at the
RAC office located at 470 Franklin Street. The waiting is list is very long, approximately
12,000 families are now waiting for Section 8 assistance.
How Much Rent Do Tenants Pay?
Certificate holders pay no more than 30% of their gross monthly income toward rent and there is a limit to what landlords can charge. Voucher holders pay at least 10% of their gross monthly income toward rent, but may pay more than 30% of their income due to no limit to rental charge.
Please contact Peter Filim on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 882-0063 for more information about Section 8 after you have submitted your application.
What is Family Self Sufficiency?
Exactly what it says, self sufficiency. People on this program each receive a case manager who works with them toward their employment goals. The program has been in existence for about seven years under different names and has recently come to RAC within the last two years.
Who Is Eligible?
Anyone who receives Section 8 assistance and any of their family members over age 18.
What Is the Goal of This Program?
Although anyone is eligible, to complete the programmatic requirements of FSS the family must not receive any benefits from Public Assistance for 12 consecutive months. Many persons in the FSS program don't receive PA and are already working, however, they have other career goals. The case managers work with all participants toward increasing their marketability for employment.
Conclusion
Any person on Section 8 knows that when your income increases so does the portion of rent. HUD has created an incentive program within the FSS. Each participant whose rent portion raises due to increased earned income has an escrow account opened. The amount deposited into this account every month is based upon size of family and low-income levels for Erie County. When the participant has successfully completed the FSS program, as defined by the contract of participation, they receive their escrow check.
Please contact either DARCELL MCDONALD-MYREE, DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST or KHALIMAH A. HALIM, FSS PROGRAM SPECIALIST at 882-0063 for more information about FSS if you are already receiving Section 8 assistance.
El Programa De Familia
Auto-Suficiencia
Y Vivienda Subvencionar Seccion 8
Familia Auto-Suficiencia (FSS) es el programa de empleo y entrenamiento dentro de la Corporaci\n de Asistencia del Arrendamiento de Buffalo (RAC) Departamento Secci\n 8. Este artRculo da una descripci\n general de ambos FSS y Secci\n 8 y c\mo entrar en estos programas. El factor principal calificativo para inclusi\n al FSS programa es que el participante debe de recibir asistencia Secci\n 8 de rentas a travJs de RACB. Por eso, Secci\n 8 se dirigir< primero.
)QuJ es Secci\n 8?
El Programa Secci\n 8 es consolidado por el U.S. Departamento de Viviendas y Urbanizacion Urbano (HUD), y provee asistencia de arriendo a familias de poco ingreso, el de avanzada edad, o incapacitado. Secci\n 8 viene en varias formas, el m<s usualmente conocido es el Certificado y el
Programa del Garante. El proposito de estos programas es asegurar decente, segurida y vivienda sanitaria en edificios de caseros privados. Cada programa es ligeramente diferente, pero ambos asisten con vivienda decente y proporcionada.
)QuiJn Es elegible?
Tres calificadores posibles para elegibilidad son: pagar m<s de 50% del total del ingreso mensual hacia renta y utilidades, involuntariamente desplazado, por ejemplo; la ciudad compra un edificio y todos inquilinos deben de establecer en un lugar nuevo o sin hogar, viviendo en un resguardo.
Vivienda:
Cualquier tipo de vivienda del arriendo de un hogar de una familia a un edificio de muchos pisos es elegible.
Proceso del solicitud:
Pueden obtener una solicitud en la oficina RAC localizada en el 470 Calle Franklin. La lista de espera es muy larga, aproximadamente 12,000 familias esperan ahora mismos por asistencia Secci\n 8
)Cuanta Renta Pagan los Inquilinos?
Poseedores de certificado no pagan m<s de 30% de su ingreso total mensual para renta y hay un lRmite en lo quJ propietarios pueden cobrar. Poseedores del garante pagan por lo menos 10% de su ingreso total mensual para renta, pero pueden pagar m<s de 30% de su ingreso debido a que no hay un lRmite en la cantidad de arriendo.
Favor de ponerse en contacto con Peter Filim los martes y jueves al 882-0063 para m<s informaci\n sobre Secci\n 8 despuJs que a sometido su solicitud.
)QuJ es Familia Auto-Suficiente?
Exactamente lo quJ dice, auto-suficiente. Cada persona en este programa recibe un administrador de caso quien trabaja con ellos hacia sus objetivos de empleo. El programa ha estado en existencia acerca de siete aZos debajo de diferentes nombres y ha vuelto recientemente a RAC dentro de los dos ultimos aZos.
)QuiJn Es Elegible?
Cualquiera quien recibe asistencia Secci\n 8 y cualquier miembro de su familia de edad 18 o m<s.
)QuJ es el Objetivo de Este Programa?
Aunque cualquiera es elegible, para completar los requerimientos del programa de FSS la familia no debe recibir ningunos beneficios de Asistencia Pdblica por 12 meses consecutivos. Muchas personas en el FSS programa no reciben PA y ya est<n trabajando, sin embargo, tienen otros objetivos de carrera. El trabajo de los administradores del caso trabajan con todos los participantes hacia aumentar su potencial de venta para empleo.
Finalmente...
Cualquier persona en Secci\n 8 sabe que cu<ndo su ingreso aumenta tambien aumenta su parte de renta. HUD ha creado un programa del incentivo dentro del FSS. Cada participante que aumento su parte de la renta debido a un aumento de ingreso tiene una cuenta en dep\sito de tercera persona abierta. La cantidad depositado en esta cuenta cada mes se basa en el tamaZo de familia y niveles del poco-ingreso del Condado de Erie. Cu<ndo el participante ha completado con buen Jxito el FSS programa, como definido por el contrato de participaci\n, reciben su cheque en dep\sito.
Favor de ponerse en contacto con DARCELL MCDONALD-MYREE o KHALIMAH A. HALIM al 882-0063 para m<s informaci\n sobre FSS si ya recibe asistencia Secci\n 8.
FINGER IMAGING
Finger imaging of
Aid to Families with Dependent Children is moving swiftly to the ECDSS office closest to
you. At the time of this printing, the agency anticipates that it will begin finger
imaging all applicants for public assistance beginning in late January or February.
Although the regulation has been in place for sometime, ECDSS has not implemented it due
to staffing and equipment concerns. All current recipients of Aid to Families with
Dependent Children should expect to be notified of the need to cooperate with finger
imaging as early as their next recertification date.
ECDSS' position is that a failure to cooperate with finger imaging requirements is a
reason to deny both public assistance and food stamps. Applicants may challenge this
denial at a fair hearing. Household members applying for or receiving assistance and over
18 years of age who decline to be finger imaged will cause the entire household to lose
benefits.
HEALTH WATCH
Your Child's
Health:
Nutrition and Iron Deficiency
by: Dr. Cheryl Nohejl
Providing adequate nutrition for the growing child is a challenge, even within an unlimited budget. Providing the same quality nutrition on a limited budget requires more planning and creativity but is no less attainable.
To adequately nourish a growing child, there is a need to furnish enough calories
for growth and activities. In addition to calories, the food must give enough protein and
important vitamins and minerals that are critical to bone growth and mental development.
Because the body requires very small amounts of most minerals, a diet containing fresh
vegetables, fruit and meat or meat substitutes such as peanut butter, will generally be
adequate. Unfortunately, many children do not receive enough iron even though adequate
iron intake is critical and simple with a bit of planning.
Did you know....
* Iron deficiency, particularly in the under two year old age group, can impair mental development and may not be completely reversible.
* Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia in children.
* Iron deficiency, through triggering abnormal releases of certain hormones, can make a child extremely irritable, fretful, and difficult to deal with.
* Iron deficiency can trigger PICA or the eating of non-food items like soil or lead-containing paint.
* Iron deficiency can decrease a child's appetite and desire to eat appropriate foods.
* Iron deficiency may increase the number of infections that a child has.
* Human milk has a protein that carries adequate amounts of iron from mother to the baby.
* Iron deficiency is totally preventable through the use of an iron fortified formula in infants. Using evaporated milk or cow=s milk in place of formula not only fails to provide adequate iron but can, through a protein present in cow=s milk, aggravate an existing iron deficiency.
* Iron fortified formulas and vitamins with iron do not cause constipation. Often the constipation comes from the type of cow's milk protein in prepared formulas. Constipation can be avoided by giving small amounts of plain water between meals or feedings.
* Iron deficiency is also totally preventable through use of iron-fortified cereals. Most of the cereals on the WIC list provide 100% of the daily requirements of iron for a child. Such cereals include Cream of Wheat, Post Raisin Bran, Total, and others. The side panel will give iron content. In cereals, iron is added and generally does not occur naturally in quantities more than 10 to 25% of the minimum daily requirement.
* Limiting milk intake in the child over one year of age to a quart a day, will help insure that adequate iron is absorbed from foods.
* Preventing iron deficiency may lessen some effects of slight lead level elevations.
* Prevention is the key since once a child is iron deficient, he may lose mental development potential that cannot be regained.
* Prevention not only means providing enough iron, but also limiting those foods that "ruin" a child's appetite.
* Things like excess milk intake and Kool-aid or juice bottles as fillers between meals keep children from being hungry enough to eat less exciting foods like cereals, fruits and vegetables.
* The younger child should have the three traditional meals and two to three limited but planned snacks between meals.
* A planned snack is a piece of fruit or juice and cheese is nice. Using peanut butter on apple slices can be a fun game for older children.
* Although milk is important, do not let a child fill up on milk before he eats his meal. If necessary, ration milk through the meal to encourage the child to eat a balance of fruit, vegetables and protein.
* To avoid confrontations, over "good" and "bad" food for the growing child, do not introduce more expensive or prepared food into the home. Candy bars, chips, and pop are filling and prevent intake of "good" quality nutrition. Avoiding these from the start will cost less and start training the child in good eating habits that will later help prevent heart disease and high blood pressure.
* If a child is given a vitamin with iron, it should be with the advice of your child's doctor. A child should be able to get all his nutrition through diet without vitamins. Vitamins, particularly those with iron, can cause serious illness if a child were to accidentally take a large quantity. For that reason the vitamins should never be called "candy".
POETRY
Drop a Pebble in the Water
Drop a
pebble in the water
Just a splash and it is gone.
But there's half a hundred ripples
circling on and on.
Spreading, spreading from the
center, flowing on out to the sea.
And there is no way of telling where
the end is going to be.
Drop a pebble in the water . . . in
a minute you forget.
But there's little waves a-flowing -
to the mighty wave have grown.
And you've disturbed a mighty river
Just by dropping in a stone.
Drop a word
of cheer and kindness
Just a flash and it is gone.
But there's half a hundred ripples
circling on. And on. And on.
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on
each splashing, dashing wave.
Till you wouldn't believe the volume
of the one kind work you gave.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness .
. . in a minute you forget.
But there's gladness still
a-swelling and there's joy a-circling yet.
And you've rolled a wave of comfort,
whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water
Just by dropping one kind word.
by James W. Foley
NEWSLETTER STAFF:
Editor
Kandee Nance-Cooper
Managing Editors
Maggie O=Malley
Teresa Amspacher
Production
Bill Scott
PROJECT DANDELION
Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc.
495 Ellicott Square Building.
295 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14203