NMA Blog

Adam Ensalaco, one of NMA’s experts on FSS program management, shares his thoughts on maintaining a successful program.

What is FSS?

FSS is the most powerful mechanism in the HUD world for moving a family out of poverty, bar none.

The FSS—Family Self-Sufficiency—program enables HUD-assisted families to increase their earned income and reduce their dependency on government assistance. A roof over their head and rent relief are not enough; FSS provides the momentum families need to become self-sufficient.

NMA's revision services team has been working hard to get the latest editions of our Master Books written, published, and out to you! These books have been brought current with all recent regulatory updates, including HOTMA, VAWA 2013, and more. 

Our technical writers and subject matter experts have just completed a special mid-year revision to both our Model Administrative Plan and Model ACOP. These revisions incorporate extensive policy changes brought about by Notice PIH 2017-08, Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) guidance  published this past May, along with additional revisions due to January’s Lead-Based Paint Final Rule.

In her capacity with the San Diego Housing Commission, Patti Zatarian-Menard designed, developed, and implemented one of the nation’s largest and most successful family self-sufficiency programs. For the past two decades, she has worked with Nan McKay & Associates conducting training seminars nationally and undertaking consulting assignments on federally subsidized housing. Patti will present the following session at The Housing Conference next week.

HOTMA and RAD Changes
On January 18, 2017, HUD published a Federal Register Notice implementing several of the major provisions of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA). Provisions of this notice impact both the standard and RAD project-based voucher (PBV) programs. The important thing to note about this notice is that the effective date was April 18, 2017. This means that whether or not some of the major provisions apply to your project depends on when the project’s PBV HAP contract was signed.

• Both standard and RAD projects with PBV HAP contracts in place prior to 4/18/17 are “pre-HOTMA” projects
• Both standard and RAD projects with PBV HAP contracts executed on or after April 18, 2017 are subject to the new requirements