Our Social Services Include:
Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) is a voluntary public housing and Housing Choice Voucher program designed to assist Huntsville Housing Authority residents in becoming financially independent and free of public assistance. With the support of local agencies and businesses, FSS combines individual case management, education, and training to aid families in becoming self-sufficient.
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Homeownership Program is offered to all eligible Huntsville Housing Authority Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program Participants. HCV allows first-time homeowners to use their rental subsidy to meet their monthly homeownership expenses (i.e., mortgage payments, utilities, maintenance, and upkeep). Clients who wish to join the program must apply and meet the eligibility requirements. Once the applicant has been deemed eligible to participate, he or she will be required to enter into a homeownership education course and a financial literacy course in order to prepare for homeownership. In addition, participants will be required to secure their own mortgage financing through a lender.
Huntsville Housing Authority (HHA) offers a Homeownership Program to residents residing in public housing. Led by a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with a Housing Counselor certification, this program provides participants with information on credit, money management, obtaining a mortgage, selecting a home, and keeping the home.
The Homeownership Program includes a Pre-Homeownership Program, Homebuyers Club, and Individual Housing Counseling.
The Pre-Homeownership Program provides residents of public housing the opportunity to reside in a single-family home while learning the home buying process.
The Homebuyers Club provides education, guidance, and group support for both residents and non-residents of public housing.
Individual Housing Counseling is available to help the participants of the Pre-Homeownership Program and the Homebuyers Club prepare for homeownership.
Huntsville Housing Authority (HHA) offers a Section 3 Employment Program to residents living in public housing and low-income individuals living throughout the surrounding communities.
Through the Section 3 Program, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) fosters local economic development, neighborhood economic improvement, and individual self-sufficiency. Section 3 is the legal basis for providing jobs for residents and awarding contracts to businesses in areas receiving certain types of HUD financial assistance.
Under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968, wherever HUD financial assistance is expended for housing or community development, to the greatest extent feasible, economic opportunities will be given to Section 3 residents and businesses in that area.
Congress established the Section 3 policy to guarantee that the employment and other economic opportunities created by Federal financial assistance for housing and community development programs should, if possible, be directed toward low- and very-low income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance for housing.
A branch of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library (HPL), located at the Oscar Mason Community Center, serves public housing residents as well as the general public. The library provides a professionally-selected, age-appropriate collection of library materials for public housing residents. It captures nontraditional users through community outreach and offers a computer lab to stimulate the interests of adults and youths.
The Boys & Girls Clubs and the Sparkman Homes Teen Center is centrally located in the Sparkman Homes community and serves children from all of the Huntsville Housing Authority's public housing communities. The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs is to provide a safe place where youths can receive assistance with homework, improve leadership skills, and participate in organized athletics. The clubs provide youths with year-long development programs to enhance their quality of life. The programs offer guidance on principles of behavior to promote leadership, character, health and physical development, and emphasize the importance of education.
In an effort to assist residents interested in furthering their education and job opportunity, computer labs are set up at multiple public housing communities, including Northwoods, Butler Terrace, and Sparkman Homes, where residents may study for their G.E.D. and job search. This has been a very successful venture as many residents have passed and received their G.E.D.
Boy Scouts of America Troop and Pack 400 partner with HHA to provide services for young men ages 6-18 who have an interest in scouting and scouting activities. Their program is year-round and is intended to reach youth living in or around public housing communities. Together with HHA, Troop 400 works to decrease the number of youths dropping out of school by providing after-school homework assistance and providing transportation to and from school.
Girls Scouts of North Central Alabama partner with HHA to provide services for young women ages 5-18 who have an interest in scouting and scouting activities. Their program is year-round and intend to provide youth development services for young women in or around all public housing communities.
Together with HHA, the Girls Scouts will work to establish a baseline for school attendance by working to improve school attendance and significantly reducing the high school drop out rate by monitoring the academic performance of the public housing youth.
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