Where do you imagine yourself in 5 years?

Maybe with a new job? A finished degree? Moving towards home ownership? Whatever your goal is, our Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program will get you right on track to achieving those goals. Contact us today!

Family Self-Sufficiency is a FREE voluntary program that helps families/individuals with a CDLI Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) obtain services to become more economically stable and successful.

FSS Participants can work on:

• Job training and career counseling

• Budget/Financial health and wealth classes

• Homebuyer education

• Self-Improvement

Who is eligible?

To be eligible, you must:

• Be an adult member of a household with a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8 rental subsidy) in good standing with CDLI

• Be motivated to become more economically self-sufficient

• Be willing to sign a Contract of Participation (COP) and participate actively in service coordination with your FSS team member

FSS Provides

• One-one case management; emotional support and encouragement

• Links to community services

• Resources-packed online quarterly newsletter

• Possible cash savings: based on increases in household earned income, also known as Escrow

• Potential for Voucher Homeownership

Escrow Savings Account

Escrow is an incentive for FSS families to increase your earned income. It’s an interest-bearing account established by New York State on behalf of the FSS family where deposits are made throughout the duration of the family’s participation in the FSS program if and when their rent increases as a result of increased earned income by anyone in the FSS family.

If the participant who signed the Contract of Participation (“Head of FSS family”) successfully completes the program, they are provided with the money saved.

If they meet good standing guidelines, the Head of FSS family can request up to half of what they have earned in escrow at any point during their program participation to support needs related to their Service Plan goals.

Completing the Contract of Participation

The FSS Contract requires that the family comply with the lease.

NEW as of August 2022: All FSS family members (not just the Head of FSS family who elected to participate in FSS and signed the Contract) are welfare-free at the time the FSS contract is completed, and that the Head of the FSS family seek and maintain suitable employment.

You must have suitable employment in place by your Contract end date to graduate from FSS and receive any escrow you have accrued.

​The family successfully completes the FSS Program when it fulfills all its obligations under the Contract of Participation on or before the expiration of the contract term.

2023 Nassau and Suffolk FSS Stats:

CDLI Fall 2024 FSS Newsletter (English):

CDLI Fall 2024 FSS Newsletter (Spanish):