RCEDA 8.5x11 Report d3

Teresa Carr began receiving rental assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher Program in 1996, as a single working mother of one. She enrolled in the FSS program in August 2010 with an annual income of $14,222 and with the goal of becoming self-sufficient. In September 2013, Teresa began her truck driving career at Swift Trucking Company as an Over the Road Driver. With hard work and determination, she became a local driver for Swift Trucking Company boosting her salary to $20.00 dollars an hour. As her earned income increased, a portion was placed into an interest-bearing escrow account. Teresa Carr’s hard work resulted in her ability to pay 100%of her rent. She qualified to graduate from the FSS Program in two ways: by completing all of her goals and meeting regulatory requirements of all household members being free from cash aid for the 12 month period preceding Beatriz and Luis Honesto successfully earned their way out of the Section 8 rental assistance programby increasing their employment income. The family worked for years with the Housing Authority’s FSS program to earn enoughmoney to be able to afford their rent without any public help. Along the way, their increase in income saved the Housing Authority $16,731 through decreased rental assistance payments to their landlord. Once they became self-sufficient, they were presented with a check for the full $16,731. Mrs. Honesto got onto Section 8 in 2008 with an annual income of just $6,600. In 2014, she went through theMDRC random selection process and was assigned to the FSS participant groupenrolling in the FSS program effective May 1, 2014.Her annual income at that time totaled $7,500 from child support and unemployment. She was also receiving food stamps. Later in 2014, Beatriz’s daughter, Danielle, got a job at Bank of America and the family started earning an income and depositing into an FSS escrow account. Soon after, Beatriz got her own job as a substitute bus driver, and the family’s income increased again. The family attended our FSS awards dinner in 2014 and received the Clean Slate Award for Beatriz’s expunged record and Danielle’s new job. Yecenia Hernandez and her family successfully earned their way off of the Section 8 rental assistance programby increasing their employment income.. The family worked with the Housing Authority’s Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program to earn enough money to be able to afford their own home. Along the way, their increases in income saved the Housing Authority $13,301 through decreased payments of rental assistance to their landlord. Upon their successful completion of self sufficiency, they were presented with a check for the full $13,301. Ms. Hernandez got onto the Section 8 program in 2011 as a singlemother on cash aid and food stamps. She enrolled in the FSS program that same year. Due to their increasing income, the household’s cash aid assistance ended in 2016 and their receipt of food stamps ended in 2015. A few years later, Alejandro Aguilar—Yecenia’s boyfriend--movedinto the household. His employment at the Stretch Forming Corporation in Redlands has progressed steadily over the years, with his annual income increasing from $23,000 to $30,000.

graduation; and by increasing her adjusted monthly income to where 30% of itexceeded the Fair Market FMR for the voucher size for which her family was qualified for. At the time she

graduated her annual income had increased to $62,055, an increase of $47,833 fromwhen she first enrolled in FSS.

Upon graduation, she received her escrow account funds with accumulated interest in the amount of $7,711.87. These funds will increase Teresa’s chances of homeownership.

In 2015, Beatriz married Luis Honesto, who moved into the household already working with Terrace Water Company in Colton. The family received the Movin’ On Up Award for becoming

a two-income family. Their daughter Danielle has sincemoved out, but her daughter Angel is now contributing to the family income with her job at California Drug Consultants

The family attended their final FSS awards dinner and received the Home Stretch award for getting the Housing Authority’s share of the rent down to $209, achieving$0 assistance just a fewmonths later. Mrs. andMr. Honesto used their escrow funds to clear remaining credit issues and move closer to home ownership.

In 2016, three nieces moved into the household as foster children. This maxed out the family with six people in their two-bedroomapartment. The exclusion of the foster income helped the family save up a down payment on a house. On July 5 th 2017, the family closed escrow on a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom house in San

Jacinto. They moved out of their Section 8 assisted apartment and Ms. Hernandez used her remaining FSS escrow funds to pay off debt and buy a family car. The family lives in their San Jacinto home to this day, and they even have a white picket fence to help complete their American dream. Ms. Hernandez used her FSS escrow funds to pay off debt and buy a family car.

17

www. r i v c o e d a . o r g