(a) The terms 1937 Act, Fair Market Rent, HUD, Public Housing, Public Housing Agency (PHA), Secretary, and Section 8, as used in this part, are defined in part 5 of this title.

(b) As used in this part:

Certification means a written assertion based on supporting evidence, provided by the FSS family or the PHA, as may be required under this part, and which:

(1) Shall be maintained by the PHA in the case of the family's certification, or by HUD in the case of the PHA's certification;

(2) Shall be made available for inspection by HUD, the PHA, and the public, as appropriate; and

(3) Shall be deemed to be accurate for purposes of this part, unless the Secretary or the PHA, as applicable, determines otherwise after inspecting the evidence and providing due notice and opportunity for comment.

Chief executive officer (CEO). The CEO of a unit of general local government means the elected official or the legally designated official, who has the primary responsibility for the conduct of that entity's governmental affairs. The CEO for an Indian tribe is the tribal governing official.

Contract of participation means a contract in a form approved by HUD, entered into between a participating family and a PHA operating an FSS program that sets forth the terms and conditions governing participation in the FSS program. The contract of participation includes all individual training and services plans entered into between the PHA and all members of the family who will participate in the FSS program, and which plans are attached to the contract of participation as exhibits. For additional detail, see §984.303 of this subpart A.

Earned income means income or earnings included in annual income from wages, tips, salaries, other employee compensation, and self-employment. Earned income does not include any pension or annuity, transfer payments, any cash or in-kind benefits, or funds deposited in or accrued interest on the FSS escrow account established by a PHA on behalf of a participating family.

Effective date of contract of participation means the first day of the month following the month in which the FSS family and the PHA entered into the contract of participation.

Eligible families means:

(1) For the public housing FSS program, current residents of public housing. Eligible families also include current residents of public housing who are participants in local public housing self-sufficiency programs; and

(2) For Section 8 FSS program, current Section 8 rental certificate or rental voucher program participants, including participants in the Project Self-Sufficiency or Operation Bootstrap or other local self-sufficiency programs.

Enrollment means the date that the FSS family entered into the contract of participation with the PHA.

Family Self-Sufficiency program or FSS program means the program established by a PHA within its jurisdiction to promote self-sufficiency among participating families, including the provision of supportive services to these families, as authorized by section 23 of the 1937 Act.

FSS account means the FSS escrow account authorized by section 23 of the 1937 Act, and as provided by §984.305 of this subpart A.

FSS credit means the amount credited by the PHA to the participating family's FSS account.

FSS family or participating family means a family that resides in public housing or receives assistance under the rental certificate or rental voucher programs, and that elects to participate in the FSS program, and whose designated head of the family has signed the contract of participation.

FSS related service program means any program, publicly or privately sponsored, that offers the kinds of supportive services described in the definition of “supportive services” set forth in this §984.103.

FSS slots refer to the total number of public housing units or the total number of rental certificates or rental vouchers that comprise the minimum size of a PHA's respective public housing FSS program or Section 8 FSS program.

FY means Federal Fiscal Year (starting with October 1, and ending September 30, and designated by the calendar year in which it ends).

Head of FSS family means the adult member of the FSS family who is the head of the household for purposes of determining income eligibility and rent.

Housing subsidies means assistance to meet the costs and expenses of temporary shelter, rental housing or homeownership, including rent, mortgage or utility payments.

Individual training and services plan means a written plan that is prepared for the head of the FSS family, and each adult member of the FSS family who elects to participate in the FSS program, by the PHA in consultation with the family member, and which sets forth:

(1) The supportive services to be provided to the family member;

(2) The activities to be completed by that family member; and

(3) The agreed upon completion dates for the services and activities. Each individual training and services plan must be signed by the PHA and the participating family member, and is attached to, and incorporated as part of the contract of participation. An individual training and services plan must be prepared for the head of the FSS family.

JOBS Program means the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training Program authorized under part F of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(a)(19)).

JTPA means the Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. 1579(a)).

Low-income family. As defined in part 5 of this title.

Participating family. See definition for “FSS family” in this section.

Program Coordinating Committee or PCC is the committee described in §984.202 of this part.

Public housing means housing assisted under the 1937 Act, excluding housing assisted under Section 8 of the 1937 Act.

Self-sufficiency means that an FSS family is no longer receiving Section 8, public or Indian housing assistance, or any Federal, State, or local rent or homeownership subsidies or welfare assistance. Achievement of self-sufficiency, although an FSS program objective, is not a condition for receipt of the FSS account funds. (See §984.305 of this part.)

Supportive services means those appropriate services that a PHA will make available, or cause to be made available to an FSS family under a contract of participation, and may include:

(1) Child care—child care of a type that provides sufficient hours of operation and serves an appropriate range of ages;

(2) Transportation—transportation necessary to enable a participating family to receive available services, or to commute to their places of employment;

(3) Education—remedial education; education for completion of secondary or post secondary schooling;

(4) Employment—job training, preparation, and counseling; job development and placement; and follow-up assistance after job placement and completion of the contract of participation;

(5) Personal welfare—substance/alcohol abuse treatment and counseling;

(6) Household skills and management—training in homemaking and parenting skills; household management; and money management;

(7) Counseling—counseling in the areas of:

(i) The responsibilities of homeownership;

(ii) Opportunities available for affordable rental and homeownership in the private housing market, including information on an individual's rights under the Fair Housing Act; and

(iii) Money management; and

(8) Other services—any other services and resources, including case management, reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, that the PHA may determine to be appropriate in assisting FSS families to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency.

Unit size or size of unit refers to the number of bedrooms in a dwelling unit.

Very low-income family. See definitions in 24 CFR 813.102 and 913.102.

Welfare assistance means (for purposes of the FSS program only) income assistance from Federal or State welfare programs, and includes only cash maintenance payments designed to meet a family's ongoing basic needs. Welfare assistance does not include:

(1) Nonrecurrent, short-term benefits that:

(i) Are designed to deal with a specific crisis situation or episode of need;

(ii) Are not intended to meet recurrent or ongoing needs; and

(iii) Will not extend beyond four months.

(2) Work subsidies (i.e., payments to employers or third parties to help cover the costs of employee wages, benefits, supervision, and training);

(3) Supportive services such as child care and transportation provided to families who are employed;

(4) Refundable earned income tax credits;

(5) Contributions to, and distributions from, Individual Development Accounts under TANF;

(6) Services such as counseling, case management, peer support, child care information and referral, transitional services, job retention, job advancement and other employment-related services that do not provide basic income support;

(7) Transportation benefits provided under a Job Access or Reverse Commute project, pursuant to section 404(k) of the Social Security Act, to an individual who is not otherwise receiving assistance;

(8) Amounts solely directed to meeting housing expenses;

(9) Amounts for health care;

(10) Food stamps and emergency rental and utilities assistance; and

(11) SSI, SSDI, or Social Security.

[61 FR 8815, Mar. 5, 1996, as amended at 65 FR 16731, Mar. 29, 2000]