HUD awards Syracuse Housing Authority nearly $2M for job training

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Housing Authority (SHA) will use almost $2 million in federal funding to launch a new job-training program that connects public-housing residents with education and employment opportunities.

SHA is one of nine public housing authorities that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) selected nationwide for its Jobs-Plus pilot program.

U.S. Senators Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.) announced the funding in a news release last week.

SHA will use the funding to launch the “Work to Independence” program in partnership with community organizations that include Greater Syracuse Works; Center for Community Alternatives, Inc.; Upstate University Hospital; Syracuse University; and the Urban Jobs Task Force.

The organizations will collaborate “to provide job training and preparation for high school equivalency and college entry,” according to the joint release.

HUD will invest a total of $24 million over the next four years to the nine public-housing authorities in the program, the lawmakers said.

HUD’s Jobs-Plus pilot program seeks to support work readiness and connect public-housing residents with employment, education, and financial empowerment services.

It requires public-housing authorities to partner with U.S. Department of Labor American Jobs Centers.

The program also promotes initiatives to “improve employment and earnings outcomes, a critical element of self-sufficiency for all families,” according to the news release.

“This federal funding will help the Syracuse Housing Authority provide residents with the resources and training they need to find meaningful employment and contribute to the local economy,” Schumer contended.

The money will “empower” people with the training and resources to launch “successful” careers, Gillibrand stipulated.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com