The Bipartisan Policy Center took an in-depth look at HUD’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program: how it works, case management, funding, impact, and challenges and opportunities for reform.
Program Design: Graduation from FSS is paramount to positive participant outcomes. Participants who exit early risk forfeiting their accrued savings and losing access to their FSS coordinator. HUD’s 2023 study found graduation rates vary widely—from about 40% among the highest-achieving PHAs to less than 10% for the lowest. Policymakers could address these disparities by refining program design, increasing HUD’s technical assistance, encouraging administrators to share best practices, or linking FSS with other self-sufficiency programs to promote higher graduation rates.
Program Uptake: Although all PHAs are eligible to administer FSS, fewer than half offer the program. This limits access for millions of theoretically eligible families. Furthermore, even where FSS is available, marketing it to and enrolling families can be administratively onerous. The bipartisan Helping More Families Save Act, sponsored by Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL) and Jack Reed (D-RI), and Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and William Timmons (R-SC), seeks to address this gap. The bill would create a pilot program to automatically enroll up to 5,000 households in FSS, testing an “opt-out” approach to the program that could lower barriers to participation.
FY 2026 Funding: After President Trump zeroed out this program in his FY 26 budget request, both the House and Senate restored funding with the Senate adding $15 million above FY 25 levels and the House cutting their investment by $16 million.
What’s Next: When Congress returns from recess, it will confer on the appropriations packages to reconcile its differences.
