December 17, 2015

CASTRO ANNOUNCES $2.7 MILLION FOR JOB TRAINING IN SAN ANTONIO

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) today announced $2.7 million in federal grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support job training and poverty reduction in San Antonio. The San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) will receive the funding through HUD's Jobs Plus Pilot program. The purpose of the Jobs Plus Pilot program is to develop locally-based, job-driven approaches to increase earnings and advance employment outcomes through work readiness, employer linkages, job placement, educational advancement, technology skills, and financial literacy for residents of public housing. 
 
"The Jobs Plus Pilot program grows the talent pool available to San Antonio employers while also fostering a culture of employment in public housing communities,"? said Rep. Castro. "This is the kind of innovative, holistic federal initiative that can make real progress in expanding the local workforce, reducing poverty, and satisfying the needs of our city's growing economy. By providing targeted resources and programming tailored to the specific needs of both job seekers and employers in San Antonio, HUD is increasing opportunity and transforming lives in our community for the better.

The place-based Jobs Plus Pilot program addresses poverty among public housing residents by incentivizing and enabling employment through income disregards for working families, and a set of services designed to support work including employer linkages, job placement and counseling, educational advancement and financial counseling. Ideally, these incentives will saturate the target developments, building a culture of work and making working families the norm.  

Approximately 570 residents at SAHA's Cassiano Homes community are eligible to participate in the program and receive employment support. The vast majority of eligible residents are women with children, and supportive services will be tailored to their needs accordingly."

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