Abt Associates released a report documenting the findings of a quasi-experimental evaluation of Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) programs that Compass Working Capital (Compass) administers in six multifamily rental housing properties in partnership with the nonprofit Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH). Researchers follow 81 households that enrolled in six POAH FSS programs in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island and found that participation in FSS for an average of 2.5 years is associated with an average increase of $3,709 in annual earned income and a significant decrease of $599 in annual public assistance income. Abt concludes that future research to evaluate the impact of FSS programs at multifamily properties should include a larger sample size and study how FSS benefits the children of participants and increased residential stability.
Date Published:
December 15th, 2021