State officials yesterday announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has approved nearly $1.2 million in grants to help low-income residents in Connecticut find employment and obtain valuable job training skills.

The State Department of Housing and 10 local housing authorities across Connecticut will benefit from the federal award. Housing authorities will be able to hire a total of 18 new positions working with social service agencies, community colleges, local businesses and other partners in establishing this pipeline to success for public housing residents.

Eligible individuals will be a current resident of public housing or the recipient of a certificate from the Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as Section 8.

The grant is funded from HUD’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS) that is dedicated to helping local public housing agencies hire service coordinators who work directly with residents to connect them with programs and services that already exist in the local community. The area service coordinators, hired under this program, are also able to establish and maintain connections with the resident which can benefit them for the long-term.

The awards include:

  • Connecticut Department of Housing: 3 positions, $206,040
  • Norwalk Housing Authority: 2 positions, $138,000
  • New Haven Housing Authority: 2 positions, $126,000
  • New Britain Housing Authority: 2 positions, $138,000
  • Stamford Housing Authority: 1 position, $67,815
  • Meriden Housing Authority: 3 positions, $194,271
  • Ansonia Housing Authority: 1 position, $69,000
  • Derby Housing Authority: 1 position, $54,914
  • Greenwich Housing Authority: 1 position, $69,000
  • Bristol Housing Authority: 1 position, $67,328
  • Trout Brook Reality Advisory (formerly West Hartford Housing Authority): 1 position, $68,680