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Impact of Community Action on Families
The ROSS Program, is a collaborative effort
with the Augusta Housing Authority funded by HUD, and CSRA EOA, Inc. funded by
CSBG, and utilizes volunteers, partners, and in-kind donations. This program
is designed to assist residents of public housing increase self-sufficiency
and maintain housing. One client, a mother of one son, enrolled in the
ROSS Program with multiple barriers. She was a college graduate who was
unemployed and lacked transportation and child care. After enrolling
into the program, she consistently overcame barriers. She obtained
full-time employment at Savannah River Site, where she now earns a living
wage. She enrolled her son in daycare, and recently purchased a car.
Though now out of the program, she continues to work toward accomplishing the
goals of her Self Sufficiency Plan, including her goal of home ownership.
The customer was a single mother of two who
was working full-time in a social services job, but had been laid off due to
down-sizing. Upon contacting Community Action, the customer owed 1 1/2 months
of delinquent rent and eviction was imminent. The customer had no other place
to live, as all of her family resided in another state. Because she had only
worked for a short period of time, she was ineligible to receive unemployment
benefits. Her family was willing to try to help her keep her home, but
they could not pay the entire amount that was due. CSBG case management
provided the customer access to financial assistance with the delinquent rent;
linkage to outer agencies to include $200 from Catholic Social Services;
landlord/tenant mediation which afforded the customer the ability to remain in
the property once the past due rent was satisfied; and a referral for
emergency food assistance. CSBG services provided this family the ability to
maintain safe housing while attempting to become re-established.
Before referral to CSRA
EOA, Ms. Scruggs had no handicap accessible entry to her home. She was
unable to leave her home for doctor’s appointments or even to spend time in
her yard without a family member carrying her outside. Although a
transportation service was available to pick her up for doctor’s appointments,
she often missed appointments when no one was available to carry her to the
vehicle. Through a partnership between Wesley United Methodist Church’s
Construction Ministry and CSRA EOA, a wheelchair ramp was built for Ms.
Scruggs. CSRA EOA purchased the materials, while several members of Wesley
volunteered their time one Saturday morning to build a safe access to Ms.
Scruggs’ home. She has expressed her thanks to both Wesley and EOA and also
commented that she has been able to make it to her last two doctor’s
appointments thanks to the ramp.
Subprime lending
concentrated in low-income and minority neighborhoods has resulted in an
alarmingly high foreclosure rate both nationally and locally. In 2006, 1
of 208 households in the Augusta-Aiken GASC MSA underwent foreclosure, a rate
more than two times that of the national average. As foreclosures increase, so
does the need for foreclosure prevention counseling. To meet this need, in FY
2006 CSRA EOA, Inc. requested start-up funds from NeighborWorks America to
offer foreclosure prevention in our 14-county service area (13 CSRA counties
and Bulloch County). Referrals for counseling will come from the Homeownership
Preservation Foundation’s 1-888-995-HOPE hotline. This hotline provides
phone counseling via certified foreclosure prevention counselors.
Callers in our service area whose situations warrant more intensive, face to
face interaction will be referred to CSRA EOA, Inc.
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