Resident Employment/Case Management: HACM’s Community Services section has two Case Managers (primarily for HOPE VI developments) and two Resident Service Coordinators. These staff act as case managers to assist residents in improving their economic self-sufficiency and employment. The Resident Employment Coordinators work with any residents that call for assistance or are referred by their managers. The Coordinators will first conduct an individualized assessment to help a resident identify their interests, skills, goals, barriers, and needs. The resident and the Coordinator will then plot out a strategy to help the resident find a job or obtain a better job. The Coordinator will also refer the resident in to other services available in the community that are needed to help them in your job search, such as G.E.D. preparation courses, driver’s education, resume assistance, interview skills, job training, and other skills to help employability.

TANF Agencies: HACM case managers work closely with the three TANF agencies in
Milwaukee (W-2 agencies in Wisconsin) that serve residents eligible for such services: the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee, UMOS and Maximus. HACM has Memorandums of Agreement (MOAs) with the TANF agencies and one of them, Maximus, has a satellite office located on-site at Hillside. Services available through W-2 include: case management, employment assistance, access to job training, child care, and health care.

Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB): HACM is a close partner with
MAWIB and has a Memorandum of Agreement with the agency. Residents are referred to and
utilize the One-Stop Job Centers operated by MAWIB and also take advantage of job training
opportunities if the residents are eligible for WIA training (Workforce Investment Act).

Section 3: HACM makes every effort to encourage contractors to hire public housing residents and other Section 3 persons to the greatest extent feasible. For construction contracts, many contractors certify that they do not have new hires connected with HACM contracts. For those that do have new hires, HACM commits to a goal of at least 30% of the new hires being Section 3 residents. HACM has also directly employed residents as part of its Section 3 commitment. At one time, 25% of HACM’s direct staff was public housing residents. Currently, a public housing resident is employed to manage the Hillside Resource Center and HACM residents were hired to support its Environmental Services, Homeownership and Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher programs. HACM helps to link public housing residents and other Section 3 persons with training and employment opportunities whenever possible and does significant outreach to residents to notify them about the availability of such opportunities, through monthly resident meetings, quarterly resident employment newsletters, and through their case managers and Employment Coordinators. HACM leverages training through community resources, such as the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (WIA training), Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and the Milwaukee Community Service Corps. The training provided by these agencies helps residents compete successfully for employment in the building trades. If residents have construction experience, HACM’s Resident Employment Coordinators (RECs) are able to refer them to construction contractors.

Milwaukee Community Service Corps/Youthbuild: The Milwaukee Community Service Corps (MCSC) provides training and job opportunities for young adults ages 18-24 who are interested in construction work but lack job experience. MCSC was established in 1991 as an Urban Corps Expansion Site and has HUD Step-Up designation. HACM has worked closely with MCSC since 1992 to provide training and job opportunities for at-risk young adults. MCSC’s expertise is in working with young adults who have significant barriers to employment. MCSC hires over 40 Section 3 residents annually, including a number of public housing residents. HACM and MCSC have partnered in the past on Youthbuild programs that trained youth in the construction trades, and HACM, in partnership with MCSC, was awarded an FY07 Youthbuild grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. After 12-24 months with MCSC, these young adults may be prepared to take exams to get into true apprenticeship programs or to find a construction-related job.

Job Training: After the assessment by the Resident Employment Coordinator, HACM may refer residents to job training through a number of community agencies, including but not limited to: Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (WIA training), Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership (WRTP), Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), 4Cs (Child care training), and others.

Financial Literacy Program/Individual Development Accounts (IDAs): Since 1989, Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) has been offering quality business education, technical assistance, and access to capital to women, minorities, and low-income individuals pursuing entrepreneurship and business development as a means of self-sufficiency and economic independence. WWBIC trains, counsels, advises and mentors start-up entrepreneurs, small businesses and micro-businesses throughout Wisconsin. WWBIC offers a number of classes on how to start a business and WWBIC has also been a leader in microcredit in Wisconsin, helping to provide access to capital to women, people of color and low income individuals. WWBIC also offers other programs, such as their personal money management program, Make Your Money Talk, a six-session series covering such topics as creating a personal budget, developing a savings plan, and dealing with past and future credit. Graduates of the program can open an Individual Development Account (IDA), a special savings account where WWBIC will match the participant’s savings $2 for every $1 saved, with a maximum account level of $6,000. The IDA’s can be used to start a small business, purchase a first home, or further a person’s education.

Earned income exclusion: Besides the standard HUD Earned Income Disregard (EID), there is an additional exclusion from income that HACM has approved in its Admissions & Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) as an incentive to work. All families are eligible for a one-time household exclusion of the first $2000 of earned income from adult household members working at least 30 hours per week.

FSS Program: HACM has a current Public Housing Family Self Sufficiency program (FSS) to serve up to 50 public housing households. The FSS Coordinator works with these participants to review the program goals and requirements, sign the participation contract, and develop and implement their individualized plan. Increases in earned income that impact rent may result in the rent increase put into an FSS escrow account for the resident.

Lease Addendum: In HACM’s HOPE VI developments (Hillside Terrace, Parklawn, Townhomes at Carver Park, Highland Homes, and Scattered Sites), residents sign a lease addendum that requires them: (1) to have a self-sufficiency plan and work with HACM staff to achieve the goals outlined in the plan; (2) to attend at least 6 of the 12 resident council meetings each year, and (3) cooperate with HACM in assessing and addressing the educational achievements and needs of their children.