Page 8 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025 HUD Invests $8.3 Million to Support Families Achieving Economic Self-Sufficiency in Massachusetts Funding through the Family Self-Suffi ciency (FSS) program empowers families in Massachusetts to build savings, gain employment, and achieve fi nancial independence. W ASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced over $140 million in funding to 836 existing grantees through the Family Self Suffi ciency (FSS) Program. These awards will fund 1,537 service coordinator positions across the country. Throughout the State of Massachusetts, housing authorities received $8,334,489 in funding. The FSS program provides grants to public housing agencies and multifamily property owners to support the salary of program coordinators. These coordinators assist participating families to capitalize on their housing assistance by connecting them with training and services to improve their economic self-suffi ciency. “This investment in the family self-sufficiency program reaffi rms HUD’s commitment to empowering families to achieve lasting economic independence,” said HUD Agency Head, The Honorable Adrianne Todman. “This funding helps us provide the tools and resources families need to build a brighter future — one where stable housing, fi nancial security, and upward mobility are within reach.” The FSS program is off ered to families in HUD-assisted housing. FSS Program Coordinators provide coaching and develop local strategies to connect participating families with public and private resources aimed at increasing their earned income and fi - nancial empowerment. These eff orts also seek to reduce or eliminate the need for welfare assistance and facilitate progress toward economic independence and self-suffi ciency. FSS funding play a pivotal role in helping families achieve economic independence and enhance their quality of life. By offering comprehensive support services such as job training, fi - nancial literacy education, and health and wellness programs, these initiatives provide families with the tools they need to overcome barriers and pursue their goals. Through personalized case management and the innovative escrow savings account, FSS funding helps participants build fi nancial security and plan for their future. FSS is not just assistance programs; it is a powerful catalyst for transformation and autonomy in our communities. HUD New England FSS Awards: Malden Housing Authority $262,080 Revere Housing Authority $29,000 Chelsea Housing Authority $89,198 Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development $438,510 State Fire Marshal Offers Cold Snap Heating Safety Tips Heating Equipment is a Leading Cause of Fires, Carbon Monoxide Note: This information is from a press release issued by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services on January 6, 2025. S TOW — With temperatures expected to dip into the teens overnight this week, Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine is reminding residents to stay warm safely and protect their loved ones from some of the most common home heating fi res. “We’re expecting very cold weather in the nights ahead, and home heating appliances will be working overtime,” said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. “Heating equipment is the leading cause of carbon monoxide at home and the second leading cause of residential fi res. Whether you’re using gas, oil, solid fuel, or space heaters to keep warm, be sure you keep safe, too.” State Fire Marshal Davine said there were nearly 6,000 heating fi res in Massachusetts from 2019 to 2023. These fi res claimed eight lives, caused 139 injuries to fi refi ghters and residents, and contributed to over $42 million in damage. And in 2023 alone, Massachusetts fi re departments reported fi nding carbon monoxide at nearly 5,000 non-fi re incidents. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms Every household needs working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level of their home. Check the manufacturing date on the back of your alarms so you know when to replace them: smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years, and carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced after 5 to 10 years depending on the model. If your alarms take alkaline batteries, put in fresh batteries twice a year when you change your clocks. If it’s time to replace your alarms, choose new ones from a well-known, national brand. Select smoke alarms with a sealed, long-life battery and a hush feature. Natural Gas and Oil Heat If you have a furnace, water heater, or oil burner, have it professionally checked and serviced each year. This will help it run more effi ciently, which will save you money and could save your life. Always keep a three-foot “circle of safety” around the appliance clear of anything that could catch fi re. Never store painting supplies, aerosol cans, or other fl ammable items near these appliances. If you smell gas, don’t use any electrical switches or devices: get out, stay out, and call 9-1-1 right away. Residents struggling to pay for heating bills or maintenance may be eligible for assistance through the Massachusetts home energy assistance program (HEAP). No matter what type of heating equipment you use, HEAP may be able to help you pay your winter heating bills or maintain your heating system. All Massachusetts residents are encouraged to explore eligibility for this free program and apply for assistance. Solid Fuel Heating If you use a fireplace or a stove that burns wood, pellets, or coal, always keep the area around it clear for three feet in all directions. This circle of safety should be free of furniture, drapery, rugs, books and papers, fuel, and any other fl ammable items. To prevent sparks and embers from escaping, use a fi replace screen or keep the stove door closed while burning. Use only dry, seasoned hardwood and don’t use fl ammable liquids to start the fi re. To dispose of ashes, wait until they are cool and shovel them into a metal bucket with a lid and place it outside at least 10 feet away from the building. Have your chimney and fl ue professionally inspected and cleaned each year. Most chimney fi res are caused by burning creosote, a tarry substance that builds up as the fi replace, wood stove, or pellet stove is used. If burning creosote, sparks, embers, or hot gases escape through cracks in the fl ue or chimney, they can cause a fi re that spreads to the rest of the structure. Annual cleaning and inspection can minimize this risk. Contact the Massachusetts Chimney Sweep Guild or Chimney Safety Institute of America to identify reputable local companies. Space Heaters Keep space heaters at least three feet from curtains, bedding, and anything else that can burn. Plug them directly into a wall socket, not an extension cord or a power strip, and remember that they’re for temporary use. Always turn a space heater off when you leave the room or go to sleep. When purchasing a space heater, select one that’s been tested and labeled by a nationally recognized testing company, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Intertek (ETL). Newer space heaters should have an automatic shut-off switch that turns the device off if it tips over. Unvented kerosene space heaters and portable propane space heaters are not permitted for residential use in Massachusetts, State Fire Marshal Davine said: the risk of fi re and carbon monoxide poisoning that they pose is too great. Create and Practice a Home Escape Plan Everyone should have a home escape plan that accounts for two ways out of every room, and everyone should be able to open the doors and windows along the way. Remember that children, older adults, and people with disabilities may need extra assistance. More Home Heating Safety Tips The Department of Fire Services off ers a wealth of home heating safety information, including the “Keep Warm, Keep Safe” tool kit for local fi re departments, caregivers, and service providers at https://www. mass.gov/info-details/winterhome-heating-safety
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