Resident Service Program (ROSS)
Suzanna Tenijieth
Ross Coordinator I
stenijieth@wmaha.us
Kaneshea Bourke
Ross Coordinator II
kbourke@wmaha.us
Expanding Opportunities for Residents
Although its primary organizational function is to provide housing, White Mountain Apache Housing Authority (WMAHA) has a long history of working closely with its residents to provide or refer them to appropriate social services.
The WMAHA Resident Services Program was created through HUD’s highly competitive Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) grant. These grants are awarded annually to housing authorities nationwide. In 2003, the WMAHA was the only successful applicant in all of Arizona. In 2007, WMAHA received another ROSS grant that combined the Family and Homeownership Services entitled "Healthy Lives, Healthy Homes." The grant award totaled $491,700 overall.
The Resident Services Program has several goals:
To provide tenants with activities that promote financial literacy and other life skills to build self-sufficiency, self esteem and outstanding citizenship
- To provide a healthy lifestyle for tribal members by scheduling monthly food demos using fruits and vegetables that are in season.
- To improve quality of life for tenants who were unable to complete their high school diploma by tapping into Liberty High School and Northland Pioneer College
- To assist residents in identifying needs and further developing community cohesiveness through Resident Councils.
Program I - WMAHA Resident Opportunity and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) Service Coordinator Program:
Our ROSS program coordinates supportive services and activities designed to help WMAHA housing residents attain economic and housing self-sufficiency. This program works to promote the development of local strategies to coordinate the use of community organizations and services to assist residents. By partnering with local organizations WMAHA is able to locate and use services that should enable participating families to increase earned income, reduce or eliminate the need for welfare assistance, make progress toward achieving economic independence and housing self-sufficiency or help improve living conditions and enable residents to age in-place. The Coordinators coordinate services for residents and ensure that program participants are linked to the supportive services thy need to achieve self-sufficiency. WMAHA received HUD ROSS-SC the Service coordinator to support this program.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA)
WMAHA will sponsor a VITA site for the next three years to offer free tax help to low-to- moderate-income (generally, $39,000 & below) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns. Certified volunteers will receive training to help prepare basic tax returns. Residents will benefit from free electronic filing.