Transforming Lives: Housing Authority’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program

Lucilla Cano always wanted to be a nurse. But working three jobs to support her kids, it was difficult to take the time necessary to work toward that goal. That all changed when she enrolled in the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program, which gave her the space and guidance she needed to go to school, earn her nursing degree, and make a better life for her and her family.

“It makes me want to tear up talking about it,” Cano said. “All the hard work, every single obstacle, and all of the ‘I can’t do this’ — it’s rewarded immediately.”

Cano graduated from the federally funded program in December 2023, and since then, she says, life hasn’t been the same.

“It was like going from one extreme to the next extreme,” she said. “I want to go back to school, and I want to get my doctorate degree. And I know I could do it now.” 

The Family Self-Sufficiency Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and is available to Section 8 voucher holders in Santa Barbara. Both the county and the city housing authorities participate in the program. Upon enrolling in the voluntary program, families must commit to a five-year contract with the Housing Authority. During this time, families work toward self-defined goals and case managers provide resources that address barriers to their success, such as childcare, transportation, education, job training, financial management, and homeownership counseling. 

The program requires the head of household to maintain employment and attend school or participate in a training program. The most significant benefit is the opportunity for families to establish an escrow account, where a portion of their increased and earned income is matched by the Housing Authority. The average disbursement is $11,700 per graduate since 1999. 

The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara honored its latest class of 17 families who graduated in March. Graduates have gone on to obtain their GED, associates, and bachelors; earn certificates; open their own businesses; and become homeowners. The program goes further than offering stability; it is both a work incentive and financial empowerment plan. If families face unforeseen challenges, they can request to extend the program up to two years to ensure each family reaches their full potential. 

“What’s been the most rewarding for me is just actually breaking down all those goals and accomplishing them. Prior to that, I’ve always had all these goals, but I didn’t know how to tackle them,” Cano said. Now that she has those skills, she has gained the confidence to continue to make more outside of the program, and help her family and peers do the same. 

And it was all possible with the encouragement of her case managers. Maria Ayala, Family Self-Sufficiency coordinator and assistant resident services manager, is a 2017 graduate of the program, and now helps other families develop plans and reach their own goals.

“[Maria] would respond to me outside of hours, just for words of encouragement,” Cano said. “At random times, she would tell me, ‘Hey, just checking in. I see you’re still working on your goals. Good job!’ And it was the perfect timing. I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, okay, I gotta keep pushing.’”

For Ayala, being able to see a client through their journey from start to finish is the most rewarding part of her job. Currently, there are 35 families in the program, and Ayala hopes to double that number by the end of the year. The program holds quarterly group briefings countywide, and the next one will be in June to enroll more families into the program. 

Cano encourages everyone to apply. “The only person that gains from this program is the participant,” she said. “They absolutely lose nothing. And anybody can do it. Anybody can reach their goal, and I encourage anybody to set the highest of their goals because that goal is totally achievable.” 

Clarification: Both the city and county of Santa Barbara housing authorities participate in the Family Self-Sufficiency Program. Ms. Cano was part of the county’s program.