On Sept. 15, Representative Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced the Expanding Service Coordinators Act. The two primary programs that fund service coordinators for residents of federally assisted housing are the Multifamily Housing Service Coordinator program and the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Service Coordinator program.

The Multifamily Housing Service Coordinator program embeds staff in federally assisted housing to coordinate a wide field of services for seniors and people with disabilities like meal services, medication management, and transportation to appointments. Service coordinators create critical networks for residents to receive social services that can help them age in place.

The Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency program utilizes service coordinators to help families by arranging for meals, transportation, housekeeping, health and nutrition programs, case management, job training, and assistance with personal care. This program helps families in public housing navigate social services to access better job and educational opportunities.

The Expanding Service Coordinators Act would make critical investments and reforms to expand the service coordinator programs to serve more people in federally assisted housing. Specifically, the bill would:

• Authorize an additional $100 million each year for five years to the Multifamily Housing Service Coordinator program;
• Authorize a total $45 million each year for five years for the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency service coordinator program;
• Create a federal match for new affordable housing projects that would cover 75 percent of the costs for a service coordinator program if one is included as part of that housing project;
• Establish a training set aside to improve capacity and retention of service coordinators; and
• Extend qualification for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to service coordinators.