ECS H.O.M.E.S

ECS believes that the key to alleviating poverty and reducing the racialized barriers to economic prosperity is to provide tangible and flexible resources to community members and our program participants. Our ECS H.O.M.E.S. initiative helps to close the income and asset gap while expanding our capacity to meet the expressed community needs. We work with the community members struggling to obtain rental housing due to lack of savings. ECS H.O.M.E.S. initiative assists eligible individuals/families with viable incomes who lack the resources to acquire and/or sustain rental housing. Applicants are referred through existing ECS programming or a partnering organization with a pre-approved unit of their choosing. Support is offered around securing the pre-approved rental unit and collecting documents from landlords. A Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection will be conducted on all units. ECS H.O.M.E.S. applicants have access to ECS’ Housing, Financial, Career Development, and Health & Wellness Specialists services.

Benefits to participants

• Move-in costs (security deposit up to 2 months’ rent)
• Each applicant coached by Housing Specialist, Financial, and Career Development Specialist as applicable
• Participants set goals to obtain increased wages etc.
• Linkages to ECS onsite high impact partners as applicable
• Linkages to external resources to address barriers to housing security
• At the conclusion of program, participants can apply to ECS MindSet program