In September 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 requiring that recipients of certain HUD funding make economic opportunities available for low- and very low-income individuals, especially recipients of government assistance for housing, living in the areas where HUD funds are spent.
The Waypoint at Fairlington, Wesley Housing’s new family development under construction in Alexandria, is pursuing methods to meet these requirements.
To address the Section 3 program, Wesley Housing and the development team have been participating in virtual job fairs in Alexandria and Arlington to provide employment opportunities for individuals seeking jobs in construction. At the job fairs, the project team shares details about the development and provides information about each organization, while participants ask questions via chat or video. Interested candidates can then submit a Section 3 form and job application.
In addition, Wesley Housing’s Employment Specialists have notified residents of the opportunities through one-on-one career meetings and within property-specific monthly community newsletters.
Wesley Housing’s efforts to meet these requirements will help improve focus on economic opportunity, and will reinforce HUD’s belief that, “HUD funding is an investment in the people we serve, not just an investment in affordable housing or community development.”