Financial Independence Today

The New York City Public Housing Authority serves more than 400,000 New Yorkers. The average annual household income is $23,187--barely above the poverty threshold.

To help residents improve their financial stability, the New York City Public Housing Authority (NYCHA) offers a variety of social service and educational programs, including job readiness and training initiatives.  However, despite these efforts, many residents lack the skills to manage their finances and move toward prosperity.  Each year, approximately 12% of NYCHA households find themselves in financial crisis and unable to pay their rent. In addition to the stress this causes the individuals and families involved, the costs to New York City--including lost rent and legal fees from a lengthy eviction process--are significant.

United Way of New York City's Financial Independence Today (FIT) seeks to measurably improve the financial literacy of public housing residents who are in rent arrears. Created in conjunction with NYCHA and the East River Development Alliance (ERDA), FIT is two-year demonstration project at work in the Astoria, Baisley, Pomonok, Ravenswood, Queensbridge, and Woodside Housing developments. Combined, these six developments contain 10,878 households, or 63% of the 17,144 households in Queens.  FIT provides residents with short-term, one-to-one financial crisis counseling and long-term money management training, and helps connect un-banked and under-banked residents to mainstream financial services.


Our Funding Partners: