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Salisbury Rowan Community Action Agency, Inc. degrees or higher dips to 17 %. To eradicate these barriers (lack of higher education and occupational skills training) which are directly linked to impoverishment, SRCAA equipped staff with the necessary training that enables them to assist participants with making informed decisions when considering their individual career development. Participants faced with these barriers are given several assessments to measure employment readiness, employment interest, and occupational skills levels. Upon completion of the assessments, participants partner with Family Development Specialist to develop an individualized plan of employment which includes immediate employment goals, and educational service plans to support a long term career goal. Housing /Homelessness Homeownership rates in NC are approximately 66.4% of the population; in Rowan nearly 68.8% of the population is homeowners and nearly 73% of the population in Cabarrus is homeowners. Most of the persons served in the Self- Sufficiency program are not homeowners and are not eligible for homeownership due to low incomes and poor credit ratings. Services related to improving credit stability and financial literacy are offered every year. Long waitlists for city and county housing authorities in both counties contribute to program participants making choices to live in substandard housing or in crowded conditions with family members. Rowan County has built additional subsidized housing within walking distance of SRCAA's main office. Cabarrus County continues to experience long wait lists; however, CSBG funds are utilized to relocate participants and improve their housing conditions. Area shelters are over - crowded and the homeless rate has increased with a continuous migration from other service areas causing shelters to reach capacity. Rowan County Helping Ministries for the homeless has sheltered 623 different men, women and children with 22,009 nights of shelter services in the last year. This agency services most of the homeless in Rowan County, and recently built a new shelter adding needed beds. This high increase of individuals needing shelter still contributes to families living in cars, hotels, and in substandard crowded conditions. Each year those in our community who struggle financially seem to face additional challenges. Families continue to be at risk for homelessness due to the lack of employment opportunities, education and occupational skills training in addition to credit challenges that include eviction judgments which prevent them from qualifying for most housing. It is with intentional effort that the Salisbury-Rowan Community Action Agency, Inc. addresses the issues related to employment, education and housing, all barriers that our participant families recurrently face. We desire our families to have the opportunity to be employed or better employed, obtain better education, occupational skills training, and live in standardized housing, thus strengthening their families as well as their communities. Fiscal Year 2016 -17 Community Services Block Grant Application Page 17 of 28 Attachment number 2 \n F -11 Page 303