ALBANY, N.Y. — Families who live in homeless shelters but have some wages and other income will soon be able to save some of that money rather than making required contributions to the shelters.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. David Paterson say the pilot program will help residents with income put life in a shelter behind them and move to new housing.

The agreement is being announced Friday in New York City by the legislators who sponsored it, state Sen. Daniel Squadron and Assemblyman Keith Wright, both New York City Democrats.

The savings program begins in September. Money that has been contributed on a sliding scale to the shelters will instead be paid into an interest bearing savings account.