Housing Case Manager

About the role

Under the supervision of the Housing Options Supervisor, the Housing Case Manager will work with youth ages 18 through 25 who are referred to The HAY Center Housing Continuum for housing case management services. This position determines the best way to address a youth’s unique housing needs, which can include intervention with the leasing office, landlord, or housing authority on the youth’s behalf. This position also provides crisis intervention as needed by providing linkage to resources and services.

Responsibilities

• Provides housing case management to youth transitioning to independence, including reviewing and explaining lease agreements, conducting home visits, collecting and reviewing rent ledgers to ensure rent and fees are current, providing instruction on ways to communicate concerns with the unit, reviewing initial assessments, plan of service, budgets and providing life skills instruction/community resources needed to ensure youth maintains housing stability and independence, advocating for the youth with landlords/apartment management and local housing authorities with the goal of avoiding evictions and sustaining housing ability.
• Completes required case documentation in a case management database system and maintains case files for assigned cases to ensure that all information regarding the youth's housing plan is current and updates are available to the HAY Center team.
• Assists the youth in completing and submitting documentation as needed to the local housing authorities throughout the housing process including the initial application, recertifications, move requests, income changes and family composition changes to ensure the youth remain in compliance with the housing program.
• Attends and participates in wraparound meetings to provide status updates on the youth's housing goals/plan and works in coordination with the youth and other HAY Center program representatives on action items to ensure the youth continue to progress on their goals including housing.
• Attends and participates in all HAY Center and Housing Continuum events and workshops.
• Attends and participates in life skills training class - Housing and Transportation to review housing readiness with youth in care. These events may take place on some weekends.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Criminal Justice, or relevant field.
• Experience: Two (2) years of verifiable full-time paid case management experience (including case documentation) working in an educational, institutional, counseling, or social service setting working with youth who have challenging life circumstances.
• Training and experience: Using a personal computer with a variety of software, including Microsoft Office.
• Licensure: Reliable transportation with a valid driver’s license (Texas) and auto liability insurance. Ability to become CPR/First Aid certified.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge and understanding of adolescent/transition age youth stages of development and the transitional needs, including life skills and linkages of youth aging out of the foster care system
• Must be detail-oriented and self-motivated
• Ability to problem solve and demonstrate critical thinking skills
• Ability to follow written and oral instructions
• Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Interacts and maintains professional working relationships with individuals of varying social and cultural backgrounds
• Ability to contribute effectively to the accomplishments of team or work unit goals, objectives, and activities
• Skills in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships

Preferences

• Experience working with transition-age youth and young adults (18–25 years old) transitioning into stable housing.
• Some experience working with or knowledge of public housing and housing subsidies.
• Some experience working with or knowledge of the transitional needs of youth aging out of foster care.