Housing Navigator

Responsibilities

• Guide housing program participants through complex housing search and lease-up processes, including:
• Support with housing search
• Aid participants with filling out housing applications
• Help participants secure move-in assistance
• Accompany participants to lease signings
• Aid participants with obtaining essential household items once housed
• Provide renter education and/or trainings to housing program participants
• Assist with researching the rental market to identify prospective landlords for housing programs and generate leads for outreach and recruitment
• Recruit landlords whose tenant screening criteria will provide opportunities for applicants with criminal backgrounds, including those with felony convictions, as well as those with eviction histories or no rental histories
• Market permanent housing programs, including incentives, to prospective landlords and property managers
• Assist with updating and maintaining a specialized database/software system with landlord and unit information, including:
• Review and update information in the system to ensure accuracy and timeliness of data
• Aid with user management, approval of property managers, landlords, and property related information
• Provide support and training for landlord users
• Perform data entry for tracking of housing search assistance services
• Track data as assigned to assist management oversight of the database
• Work with the Washtenaw Housing Alliance’s Landlord Advisory Group and Housing Coordinators Network to support effective landlord engagement strategies and to update and maintain a housing inventory database
• Conduct educational workshops to support property owners and other community stakeholders on a variety of topics, including on a variety of programs benefits and opportunities to increase awareness of programs that provide affordable permanent and/or supportive housing
• Perform other duties as required by the position

Qualifications

• A degree in social work, or similar human services-related field, and/or at least three (3) years broad-based work experience in housing, homeless services, property management, and/or community development
• Lived experience of homelessness, housing insecurity, and/or justice-involvement will be valued alongside professional credentials
• Prior experience working in settings with low-income individuals and families and people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience with different technologies including Microsoft Office Suite; Google; Video conferencing; Email; and, Data management tools
• Experience with data entry accuracy and reporting
• Demonstrated capacity to exercise discretion and sound judgment in general matters and in handling confidential information
• Strong personal commitment to prevent and end homelessness
• Knowledge and adherence to “Housing First” principles and strategies for ending homelessness
• Ability to work independently, with initiative and resourcefulness
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse partners and groups