Housing Navigator

About the role

The position of Housing Navigator reports directly to an assigned Program Coordinator at a U.S.VETS site. The Housing Navigator is responsible for assisting veterans and their families and other persons served in navigating the housing process up to obtaining permanent housing, often while coordinating with multiple agencies and support types including the HUD-VASH housing voucher.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with HUD-VASH partners, attending case conferencing and collaborating with assigned VA Social Workers on veteran clients and their needs
• Maintain case file of documents necessary for clients’ application to housing opportunities
• Compile client information, rental market information, and housing trends to provide data for reports and to guide decisions
• Engage clients at various levels of the housing process
• Assess for housing choice, tenant-screening barriers, and strengths
• Aid clients in locating housing, viewing units (including transport clients to units in company vehicles or securing transportation), collecting documents owners require, applying for units, and mitigating or overcoming any tenant-screening barriers
• Submit required housing documents to various agencies to advance housing process
• Conduct landlord engagement and outreach in coordination with multiple agencies
• Assist clients with accessing allowable incentives (landlord & clients), move-in costs, sign the lease and all moving logistics
• Provide up to 1 month of housing stability case management to veteran client enrolled in HUD-VASH, who have moved to permanent housing, before transitioning fully to a HUDVASH point of contact for clinical care and ongoing/continued case management
• Support clients' basic needs (non-clinical care) and provide case management including setting up a housing stability plan and coordinating referrals for supportive services not offered by U.S.VETS
• Link clients to VA and community-based services to pursue healthcare, public benefits, utility discounts, legal services, employment programs and other services to assist with housing search and stability
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social services/social work or a closely related field that would support the duties and qualifications of the position required
• For Housing Navigators working with SSVF programs, a Bachelor’s degree is required
• For Housing Navigators working with a Housing Navigation Program such as a County or other local program, a Bachelor’s degree is required or may be substituted equivalent experience if permitted by funding source and site management
• Experience working with low income and/or homeless populations, preferably those in low-income subsidized housing arrangements and/or supportive housing programs
• Proficient typing and computer skills, including Microsoft Office 365 (Outlook/Word/Excel)
• Ability and willingness to work flexible hours to accommodate participants which may include evenings and/or weekends
• Experience working in diverse settings with people across all socio-economic spectrums and a wide variety of roles - staff, residents, local agencies, contractors, lenders, etcetera
• Professionalism: high level of integrity and strong ethical values show capacity to maintain highest standards of confidentiality with all records, including organizational and individual information
• Strong oral/written communication and listening skills
• Self-motivated, well-organized, and accountable for work time, deadlines, and agency resources
• Quality control: demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness, monitors own work to ensure quality, and applies feedback to improve performance
• Access to reliable personal transportation required, including a Valid driver’s license, must meet company insurance requirements and complete a provided driver training course

Benefits

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY U.S.VETS subscribes to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity. U.S.VETS’ policy is to provide employment, compensation, and other benefits related to employment based on qualifications, without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, U.S.VETS intends to comply fully with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, and the information requested on this application will be used only for purposes consistent with those laws.

Pay

FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt

Schedule

Flexible hours to accommodate participants which may include evenings and/or weekends