Housing Specialist

Responsibilities

• Affords residents with safe, permanent, and affordable housing.
• Conducts initial housing assessments and determines eligibility for various housing programs and services.
• Participates in multidisciplinary treatment team meetings and shares outcomes of housing assessments and recommendations with the team.
• Develops housing service plans based on residents' housing needs while ensuring each resident's housing needs are included in their comprehensive treatment plan.
• Provides individual and group counseling regarding housing issues to help residents meet the goals of the service and comprehensive treatment plans.
• Documents all individual and group sessions for each resident as they are provided.
• Teaches residents independent living skills like budgeting and money management to help them establish and maintain self-sufficiency.
• Serves as a liaison between housing agencies such as HRA, Section 8, ACS, etc., and advocates for residents' various housing needs to such agencies while developing and maintaining a relationship with such housing agencies.
• Develops and maintains relationships with landlords, brokers, and realty agencies.
• Develops and maintains a housing referral resource manual, makes housing referrals, and follows up to determine the outcome of all referrals.
• Sets up appointments with housing agencies, landlords, and brokers so residents may view apartments.
• Prepares residents for housing interviews.
• Formulates discharge plans based on residents' needs and eligibility for various housing resources.
• Completes monthly housing reports.
• Performs other duties as requested.

Qualifications

• Associate’s Degree in Human Services or related field; OR Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or related field.
• At least one (1) year of experience working as a Housing Specialist within other similar city-operated organizations.
• Strong knowledge of housing systems and resources.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Willingness to travel in the community to view available apartments with program participants as needed.
• Available to work a flexible schedule as needed in response to program and staff needs.
• Computer literacy including proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and EHR.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Team player and ability to exhibit a substantive level of autonomy to work independently.