Housing Specialist II

About the role

Volunteers of America is a non-profit human services organization dedicated to serving people in need, strengthening families, and building communities. We provide various social services including Head Start programs, Upward Bound college prep programs, veterans' services, homeless shelters, low-income housing programs, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Learn more at www.voala.org.

PAY RATE

$24.86 - $26.17 Per Hour

BENEFITS

VOALA offers competitive medical, dental, vision, and retirement benefits.

Job Summary and Purpose

The Housing Specialist II is responsible for identifying suitable housing options for program participants and their families, and assisting them to achieve sustainable and healthy independent living. Part of the services team, the Housing Specialist II provides experience-based leadership and participates in all stages of client service: assessment, services planning, engagement, and delivery. They also assist with outreach and community engagement as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Identifies and locates housing options suitable for homeless participants, including referral to VOALA shelters as appropriate.
• Creates and maintains a housing database linking tenants to apartments.
• Communicates with landlords and familiarizes them with the program and the unique needs of participants.
• Conducts habitability and lead-based paint inspections of housing options as needed.
• Works directly (one-on-one) with landlords on behalf of clients and program.
• Develops support systems to meet individual client's housing needs; coordinates and facilitates move-in activities, rental negotiations, and service referrals as needed.
• Facilitates the use of community resources to assist both tenants and landlords in the event of problems leading to potential eviction.
• Part of the program case management team, provides information referrals, crisis intervention, and assistance with permanent housing placement for participants.
• Aids case managers in conducting comprehensive screenings and assessments to collect functional, environmental, financial, employment, housing, educational, and health information, as appropriate, to develop an Individual Service Plan.
• Coordinates follow-up services with case management team.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Essential Duties

• Services for this position must be provided on-site. As a result, the position requires incumbents to report to work on-site each day of active employment.
• Identifies and locates housing options suitable for homeless program participants.
• Creates and maintains a housing database linking tenants to apartments.
• Communicates with landlords and familiarizes them with the program.
• Works one-on-one with landlords to help clients, and represent program.
• Develops support system for clients to achieve and keep permanent housing, involving landlords and services available in the community.
• Coordinates efforts with Case Management team, supporting Case Management initiatives for clients served, meets regularly to stay current with client needs.
• Participates in Community engagement and outreach efforts.
• Other duties as required.

Mandated Reporter

All employees are considered Mandated Reporters and must report any instance of physical or sexual abuse to proper authorities.

Qualifications

• Must be able to pass a fingerprint clearance, background check, including criminal history, personal references, employment and education verifications.
• Ability to perform under circumstances of possible emotional stress and conflicts dealing with difficult, uncooperative, and potentially aggressive clients.
• Must have a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Services or related discipline, or equivalent combination of education and work experience (four years).
• Two years of general experience in case management, including helping homeless individuals navigate Los Angeles’ affordable and subsidized housing system.
• PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Bilingual (Spanish), HMIS (homeless database).

Equal Opportunity Employer

Volunteers of America is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This employer participates in E-Verify as required by the federal government and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.