SOAR Housing Advocate (Housing Services)

Key Role Responsibilities

• Complete intake assessments for new clients referred to the SOAR Housing First program.
• Ensure that all referral documentation is collected, reviewed, and validated to substantiate program enrollment.
• Support clients in finding and securing safe, affordable housing and help families access resources for housing-related assistance (i.e. furniture procurement, utility assistance, etc.).
• Maintain a caseload to provide support identifying community resources.
• Partner with clients to create housing plans and assist with community referrals and linkage as indicated.
• Serve as liaison with housing inspector, helping to coordinate new, annual and other housing inspections to ensure compliance with program standards.
• Advocate with landlord and property managers regarding tenancy and negotiate move-in costs.
• With direction from the Housing Program Manager, complete regularly scheduled grant reporting.
• Ensure that services are accurately recorded and captured in data reports and the electronic health record.
• Complete monthly budgets for clients enrolled in the agency’s representative payee program.
• Conduct social groups that promote community building, housing attainment, and housing retention.
• Perform regularly scheduled chart audits to ensure that documentation meets standards set by grant funders.
• Obtain verification documents annually to support the housing recertification process.

Knowledge, Experience And Skills

• Formal Education and Training: Bachelor’s degree required.
• Personal vehicle with current automobile insurance and valid Maryland driver’s license required.
• Experience: Two years of experience in connecting individuals to essential services including healthcare, mental health, and addiction services; one year of experience completing intake assessments and developing treatment plans; experience working in a health care setting preferred.
• Skills: Knowledge of Baltimore City community resources for addiction, social services and mental health; willingness to adopt Harm Reduction and Housing First principles and apply them to work with clients; approaches change with a positive, open-minded attitude; demonstrates personal integrity and has well-developed interpersonal skills necessary to engage clients and promote positive relationships with other community agencies and providers; displays strong attention to detail and notices discrepancies easily; able to be flexible and work as part of an interdisciplinary team; able to take initiative and problem solve; able to work with ill, disabled, emotionally upset, and sometimes hostile clients.

Agency Responsibilities

• Models and reinforces the core values of dignity, authenticity, hope, justice, passion, and balance.
• Participates in performance improvement and advocacy activities that support the mission.
• Protects clients’ personal health information by maintaining compliance with HIPAA and other relevant health care-related IT security regulations.
• Performs other duties on an as-needed basis.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a mission-driven team committed to racial equity, social justice, and community wellness.
• Work in a dynamic, people-first organization that centers compassion, authenticity, and hope.
• Receive training and support to grow in your advocacy and peer work.
• Help shape the future of housing and recovery services in Baltimore.