Housing Coordinator

Canadian Mental Health Association Huron Perth Addiction and Mental Health; Stratford; On-site; CAD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A mental health organization in Ontario is seeking a Housing Coordinator to oversee properties, manage client issues, and support housing programs. The role requires effective communication, planning skills, and experience in supportive housing. If you have a background in social science or human services and are committed to helping individuals facing mental health challenges, we encourage you to apply. The position involves in-person, phone, and virtual interactions with clients.

Qualifications

• 1-3 years experience in a coordinating capacity in supportive housing.
• Knowledge of serious mental illness and addiction.
• Experience in not-for-profit housing settings preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide oversight of agency-owned properties and sublet agreements.
• Coordinate maintenance and repairs for housing properties.
• Manage difficult client situations and support case managers.

Skills

Communication (written and oral)

Planning

Leadership

Interpersonal

Decision making

Education

Post-secondary education in social science or human services

Job description

Overview

POSITION SUMMARY: Reporting to the Manager of Housing, the Housing Coordinator provides oversight to all agency owned properties, as well as to agency sublet agreements, in both Huron and Perth Counties. This position involves liaison with CMHA Huron Perth Corporate Services and Case Managers to maintain the effectiveness of the housing program and to support resolution of client/tenant issues up to and including tribunal action when necessary. The location for the provision of these services will vary throughout Huron and Perth Counties based on property locations and services are delivered in-person, by phone, and virtually based on client need.

Organizational Duties and Responsibilities

In addition to specific key job responsibilities identified in this position description, the incumbent is also responsible to contribute and support the overall culture and working environment of the organization by:

• Demonstrating and exemplifying the organization’s mission and values in day to day work
• Acting with the highest standard of professionalism with clients, family members, community partners, the general public and colleagues
• Working in a manner that preserves and respects the privacy and confidentiality of personal health information
• Working in a manner that is fiscally responsible
• Working in a manner that promotes and maintains the reputation of the organization and minimizes risk of harm and/or liability to the organization
• Working in a manner that complies with the organization’s policies and procedures
• Working in a manner that meets all Health and Safety requirements to ensure a healthy and safe workplace
• Acknowledging, respecting and affirming the diverse needs of our community, clients and the organization’s employees with the goal of reducing disparities in health outcomes
• Contributing to the organization activities to collect, analyze and report data
• Maintaining competence, demonstrating a commitment to ongoing professional development and where applicable, a professional license to practice
• Contributing to the organization’s work by promoting awareness, participating in committees and agency event

Key Position Responsibilities and Duties

Housing Coordinator

• Preparation of units following vacancies to make ready for new tenant(s), with support from case managers where appropriate
• Complete monthly housing checks for clients in agency owned and sublet properties
• Arrange repairs to owned properties and for damages caused by tenants in sublet properties including coordinating with third party contractors
• Complete minor repairs or attend to property needs that do not meet the threshold of contacting a third-party contractor (i.e. changing door codes)
• Coordinate maintenance of owned properties including snow removal, grass cutting, fire inspections and heating system inspections
• Maintain the housing waitlist and recommend clients for available vacancies
• In coordination with Managers of Housing, complete the signing of occupancy agreements
• With support from the Managers of Housing and/or the Director where appropriate, attend Landlord Tenant Board tribunal on behalf of CMHA Huron Perth
• Provide coaching and consultation to case managers around housing related issues faced by clients within their housing
• In collaboration with case managers, manage difficult client situations which may include issuing infractions up to and including initiating tribunal action and eventual eviction
• Support the Managers of Housing in the creation and execution of housing related policies, procedures and program development
• With administrative support from Corporate Services, complete rent calculations, prepare rent verification statements and implement rent increases as required
• Maintain tenant and landlord files with administrative support from Corporate Services
• Assist Manager of Finance, Data and Performance with reporting on housing programs
• Support a small caseload of clients within owned properties whose primary support needs are completion of monthly housing checks and/or other routine property checks
• Engage in community awareness, education and outreach as designated and appropriate, representing the agency in a professional manner
• Demonstrate flexibility in the work environment while maintaining personal safety and the safety of the client(s) at all times

Administrative

• Maintain a complete, accurate and comprehensive clinical record of each client contact
• Report statistics about clinical activities using designated agency format as required
• Complete monthly, annual and other reported documentation as required in a punctual and comprehensive manner
• Maintain administrative and clinical records, including client files and data entry, as per Policy and Procedure Manual

General

• Participate on internal agency committees and/or outside community committees as appropriate
• Adhere to policies and protocols as outlined in the Human Resource and Procedure Manual
• Attend and actively participate in any team and staff meetings, the Annual General Meeting, and periodically scheduled strategic planning, team building and agency events
• Assist with the orientation and training of new agency staff, volunteers and interns/students as designated and need
• Provide coverage of CMHAHP AMHS services for other team members as needed
• Help ensure the organization and program objectives are met
• Work harmoniously with colleagues, including not behaving in ways that are likely to be offensive in any manner to others and confronting such behaviours by others
• Conduct self in a responsible, professional manner
• Perform other duties that may be assigned from time to time

Qualifications

Education: Post-secondary education in social science or human services field, with specific focus on mental health and/or addictions.

Experience: 1-3 years experience in a coordinating capacity in an organization that is responsible for the delivery of not-for-profit and supportive housing. Knowledge of serious mental illness and addiction, including engagement modalities, gained by direct work experience is an asset. Experience in not-for-profit housing settings preferred.

Knowledge and Skills: Knowledge of the Housing Services Act, broad knowledge addiction and mental health treatments and explanatory theories, homelessness, and community resources is an asset. Demonstrated knowledge of the principles and techniques of case management and property management. In addition, the incumbent will demonstrate integrity and ethics, good coping skills, strong collaborative skills, flexibility and commitment to the work.

Abilities: Communication-written and oral, planning, leadership, interpersonal, negotiating, directing/motivating, organizing, and decision making.

Coping: Able to maintain a mature problem-solving attitude while dealing with interpersonal conflicts, hazardous conditions, personal rejection, hostility or time demands.

Decisiveness: Able to make decisions quickly on available information and take action, make commitments and not change decisions when challenged, deal with emergencies as necessary.

Decision Making and Problem Solving: Able to take action in solving problems while exhibiting judgement and a realistic understanding of issues, able to use reason, even when dealing with emotional topics

Creativity: Able to develop unique and novel solutions to problems; use intuition and a new way of thinking to give birth to new ideas; present information in an attention-getting and interesting manner.