Housing Advocate

Breaking Ground; New York (NY); On-site; USD 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player dedicated to combating homelessness is seeking a compassionate Housing Advocate. In this pivotal role, you will engage with street homeless individuals, assess their needs, and connect them with vital resources to secure permanent housing. Your expertise in motivational interviewing and strong communication skills will be essential as you conduct outreach and collaborate with various agencies. This position offers a fulfilling opportunity to make a significant impact in the community, ensuring that those in need receive the support they deserve. Join us in our mission to provide homes and hope to those experiencing homelessness.

Qualifications

• Two years of related work experience in outreach or social services.
• Strong knowledge of mental health and substance abuse issues.

Responsibilities

• Conduct outreach to assess eligibility for housing services.
• Engage with homeless individuals and maintain accurate records.
• Coordinate with other service providers and respond to emergency alerts.

Skills

Communication Skills

Motivational Interviewing

Data Entry

Knowledge of Local Benefit Agencies

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Equivalent Education and Experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Electronic Record Keeping

Job description

S2H Manhattan, New York, New York, United States of America

Job Description

Posted Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 4:00 AM

ABOUT US: We believe that everyone deserves a home!

Breaking Ground operates nearly 4,000 units of housing across New York City, as well as in upstate New York and Connecticut. Our supportive housing combines affordable housing with services to help people maintain long-term housing, a proven and cost-effective solution to chronic homelessness.

But we don't stop at providing housing. Our programs and services assist people experiencing street homelessness, especially those who have been on the streets the longest, to transition indoors. Through our Street to Home outreach and transitional housing resources, we help individuals secure and sustain permanent housing.

Our Street to Home program contacts over 2,000 street homeless individuals annually, connecting more than 500 to housing, medical and mental health services, substance abuse counseling, and other supports. We ensure that over 95% of those placed remain stably housed.

The Housing Advocate works directly with street homeless individuals, conducting outreach to assess eligibility for Street to Home services and to secure appropriate housing solutions. For chronic cases, the advocate builds relationships using motivational interviewing to encourage movement towards permanent housing. For non-chronic cases, available resources are utilized for other housing placements. The role involves extensive street outreach, often in a vehicle, responding to 311 calls, community concerns, and participating in alerts like Code Blue and Code Red. The advocate will identify hotspots and work to address them, conduct vulnerability assessments bi-annually, and maintain accurate data in outreach databases.

This position has a 35-hour work week.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Engage with all persons on the street who appear homeless
• Create and maintain a registry of chronic and non-chronic homeless clients
• Conduct vulnerability assessments
• Attend clinical supervision and training sessions
• Maintain records, complete reports, and enter data into databases
• Communicate effectively with team members through notes, reports, and meetings
• Coordinate with other service providers on behalf of clients
• Collaborate with agencies like Parks Department, NYPD, DSNY, MTA, etc.
• Respond to 311 calls and participate in emergency alerts
• Identify and work to eradicate hotspots and encampments
• Perform other duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Two years of related work experience
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education and experience
• Knowledge of local benefit agencies, substance abuse, mental health, and employment issues
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic record keeping
• Valid driver’s license from NY, NJ, CT, or PA with a good driving record, as defined by Breaking Ground